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More education leads to more stress, study says

More education also leads to people feeling they have control over their life.

By Thor Benson

TORONTO, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- A new study from the University of Toronto claims more education gives people a sense of control but also more stress.

First, they studied "mastery," or how much control people feel they have over their life. They asked how much someone agrees or disagrees with statements like: "You have little control over the things that happen to you" or "You often feel helpless in dealing with problems of life."

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University graduates had the highest level of mastery, which the researchers associate with higher earnings and lower exposure to financial strain, compared to non-graduates.

Though graduates felt they had more control than people who hadn't graduated college, they also felt more stressed. Study participants showed signs of being overworked, experiencing high job pressure and having a work-to-family conflict.

"While education is extremely critical for mastery, higher educational attainment also appears to introduce stressors that can dampen the psychological benefits," said Professor Scott Schieman.

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