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										<p>Students' NAPLAN results are linked to much more than the time they spend on homework, new research from the Australian National University (ANU) and the Gradient Institute has found. </p><p>The researchers found that subjective well-being has a significant impact on academic performance.</p><p>In a study of 3,400 students, researchers found that self-reported levels of depression had a large negative effect on NAPLAN results months later. </p><p>“This research has a much broader effect than just the NAPLAN tests, it shapes how education professionals should approach teaching as a whole,” said study author Dr. Diana Cárdenas. </p><p>“Our findings show that teaching for test scores is not enough.  There is great benefit when schools care about the heads and hearts of their students. </p><p>"Subjective well-being, how a person perceives their emotions and experiences, is an underexplored area in education." </p><p>According to the researchers, previous studies have focused on depression and anxiety from a medical standpoint, excluding the experience of the vast majority of students who may experience low well-being but lack a professional diagnosis. </p><p>"Quantifying these relationships taking into account many other factors has been a great challenge for researchers, but now there is clear evidence," said study co-author Professor Kate Reynolds. </p><p>The research found that students who report lower well-being have worse academic results.</p><p>Dr Cardenas and her team, which includes members of the Gradient Institute and education policy makers, aim to use this research to shape the education system in Australia. </p><p>"Schools serve as a key institution for building positive futures and for linking families and community services, which together can address youth depression and well-being," he said. </p><p>"Better understanding of the relationship between well-being and learning performance will help prioritize resources and new innovations to ensure the best outcomes for children and young people, and ultimately Australia's future success."</p><p>Dr. Cárdenas and her team collaborated with machine learning researchers at the Gradient Institute to apply a new methodological approach.</p><p>"The amount and complexity of the data meant we had to take a novel analytical approach using machine learning to quantify the relationships between well-being and NAPLAN outcome."  said Dr. Dan Steinberg, principal investigator at the Gradient Institute.</p> 									</div>
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