Stress, Recovery, and Epigenetic Transmission: Psychological Mechanisms and Implications for Education and Intergenerational Health

Background: Youth suffer due to chronic psychological stress, which affects cognition and mental health. Stress effects may be mediated by epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, histone modulation, telomere dynamics, and be transmitted through the generations. There is still some evidence that is missing on the topic of stress, recovery, and epigenetics in education.Objective: The present scoping review is a map of evidence that provides the relationship between psychological stress, recovery, and epigenetic modifications among youth aged between three years to eighteen years; methodological gaps; and policy implications of education.Methods: The literature based on systematic search of five databases (2020-2025) was found. In accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines, fifty studies were evaluated in terms of quality with AMSTAR 2, Joanna Briggs Institute, and Newcastle-Ottawa scales.Results: DNA methylation patterns suggestive of inflammation, worse cognitive functioning, and faster biological aging in adolescents were linked with socioeconomic deprivation. Epigenetic buffering potential is demonstrated on sleep, physical activity, and mindfulness, but there is no dose-response. Multigenerational transmission in animals has been exhibited in four generations; in humans, evidence exists, but the transmission is still weak due to confounding factors. Conclusion: There should be no-regret policies put into practice by the educational policy; that is, sleep-protective schedules, workload pacing, rest-recovery spaces, with higher priority to high-stress schools. Convergent research involving psychology, epigenetics, pedagogy, and ethics is able to contribute to causal knowledge whilst considering the needs in development and the ethical limits.KeywordsAcademic stress, epigenetics, DNA methylation, recovery, intergenerational transmission, adolescent health, educational policy, precautionary principle