System failure? Exploring the interplay of fear of failure, competition, cooperation and sense of belonging in education in England and Flanders

Abstract Fear of failure is damaging in a host of ways yet is rife in many schools. Drawing on self‐worth theory, we explore whether fear of academic failure is higher in education systems with features that increase students' experiences of competition. To do this, we compare two very different education systems: England, where, for instance, national high‐stakes tests are frequent; and Flanders, which had no national testing. Using PISA data generated in 2018, we explore whether and how fear of failure is associated with competition, as well as if and how perceived cooperation and sense of belonging play a role. t ‐Tests (SPSS) of data of 5242 English and 4882 Flemish students show that, on average, English students display more fear of failure, report more competition in school, are more competitive, perceive less cooperation and report less sense of belonging than Flemish students. Multilevel analyses (HLM7.0) show that the association between region and fear of failure is explained partly by students experiencing more competition in England. We conclude that, to reduce fear of failure, it is important to create education systems that de‐emphasise competition (e.g., by reducing high‐stakes testing) and that instead foster cooperation and a sense of belonging. Reducing fear of failure is particularly important right now as there are mounting concerns in many countries about increasing mental health problems among young people.