NEW YORK — While adults worry about the effects of peer pressure, bullies and violence in entertainment on their children, kids themselves are more concerned about homework, grades and school, according to a Kids-Health KidsPoll of 9- to 13-year-olds.

Thirty-six percent of the 875 kids surveyed named academics when asked what made them feel stressed; 32 percent said their family and 21 percent said peers.

How do they cope?

More than half of children (52 percent) said that they play or do something active to get their minds off of their woes. Many also listen to music, watch TV or play a video game. Thirty percent said they talk to a friend and 29 percent try not to think about the stressors. Only 22 percent said talking to a parent is something they do "a lot."

One of the more troubling facts from this poll, conducted on behalf of the National Association of Health Education Centers, the Neuours Center for Children's Health Media and Southern Illinois University Carbondale's Department of Health Education and Recreation, is that 25 percent of the children said they had hurt themselves on purpose when they were stressed or upset, most commonly by banging their head or body on an object.

"Stress, frustration, helplessness, hurt or anger can be overwhelming emotions for some children," says D'Arcy Lyness, a child and adolescent psychologist and medical editor for Kids-Health.

"If feelings are strong, and a child doesn't have a constructive way to express or release the feeling, he or she may feel like a volcano ready to erupt. A child may blame himself when things go wrong — he may feel ashamed, embarrassed or angry at himself for his part in the situation. Hurting himself on purpose may be a way to express the stress, and blame himself at the same time," Lyness said.