1 in 4 Hong Kong secondary school students suffer from moderate to severe depression, NGO finds
Hong Kong Free Press
One in four Hong Kong secondary school students said they suffered from moderate to severe depression, a survey conducted by an NGO has found, urging the city to foster a more positive culture for teenagers and include youngsters when planning mental health policies.
Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service surveyed 1,646 students in local secondary schools to assess their wellbeing from last November to April, releasing the results on Sunday.
The survey found out that 33.6 per cent of students presented symptoms of depression, while 25.5 per cent experienced middle- to high-level depression and should seek help from clinical professionals.
The NGO said many students reported having thoughts such as “I think I am useless,” “I do not have any expectations,” and “I hate my life.”
Separately, nearly 30 per cent students said they suffered from anxiety, with 20.5 per cent suffering from moderate to severe anxiety. Many students reported experiencing physical symptoms such as dizziness and hand trembling.
The survey identified that while the overall wellbeing of students was average, 20 per cent reported a low level of wellbeing.
Thomas Fung, director of children and youth mental health of Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service, said on RTHK on Monday morning that the survey also found that many students tended to blame themselves whenever anything bad happened, such as performing poorly in school exams.
“They criticise themselves harshly… If they fail at something important, they tend to blame themselves for their every shortcoming,” Fung said in Cantonese.
Hong Kong teenagers have long presented worrying conditions in mental health. In 2018, the Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service survey found out that one in two students presented symptoms of depression and around 30 per cent of students felt “helpless” about the future.
On Sunday, the NGO urged different stakeholders to help students reduce self-criticism, enhance family relationships and build a positive school culture.
It also recommended that school, family and community mental health centres should strengthen their collaboration to support teenagers at risk, and that authorities should listen to young people’s ideas and opinions when formulating mental health policies.
Mental Health Charter
To better enhance Hong Kong students’ wellbeing, the government has introduced a 4Rs Mental Health Charter at local primary and secondary schools for the new school year.
The charter asks schools to roll out measures to help students have more “rest” and “relaxation,” and foster “relationships,” and “resilience.”
The education chief Christine Choi told the press on Monday that 420 local schools had signed the charter after she visited Tsung Tsin College on the first day of the new academic year, local media outlets reported.
Choi sent a roly-poly toy as a gift to the school, saying she hoped all students could develop a resilient spirit.
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