Deep Dive: An alarming number of Hong Kong youth have mental health issues, but what is the government doing to help?

• A Chinese University study finds that 24.4 per cent of youth aged six to 17 had experienced at least one mental health issue in the past year

• “We are worried. Compared to the global trend, we are on the higher end,” an academic says

Last month, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) revealed the results of a government-commissioned study. The researchers interviewed 6,082 youth aged six to 17, as well as their parents, between 2019 and 2023.

The study found that 24.4 per cent of children and adolescents had experienced at least one mental health issue in the past year. Half of them were suffering from two or more mental illnesses at the same time. More than 8 per cent of secondary school students said they had thought about suicide.

“We are worried. Compared to the global trend, we are on the higher end,” said Professor Sandra Chan Sau-man of CUHK’s department of psychiatry. “We have a very complex and highly stressful society for kids.”

The survey also found that nearly half of carers were not willing to find professional help even if they saw their children having mental problems. The carers’ reasons for not seeking help included that they were afraid of others judging them, they did not realise how severe the mental issues were, and they did not know how to get help.

Professor Patrick Leung Wing-leung of CUHK’s psychology department said the students’ mental health was most affected by a parent’s emotional distress, problems at school and harmful sleep issues.

“If parents themselves also have emotional distress, it will get in the way ... of playing the role as parents and nurturing the development of children,” he said.

“When our expectations on the child’s academic performance exceed their ability, the child may be very worried about not being able to live up to the demands of society and parents, which may lead to anxiety, as well as depression when they actually fail.”

He added: “In terms of sleep problems, many local studies have shown that this is an early sign of mental health problems. There are, in fact, treatments, which can help reduce the chance that the mental health issues will linger later in life.”

Dr Hung Se-fong, an honorary clinical professor in the department, said suicide among students was just “the tip of the iceberg”.

“This report tells us that our children and adolescents have been facing more problems,” he said.

“We should put more effort into addressing the problems underneath, in terms of educational support, family support, youth services.”
Staff writers

Your Voice: The social struggles of ethnic minorities (short letters)

Question prompts:

1. According to the study in News, what are the top factors affecting the mental health of Hong Kong children and adolescents?
(1) issues they face at school
(2) their parents’ negative emotions
(3) excessive use of social media
(4) severe sleep problems

A. (1), (2) and (3) only
B. (1), (2) and (4) only
C. (2), (3) and (4) only
D. all of the above

2. What is preventing many young people from getting the mental health treatment they need, and why?

3. “Hong Kong is facing a mental health crisis.” To what extent does News support this statement? Elaborate on your answer.

ADHD, depression most common mental health issues for Hong Kong students

Question prompts:

1. What emotion might the child in the illustration be experiencing, and why?

2. Based on News and your answer above, explain how the parent in the illustration could show support to the child.

Question prompts:

1. List ONE observation from the chart.

2. Refer to Hung Se-fong’s suggestions mentioned in the last paragraph of News. How can educational support, family support, or youth services address the issues shown in the chart? Which of these options do you think is most useful? Explain.

• Over the next two academic years, HK$60,000 will be given to schools and HK$20,000 will be given to parent-teacher associations

• An Education Bureau circular has advised schools to make the well-being of students the priority

Hong Kong education chiefs have given primary and secondary schools a grant of HK$80,000 (US$10,000) each to promote mental health. Officials have also told schools to review the workload given to pupils after a surge in the number of teenagers who have killed themselves, or have tried to.

The funding must be implemented in the next two academic years. The Education Bureau announced it in a circular that it sent to public and semi-private institutions last month.

The circular said: “Schools should review students’ workload and the arrangements for assessments in a pragmatic and professional manner according to their abilities and needs. This is to secure sufficient time for rest and leisure, as well as the capacity to engage in physically and mentally stimulating activities, to help relieve stress.”

The bureau said activities could include running stress-relief workshops, organising groups for students to deal with their emotional troubles, and creating a “mental health corner” in schools. A resource kit on mental health will also be released.

Parent-teacher associations at government-funded schools will also receive a one-time grant of HK$20,000 over the same period to organise educational activities for families about how to support children’s mental health by working with their schools.

Polly Chan Suk-yee is the vice-chairwoman of the Hong Kong Aided Primary School Heads Association. Chan said the measures could help reinforce existing efforts to promote mental health in schools.

But she doubted that schools could dedicate more time and resources to tackling the problem.

“Teachers are incredibly busy these days – whether they have the capacity to further build relationships and spend more time on communicating with students, that might not be easy given the current situation,” Chan said.

Study Buddy (Challenger): Medical workers need mental health support

She added that reviewing students’ workloads could help give teachers the breathing space to look after pupils’ mental health. This is because schools have the flexibility to manage internal examination and test arrangements.

Chan said her school had cut down the content being tested in hopes of reducing stress among pupils and giving them more face-to-face time with teachers.

But she added the Education Bureau could explore if changes could be made to systemic assessments, such as those for allocating secondary school places.

Chan also said it was more important to teach pupils how to deal with difficulties and seek help rather than trying to give them complete protection from stress.
Staff writer

Question prompts:

1. What is the purpose of the grant the Education Bureau is giving to schools?
(1) to promote mental health among pupils
(2) to hold stress-relief workshops
(3) to hire more mental health professionals to help struggling students
(4) to purchase learning materials for mental health education

A. (1), (2) and (3) only
B. (1), (2) and (4) only
C. (2), (3) and (4) only
D. all of the above

2. List one concern Polly Chan Suk-yee has raised regarding the grant.

3. Based on News and Issue, what do you believe is the most effective approach to promoting mental well-being in Hong Kong schools and addressing the mental health crisis among students? Explain.

Your Voice: Struggle to spread the word about mental health (long letters)

• mental health issue: when someone has serious difficulties with their thinking, feelings or actions. These problems make it hard for people to do what they need for their daily lives. Examples include depression and anxiety.

• government-commissioned study: refers to a study conducted by CUHK, between 2019 and 2023. For primary school students, researchers mainly conducted one-on-one assessments with their parents and a short survey with the children. Individual interviews were arranged for secondary school pupils and their parents. The study revealed that one in 10 respondents had clinically significant sleep issues. Some 10.2 per cent of participants had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – the most common clinical issue. Disruptive impulse control and conduct disorders affected 8.8 per cent; 6.1 per cent had anxiety disorders; and 5.4 per cent had depressive disorders.

• suicide: describes when someone takes their own life, usually as an attempt to escape situations or feelings that seem impossible to cope with. But people are better able to cope with distressing situations and feelings when they have support from loved ones and mental health professionals. The number of suspected suicide cases among Hong Kong primary and secondary school pupils has increased to 31 in the first 11 months of this year. This is a 30 per cent increase compared with the average of the past three years under the pandemic, and it is more than double the number in 2018, the year before social unrest broke out in Hong Kong.

News
1. Answer: B
2. Their carers are unwilling to seek professional help despite observing mental problems in their children. The reasons include underestimating the severity of the issue, fear of stigma and a lack of knowledge on how to seek assistance.
3. News strongly supports the statement that the city is facing a mental health crisis. The study’s findings show that a worrying number of children and young people in Hong Kong have mental health problems and some of them have more than one mental health condition. Additionally, a high proportion of secondary school students have thought about suicide. This further emphasises the seriousness of the situation.

Illustration
1. The child might be feeling worried and frustrated about doing homework well, and the child might be feeling pressure from the parent to do better.
2. The child’s parent should have realistic expectations and not put too much pressure on this child. If the parent notices signs of mental and emotional distress, they should not be afraid to offer support or help the child seek professional help.

Chart
1. Secondary school students are much more likely to have thoughts related to self-harm or death, as compared to the overall population surveyed.
2. In terms of educational support, the government can implement suicide prevention programmes to teach students about suicide warning signs, how to help a friend in crisis, and how to get help for themselves. Family support can be in the form of encouraging parents to create an open and supportive environment where children feel comfortable talking about their thoughts and feelings. Youth services such as crisis hotlines and support groups can provide help and resources for young people who are struggling with suicidal thoughts or feelings.
I think the educational support is most important because students spend the majority of their time in school, so it is easiest for them to get help in these situations.

Issue
1. B
2. The teachers are so overwhelmed by their own workload that they might not have the capacity to further build relationships and spend more time communicating with students.
3. Polly Chan’s suggestions seem most effective in addressing the underlying causes of student stress and fostering long-term mental resilience. While the Education Bureau’s one-time grant provides schools with temporary financial resources to implement various mental health initiatives, they might not necessarily address the root causes of student stress. More funding is needed to provide long-term resources for teachers and students.
Chan’s suggestions such as reducing workload for teachers so that they can spend more time bonding with students, cutting down content being tested in exams to reduce the excessive academic pressure on students and teaching students coping mechanisms offer a more comprehensive and proactive approach that addresses the underlying causes of student stress and helps them to build mental resilience.