Nearly 30 percent of secondary school students in Hong Kong have reported severe or very severe anxiety, a recent survey has found, prompting calls for early mental health intervention.
The joint study by the Christian Family Service Centre and the University of Hong Kong’s Centre on Behavioral Health interviewed more than 700 students from upper primary levels to Secondary Six.
It found that nearly 15 percent of secondary students showed severe or very severe symptoms of depression, while almost 30 percent reported severe or very severe anxiety.
The situation was also concerning among younger children.
Ten percent of upper primary students showed severe or very severe symptoms of depression, while 17 percent reported similar levels of anxiety.
Researchers found that students with stronger self-compassion and adequate social support had notably lower stress levels and fewer negative emotions.
The organizations recommended introducing preventive mental health education from primary school.
They said helping students develop self-compassion at an early stage could reduce emotional difficulties linked to excessive self-criticism, especially during the transition to secondary school.
