PROBLEMS with peers and anxiety over love affairs are the two areas that worry young people most, going by calls received by a youth hotline that has been in operation for the past 20 months.
The Youthline, introduced in July 1993 by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, has handled 35,851 cases. Out of the top 10 problems pinpointed, 24.9 per cent concerned peer relationships in school and 15.9 per cent related to love affairs.
Pressure or stress in school (14.2 per cent) and parent-child relationships (13.8 per cent) also ranked high.
Yolanda Chiu Wai-kan, senior supervisor of the federation, said schooling, love and courtship, and family were the three main categories that youth problems fall into.
The most common problems students called in about were difficulties in getting along with peers in school, examination stress, concern about disappointing parents, and worry over love affairs.
Ms Chiu said most callers regained their emotional stability after counsellors had talked with them and suggested guidelines for solving their problems. Around 10 per cent of the cases were followed up by repeat calls or face-to-face counselling.
Although the majority of the callers are aged between 11 and 15, Ms Chiu said the hotline also received calls from children between six and 10 years. Figures showed that the younger group did not appear to have any serious problems with adjustment in school or with peer relationships.
