Half of 3,441 Hong Kong students polled show signs of depression
Separate hotline set up by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups also saw an increase of 2,600 cases this year compared with last year
A survey of 3,441 secondary school pupils and tertiary students in Hong Kong found that half of them showed signs of depression, while 40 per cent complained about stress in the new school term.
The poll was conducted by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups in September.
About 51 per cent of respondents scored more than 16 marks in a US-based test with 20 questions that measured scales of depression, meaning these students displayed symptoms of depression.
More than half of Hong Kong secondary school pupils show symptoms of depression, quarter display signs of anxiety
This is the second survey in a month identifying similar problems among young people in the city. The previous poll by Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service involved 15,560 secondary school pupils, and also found more than half showed symptoms of depression while a quarter displayed signs of anxiety.
“The situation is worrying,” Hsu Siu-man, supervisor of the federation’s youth wellness centre, said on Wednesday.
She called for parents and teachers to pay attention to students showing signs of depression, such as feeling unwell before going to school, loss of appetite or crying.
“If the negative signs last for two to four weeks, they may need to further observe and seek professional advice,” Hsu said.
In the more recent survey, close to 40 per cent of students also rated their stress levels as high – seven on a scale of 10 – the survey found, about 10 percentage points higher than a year ago.