About 20 per cent of Hong Kong secondary school students showed moderate to severe depression, anxiety and stress according to a survey, prompting experts to recommend training pupils in peer emotional support ahead of the new academic year.
The Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service announced the findings of its study on Sunday, after interviewing over 1,800 secondary school students between November and March.
The proportion of students experiencing moderate to very severe levels of stress rose from 17.9 per cent last year to 20.8 per cent this year, which researchers described as an “alarming situation”.
Common symptoms of stress include getting upset over minor issues, facing numerous stressors and feeling annoyed when interrupted.
Thomas Fung Chak-tong, assistant service head of the children and youth development service, said that the situation was similar to last year.
He noted that males scored higher in life satisfaction than females, and junior secondary students scored higher than senior secondary students.