More resources for and acceptance of mental health issues among young people is needed, the Child Welfare League Foundation said on Wednesday, after its survey found that 23 percent of high-school students have experienced severe depression.
The survey, based on the 21-question version of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, received 1,842 responses from junior-high and high-school students aged 12 to 17.
The scale asks about people’s feelings over the previous week, but the resulting score does not constitute a clinical diagnosis, foundation chief executive officer Pai Li-fang (白麗芳) told a news conference.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
About 12.2 percent of respondents reported feeling severe or extremely severe levels of stress, manifesting as trouble calming down, irritability and restlessness, the survey showed.
About 17 percent reported severe or extremely severe levels of persistent sadness or depression, while among only high-school students, the figure was 23 percent.
Yet when dealing with challenging emotions, 17 percent said they would not talk with anyone, the survey showed.
Seventy percent said they would talk with friends, while 40.6 percent said they would talk with their parents and 9.8 percent would talk with online friends, it showed.
Only 5.6 percent said they would seek professional counseling from their school, it showed.
Suicide is the second-most common cause of death among 15 to 24-year-olds, Pai said, citing 2021 data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Cross-referencing of the data showed that the more socially competent a teenager feels, the less likely they are to experience stress and depression, Pai said.
Therefore, cultivating communication skills, cooperation, a personal voice, responsibility, participation, empathy and self-control in young people is important, Pai said.
This should involve more positive encouragement and broader access to resources to live a fuller teenage life, she said.
Illustrator Mr Doumiao (豆苗先生) created a comic about his experience with depression, informed by similar stories others have shared with him.
Teenagers are not taught that depression is normal, making it easy to label and stigmatize people experiencing those feelings, he said.
Many therefore turn to the Internet to express their emotions, he added.
Over many generations, adults have taught children that showing their emotions is a sign of weakness, that fear is cowardly and depression is the result of a low stress tolerance, counseling psychologist Teng Shan-ting (鄧善庭) said.
However, even adults face difficulties in their lives, and crying is not only acceptable, but can make it easier to meet challenges head on, she said.
Adults should show children that experiencing negative emotions is normal, and can be expressed and accepted, she added.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄), which earlier this week became the first Taiwanese novel to win the International Booker Prize, is to be adapted into a television series through a Taiwan-Japan coproduction, producer Chang Chen-yu (張辰漁) said yesterday. Chang, a producer at World Softest Production Film Co, wrote on Facebook that the company had been searching for projects with international appeal that retain a strong Taiwanese identity after colleagues and Japanese partners strongly recommended the novel. After reading the book, Chang said he immediately decided to pursue the screen rights. “A great story has the power to transcend time and borders, and connect countless people,”
RSS