Survey finds depression signs in over half of students
SingTao · 4 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups said its latest secondary school adjustment survey found an average school-start stress score of 5.9 out of 10, unchanged from last year, with academic issues dominating students’ worries. The survey found 56.5% of respondents scored at or above the reference threshold for depressive symptoms, and the average score rose steadily from Secondary One to Secondary Six. It also found that 45.6% to nearly half of students had used AI tools to confide feelings or seek advice, a proportion higher than those seeking help from teachers or social workers. The group urged parents, schools and the wider community to pay closer attention to hidden emotional distress and seek professional support early when warning signs appear.
Key Points
- The survey, conducted online in September and October, collected responses from 5,469 secondary students, while some reports described the sample as more than 5,400 students.
- Students’ average stress score was 5.9 out of 10, and 40.5% rated their stress at a relatively high 7 to 10 level.
- Academic concerns topped the list for a sixth straight year: fear of worsening grades at 42.9%, heavy homework or tests at 39.0%, and low motivation at 36.5%.
- Using the CES-D scale with 16 points as the reference threshold, 56.5% showed depressive symptom indicators; the average score rose from 16.3 in Secondary One to 20.2 in Secondary Six.
- Friends and classmates remained the main confidants at 76.2%, followed by family at 63.6%, while 45.6% said they had sometimes or often turned to AI tools.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong families and schools, the findings point to emotional distress that may not be obvious even when students continue attending class and meeting academic expectations. The growing use of AI as an emotional outlet suggests easier access to anonymous support, but youth workers warned that it cannot replace sustained human care, empathy and intervention when risks escalate.