40% of Surveyed HKDSE Students Show Symptoms of Depression or Anxiety, Low Willingness to Seek Help
HKCSS Advocates for Family-School Collaboration to Promote Cross-Sector “Non-Labeling Support”
“Research on the Mental Health Status and Help-Seeking Intentions of Secondary School Students Under HKDSE Stress”
[Press Release May 12, 2025] The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS), supported by the Lee Kum Kee Family Foundation, commissioned the Hong Kong Policy Research Institute to conduct the “Research on the Mental Health Status and Help-Seeking Intentions of Secondary School Students Under HKDSE Stress” from February 18 to April 18, 2025. 13 schools were invited through convenience sampling, with classes of Form 5 and Form 6 randomly chosen to participate in the questionnaire survey. Students were invited to complete an online questionnaire during homeroom lesson, resulting in 1,017 valid responses.
Ms. Chan Man-yee, Grace, Chief Executive of the Council, stated: “This study shows that more than 40% of surveyed secondary students exhibit symptoms of depression or anxiety, with these symptoms already appearing in Form 5 as they studied for HKDSE. When they sit for the exams in Form 6, stress may have accumulated for two years, which is a crucial warning sign. It is essential to address the sources of stress early and provide timely and appropriate support services.”
41.9% of Surveyed Students Show Symptoms of Depression or Anxiety
Most of the surveyed students were in Form 5 (72.7%), with about a quarter in Form 6 (27.3%), and the gender ratio was approximately equal, with an average age of 16.8 years. The results indicated that 41.9% of students experienced distress from symptoms of depression or anxiety (37.4% showed depressive symptoms, and 28.6% showed anxiety symptoms), with 24.% displaying both symptoms. Additionally, 31.8% of surveyed students reported insomnia symptoms.
HKDSE Pressure Leads to Psychological Distress
The average stress index for surveyed students was 7.4 out of 10, with 20.9% of students reporting the highest stress level of 10. The study found that greater HKDSE pressure correlated with more severe psychological distress, particularly among girls. When experiencing HKDSE pressure, students’ psychological distress partially stems from: (1) “Heightened Sense of Competition”: perceiving competitive atmosphere at school, feeling frustrated when others outperform them; (2) “Holding-on Mindset”: struggling to let go of regrets and dissatisfaction, and having difficulty remaining calm during adverse situations; (3) “Diminished Hope”: believing their efforts will not significantly help their future and having trouble finding solutions to problems.
The More Severe The Distress, the Lower The Willingness to Seek Help
The research also explored students’ willingness to seek help for emotional issues and suicidal thoughts. The results showed that the more severe the psychological distress, the lower the willingness to seek help. Many students refuse to seek help due to the stigma associated with mental distress and help-seeking, fearing negative labels. Students with more severe psychological distress are also more concerned about their family’s negative views on seeking help, making them even less willing to do so.
Ms. Yiu Kit-ling, Karen, Chief Officer (Children & Youth Service) at the Council, stated: “Families, schools, and society have a profound impact on youth development. According to frontline social workers, many parents inadvertently pass on their obsession with ‘success’ to their children out of concern that they may fall behind in fierce competition. While they often wish for their children to maintain a positive attitude, they overlook the importance of listening to and addressing negative emotions, leading students to suppress their true feelings and delaying access to support. Parents and teachers need to learn to ‘let go’ to provide children with the space to express fears and frustrations, thus receiving timely help.”
Recommendations from the Council:
- Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration to Establish Non-Labeling Support
- Social workers collaborate with Chinese medicine practitioners and family doctors to address insomnia or physical discomfort while also dealing with psychological distress.
- Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service – Hong Kong: ” Embrace Your Heart 2.0 – Chinese Medicine Community Based Youth Mental Health Support Program” (Phone: 2617 4881)
- Social workers work with artists and game designers to create interactive experiences through IG or games to have conversations with youth, establishing equal dialogue and a safe space for expression.
- HKCSS “Secret Chat” Project: Supported by the Lee Kum Kee Family Foundation, this initiative involves social workers from 18 social service organizations engaging in equal dialogue with youth via social media and online games. It helps young people express their feelings, avoids preaching, builds trust, and encourages help-seeking. (Phone: 2876 2409)
- Provide early support for Form 5 students to reduce psychological pressure.
- Adjusting the Environment to Balance Academics and Mental Health: “Double Go Easy” Action for Parents and Teachers
- “Go Easy on Yourself”: Parents and teachers learn to identify and transform their anxieties, such as adopting a flexible mindset regarding exam results (e.g., viewing outcomes as “we still have Plan B and C” rather than “DSE determines all”).
- “Go Easy on Others”: Listen to students’ states and needs before offering appropriate support, replacing mere motivation with empathy (e.g., asking “Do you need a break?” instead of just saying “Keep it up!”).
- Starting with Alleviating Parents’ and Teachers’ Anxiety
- Employee Assistance Programme: Companies provide support to employees to help them cope with work, personal, and family stress, promoting mental and physical well-being.
- Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service Employee Assistance Program (Phone: 3413 1500)
- Four Dimensions Consulting Limited, Hong Kong Christian Service Employee Development Service (Phone: 2731 6350)
- Christian Family Service Centre ” Vital Employee Service Consultancy” (Phone: 2757 6732)
- Policy Consideration: The government should incorporate measures to alleviate parents’ and teachers’ anxieties into youth mental health policies.
To bring together individuals from various sectors for continued discussions on research findings, “Youth Co: Lab Hong Kong Dialogue 2025: Our One-Sixth—Youth Mental Health” will take place on May 21, 2025, from 10:45 AM to 1:00 PM at Exhibition Halls 3FG of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The event is co-led by the Citi Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and organised in partnership with the Hong Kong Council of Social Service.
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Mr Eddie TSANG
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Tel: 2864 2982
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