Hong Kong pupils’ sense of life’s worth has plummeted to a seven-year low, with bullying also on the rise, reveals an annual study. The results have prompted experts to urge parents and educators to address mental health concerns.
The study by three local universities covering more than 3,500 students in primary and secondary schools also revealed about one in five pupils said they had been bullied in the past year, with those suffering from higher levels of academic stress reporting more incidents of being tormented.
Professor Ho Lok-sang from Lingnan University’s STEAM Education and Research Centre yesterday said the findings were “concerning”.
According to the study, the life-worth-living index fell for the third straight year to stand at 6.74 out of 10. The older the pupil, the lower his or her score was on the index.
“A student would not find life worth living if he or she could not see a meaning or purpose [in life],” Ho said. “With parents putting so much emphasis on grades after the pandemic, the atmosphere has become toxic for students … who could lose their purpose in life.”
That mindset was linked to suicide, he noted. The suicide rate of people aged below 15 climbed to a 10-year high in 2023, which experts attributed to the lack of support networks when classes were suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic.
A third of Hong Kong pupils will seek help for mental health issues: survey
The study, conducted between March and May by Lingnan University, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and Chinese University, also found bullying had worsened. An index measuring the absence of bullying fell by nearly 3 per cent to 3.69 out of five.
About 20 per cent of respondents reported they had been bullied in the past year, with verbal attacks more common than physical ones. The prevalence was as high as 25 per cent among Primary Four and Five pupils.
Ho said students who reported higher academic stress were also more prone to being bullied, but researchers could not point to any definitive reason. Bullying was often a way for students to vent their emotions when they were frustrated or if they lacked love and attention, he noted.
Ho called for more “life education” from schools to help students develop compassion for others and explore their goals in life, which he called their “mental capital” to deal with challenges.
Dr Patrick Ip Pak-keung from HKU’s paediatrics and adolescent medicine department said a possible reason behind the increase in bullying was the disruption of social life during the pandemic.
“The lack of normal social interaction in the past three years has left some students struggling with interpersonal relationships, with some not used to seeking help when they need it,” he said.
Ip called on parents and teachers to keep a closer eye on the early warning signs of poor mental health in children, such as mood swings, changes in sleeping habits and loss of interest in activities. He added cultivating a healthy lifestyle in children was also crucial in helping them develop a positive outlook in life.
Ip urged parents to spend more quality time with their children and also encouraged pupils to go outside more, get adequate sleep and use their phones less.
