50.9 percent of Hong Kong’s high school students display symptoms of depression, according to a report by Hong Kong based newspaper Mingbao.

The recent survey, conducted from October 2012 to June 2013, accessed the mental status of more than 4,800 Hong Kong high school students. It found that the number of students who display symptoms of depression reached some 50.9 percent, a rise of nearly 7 percent compared with last year. In addition, almost 20 percent of students display symptoms of moderate to severe depression.

The pressure students are facing mainly stems from their studies (27 percent) and their concerns for the future (23 percent), according to the survey.

The students tend to think in a negative way, often leading to depression and anxiety, explains Chen Xiaomei, assistant professor at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. She suggests that courses on mental health should be promoted in order to help students create a healthy and positive way of thinking.

The survey was conducted by Hong Kong’s Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service, a social service group.

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