Nearly one-quarter of adolescents entertain suicidal ideations, according to a recent poll.
The Child Welfare League Foundation (CWLF) recently released a survey on suicidal thoughts among Taiwanese teenagers, providing a stark insight into the mental health struggles of high-school students across the country.
The survey, conducted from May 27 to June 30, collected 7,007 valid responses from junior-high, high-school, and vocational students across Taiwan. The main sources of emotional distress for the teenagers included academic pressure, peer pressure, family stress, and past trauma.
Li Hung-wen of the CWLF stated that the survey results were announced at a news conference. According to the CWLF, more than one in five (23.4%) of female students reported moderately to extremely strong suicidal thoughts, compared to 7.5% of male students.
Emotional distress among Taiwanese teenagers is causing sleep problems, with 47.9% reporting sleep deprivation, 46.6% having irregular sleep schedules, and 20.5% feeling reluctant to attend school two to three days per week.
Interestingly, more students are turning to generative artificial intelligence (AI) for help (46.5%) than to school counseling offices (41.1%) or mental health professionals (30.4%). This trend, according to Li Hung-wen, highlights the lack of access to official resources, and he urged the Ministry of Education to remove barriers for students seeking mental health leave.
High-school students have been allowed to take mental health leave since August last year, but more than 60% are unfamiliar with the rules, and nearly half of those who tried to use it reported obstacles from family members or school staff. No information was provided about any previous similar surveys or studies.
Of the respondents, 52.9% were female, 46.3% were male, and 0.8% identified as other. No information was provided about the methodology used in the survey. The search results do not provide the name of the speaker from the Child Welfare League Foundation who spoke at the press conference about suicide thoughts among young Taiwanese. The survey did not specify the age range of the respondents.
Students in need of help can call the 1925 or 1995 hotlines for counseling. About 30% of the respondents reported moderate to extreme feelings of irritability, depression, or inferiority. The CWLF urges anyone struggling with mental health issues to seek help and encourages schools and families to provide support and resources to students in need.
