International Journal of Science, Engineering and TechnologyAuthors: Wing Cheung Tang
Abstract: This paper is conducted to investigate the deteriorating mental health status of secondary school students in Hong Kong; analyze the causes from multiple layers using an educational ecology perspective; and propose a holistic framework of intervention and support strategies. Through a systematic review of existing empirical literature, government statistics, and related survey reports, combined with field observations, this study corroborates that adolescents in Hong Kong are facing alarmingly high levels of stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. The major drivers of this crisis are intrinsically linked to an intensely competitive academic culture, overwhelming family expectations, anxiety over future prospects, and the compounding pressures of a rapidly changing socio-cultural environment. The ecology of education perspective makes it clear that these factors are interactive within a complex system. The present study assumes that the problem is too systemic to be solved by clinical treatment alone, which often addresses symptoms rather than root causes. Thus, there is a need for change in paradigm. Schools, families, the community, and policymakers must come together to build a multi-tiered support system. Driven by the principles of educational ecology, the system designed will have to prioritize prevention and developmental growth instead of simply remediation. In bringing the various components of a student's ecology together strategically, we can help nurture the capacity for resilience and well-being, moving closer to the ultimate goal-a true all-round education which attends to both mind and character.
