Committee calls for action on adolescents' mental health

Mounting pressures leading to more psychological issues for young people New techniques and multidisciplinary measures should be applied to intervention in adolescents' mental health, an expert said in response to the grim psychological issues affecting students in China. Qiao Zhihong, secretary-general of the recently established National Advisory Committee for Students' Mental Health, said key factors affecting adolescents' mental health include the education system, a fading family core and the social environment. The National Advisory Committee for Students' Mental Health was established earlier this month to boost the country's ability to tackle students' mental health through consultation and assistance in decision-making. Resources from various fields including education, health and non-profit organizations should be integrated to boost the development of adolescents' mental health, Qiao said. At least one evaluation of students' mental health and one major event to address concerns should be organized every academic year in each of the seven designated regions.