Mental health program brings smiles back to students' faces

By Xinhua reporters Bai Xu and Zhang Yuwei

JINAN, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- Zhao Ruiqi (pseudonym) had always been carefree until a phone call one day turned her world upside down.

"I was told that my mom had passed away," said the 17-year-old student at Zhangqiu No. 4 Middle School in east China's Shandong Province. "She had been diagnosed with cancer back when I was in grade seven, but she had been optimistic and was receiving treatment. I didn't expect to lose her so early."

The news was a severe blow to Zhao, and she struggled with her mental health. Luckily, she was not alone. Li Wenhao, a peer supporter, was on hand to help her to step out of the shadow of grief.

"She once told me that mom would be sad in heaven seeing me in such a state," Zhao recalled. Li also introduced her to the school counselor, and gradually the fog dissipated. She was no longer jolted awake by nightmares, and could concentrate on her studies again. By the time of the end-of-term exams, she was finding her feet again.

The peer support scheme at Zhao's school is part of an adolescent mental health and development program jointly launched by China's National Health Commission (NHC), the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

A survey by the Institute of Psychology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2022 showed that of more than 30,000 students aged between 10 and 16 they polled, nearly 15 percent were at risk of developing depression.

"Young people's mental health is related to the future of the country and the nation," said Li Nan, adolescent development program officer with the UNICEF. "Through this project, we hope to strengthen the linkage between medical institutions and schools, and promote the mental health and all-round development of adolescents."

The program, carried out from 2021 to 2025 in 10 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, is scheduled to eventually cover 300 schools.

Shi Hongfei, 16, is one of the many students who volunteered to become a peer supporter.

He told Xinhua that he had a friend in junior high school who suffered with depression. "He was the one who initially opened my eyes to issues surrounding mental health. I have always wanted to learn more," Shi said.

Shi's classmate, Wu Heyuan (pseudonym), had transferred to Zhangqiu No. 4 Middle School in March this year. He found it hard to adapt to the new workload and struggled to make new friends. It wasn't long before it all became too overwhelming, and the 11th-grader began showing signs of depression.

During one PE lesson, Shi chatted with Wu while they played basketball. "I reassured him that exams were used to check for any academic issues. Once the exams finished, it is a time to look ahead."

Shi describes being a peer supporter "a highlight" of his life so far. "I can not only help other people, but also learn how to get along with people better," he said, smiling.

"The experience has given me real insight into life, improved my interpersonal skills, increased my sense of responsibility and taught me how to express myself more accurately," said Li Wenhao.

When peer supporters like Shi and Li encounter problems they find difficult, they can take the students in need to the school counselor, or seek advice for themselves.

Li Nan noted that the experts involved in the program have developed peer support tool kits that enable teenagers to play an active role.

School counselor Zhao Peng trained the 58 peer supporters at Zhangqiu No. 4 Middle School. "Peer support is an important part of the discovery and prevention of mental health problems among youngsters. It means that those in need can be offered help in time," he said.

In addition to peer support, experts have also devised "mental health service packages." This standardized curriculum has been designed to help teens better understand themselves, control their emotions, be kind to themselves, appreciate others and solve problems.

Close to 1,500 students in grade seven and eight in the school attend lessons using the packages once every two weeks, including 14-year-olds Li Jinghao and Song Yeming, who both agreed that the lesson is useful.

Li shared that one highlight was learning how to make plans so that she could organize her time better. She even shared her newfound knowledge with her parents. "My mom can be hot-tempered. So, I gave her tips on how to control her temper, which I learned in class, such as asking her to stop and take a deep breath," she said.

Song used to feel self-conscious because of her dark skin. "But our teacher reminded us that everyone is unique," she said, adding that the class has helped her be more optimistic. "I take joy from the little things: Seeing the small flowers by the road and grass after the rain, the puddles on the ground and shining water beads on a spider web."

Zhao Peng recalls classmates struggling with mental health issues in primary and middle school, not to mention the stress he felt due to the Gaokao, the college entrance exam. "If we had been given help back then, we might be better off now," he said.

He graduated from university in 2000, when some schools in China were beginning to pay attention to students' mental health. He soon secured a job at Zhangqiu No. 4 Middle School, where he started a magazine focusing on mental health.

The school began offering mental health as a subject around 2013, however, classes were sporadic. Zhao took it upon himself to find engaging content for the lesson. "With the mental health service packages our lesson is more standardized," said the teacher, who is now also a teaching researcher with the education and sports bureau of the Zhangqiu District.

Last year, nearly 5,000 teenage students in 18 schools of 10 provinces across China were polled in a randomized controlled trial, among whom close to 90 percent considered the lesson helpful.

Luo Xiaomin, an associate researcher with the National Center for Women and Children's Health of NHC, explained that the curriculum was devised over seven years by national and international experts, and 329 schools had signed up to use it as of September this year.

"In addition, the adolescent mental health and development program has boosted multi-sectoral collaboration and led to the introduction of policies," she said.

In 2023, the Ministry of Education and 16 other departments released a specialized action plan on student mental health from 2023 to 2025. The initiative aims to foster collaboration among schools, families, society, and relevant authorities in promoting student well-being.

According to Kong Gang, vice director of Zhangqiu maternal and child health center, last year they worked with more than 70 students referred by schools. They now collaborate with the Shandong provincial mental health center, and will transfer any students that they do not have the capacity for through a "green channel" so that they can receive timely treatment.

Kong has seen the dark side of overlooked teenage mental health issues: a friend's child committed suicide, which is why he is a proponent of the adolescent mental health and development program. "If through our work we can avoid a tragedy and save a family, we are making a great contribution to society," he said.

Thinking of her mom, Zhao recalled. "She had a great passion for life. My mom loved to record important moments. I used to tell her that when I grow up, I could earn money and take her to travel and see the world."

For now, she sees her future in journalism. "That's a job that would allow me to travel to the places I want to see for my mom," she said.