The education system has an important role to play in fostering resilience in children and providing them with effective psychological support. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Just over a fifth of Vietnamese adolescents experience mental health problems, a worrying sign of youth’s well-being and the country’s future labour force according to experts.

The six most prominent mental health issues among adolescents in the country are anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, stress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidal ideation, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism.

These affect 21.7 per cent of adolescents in Việt Nam, according to an in-depth analysis on the matter by the Institute of Sociology (IOS) and UNICEF in Việt Nam.

Nguyễn Đức Vinh, IOS director who was on the research team for the paper, noted that while internationally autism is not considered a mental disorder, surveys and interviews conducted in Việt Nam agree that the condition can lead to multiple mental health issues.

This is also why autism was included in the 2021-2030 national programme on social assistance and community-based rehabilitation for people with mental disorders and autistic children.

The 2022 survey on adolescent mental health in Việt Nam published by the IOS, University of Queensland and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health showed that anxiety was the most prevalent mental health problem (18.6 per cent) among young people aged 10-17, followed by depression (4.3 per cent).

Problems with inattention and/or hyperactivity are also present in 2.8 per cent of adolescents, while 1.4 per cent of people in the 10-17 age group have suicidal ideation.

The IOS in-depth survey has identified several contributors to adolescents’ mental well-being, including social (lack of knowledge on mental health or care and connections between family members; stress from studying; family circumstances and negative childhood experiences), environmental (excessive use of digital devices; bullying and discrimination; substance abuse; parental overcontrol) and personal factors (age; gender; lack of self-confidence).

“Social and family factors are the most prominent contributors to adolescents’ mental well-being, followed by educational and outer environment and finally, personal factors,” said Dr Đặng Thị Việt Phương from the IOS.

UNICEF Deputy Representative in Việt Nam Lesley Miller added: “Parental pressure, family dysfunction and stress are a major contributor to mental health issues. But at the same time, we know that parents and family members are the first port of call, the first people that young people turn to, when they have problems.

“To help parents navigate these challenges, programmes that promote positive parenting and support caregivers mental health and well-being should be introduced and scaled up nationwide.”

The education system has an important role to play in fostering resilience in children and providing them with effective psychological support, she added.

“Health and social welfare systems should be well equipped to provide screening, identification, referral and specific treatment services required by children and adolescents suffering from mental health issues,” said Miller.

Dr Lưu Bích Ngọc, Chief of the Office of the National Council for Education and Human Resources Development suggested that mental health should be considered from both aspects of health care, or medical interventions, and social dimension, or human rights to well-being.

“According to the surveys, we can see that children or social organisations do not report a lack of medical interventions, mental health services or consultation, but they raise the issues of stress from studying and lack of care from families," Ngoc said, adding that there should be a greater emphasis on preventive policies against the risks to mental well-being rather than interventive measures which requires an interdisciplinary approach that should involve stakeholders from various sectors including health, education and social affairs. — VNS