Selangor’s Minda Sihat survey finds 1,020 out of 36,428 secondary school students surveyed in the 2024/2025 school session showed early signs of being at high risk for depression. — Photo posed by model
PARENTAL pressure and a competitive environment can drive adolescents toward depression, says a mental health expert.
Consultant psychiatrist Datuk Dr Andrew Mohanraj said students in urban schools often faced intense pressure due to the competitive atmosphere they were thrust into.
“This is aggravated by additional tutoring, extra assignments, and co-curricular demands, leaving little room for rest or leisure, which leads to increased psychological stress.
“This is further heightened when schools and families use a punitive approach to poor academic performance, leading to anxiety and depressive symptoms,” he added.
Dr Andrew said authoritarian parenting styles, which lacked warmth or supportive communication, could also reduce students’ ability to cope with academic or social pressures.
He said punitive actions could worsen students’ mental health too.
“All teachers should be trained in psychological first aid.” - Datuk Dr Andrew MohanrajHe was commenting on Selangor public health and environment committee chairman Jamaliah Jamaluddin’s revelation that 1,020 out of 36,428 secondary school students in Selangor have shown early signs of being at high risk for depression.
She had said the findings were based on the “Minda Sihat” (Healthy Mind) Mental Health Screening Analysis for the 2024/2025 school session.
Dr Andrew said Jamaliah’s revelation was very concerning, noting that family pressure could be one of the main factors.
“Malaysian culture places a strong emphasis on educational achievement as a path to success and family honour.
“Many students fear disappointing their parents or being perceived as a failure,” said Dr Andrew who is also president of Selangor Mental Health Association.
He added that some parents tend to focus solely on academic outcomes without acknowledging emotional needs.
When contacted, a school counsellor from Selangor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said some 80% of students found to be at the verge of depression in her school came from a T20 background.
The counsellor said the remaining 20% came from broken B40 families.
“B40 students who come from a stable family background are happier,” said the teacher.
She said the unhappy students from T20 families told school counsellors their parents expected too much from them and that they were worried of disappointing them.
The counsellor said the students also complained they had too many things to do, with even sporting and leisure activities chosen for them by their parents.
“These students say nothing they do, even for leisure, is by choice,” she added.
Consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr Rahima Dahlan said parents, teachers and peers played a crucial role in detecting depression early.
“If a child or teen seems ‘off’ for more than two weeks, especially if their functioning at school, home or socially is affected, it’s time to talk, and, if needed, seek professional help,” said Dr Rahima.
She said the earlier depression was detected in adolescents, the better the outcome as it was treatable and recovery was possible with the right support.
“The first step is to create a safe environment where young people feel they can talk about their feelings without being judged.
“Often, teenagers don’t speak up because they fear being labelled as ‘weak’ or a ‘problem’.
“Listening with empathy is powerful.”
She said teachers must be trained to recognise warning signs and school counsellors should be easily accessible.
Dr Rahima said that while programmes such as “Minda Sihat” were important, the key was to have follow-ups to ensure those flagged as at-risk did not fall through the cracks.
“Parents can help by maintaining open conversations, setting realistic expectations and ensuring a balance between academics, rest and social life,” said Dr Rahima, adding that family counselling would also be helpful if there were conflicts or stress at home.
Dr Andrew said many schools had insufficient counsellors to meet the needs of students, with one counsellor assigned to manage hundreds of students, thus limiting meaningful engagement.
“School counsellors are often burdened with disciplinary duties rather than focusing on mental health counselling.
“There should not be a need to rely solely on school counsellors to offer mental health support, as teachers should also be given training in psychological first aid,” he said.
