22% of Taiwanese teens report suicidal thoughts: Survey

Taipei, Sept. 17 (CNA) More than one in five Taiwanese teenagers said they have had suicidal thoughts, with girls reporting stronger feelings than boys, according to a survey released Wednesday by the Child Welfare League Foundation (CWLF).

On a five-point scale from "not at all" to "extremely," 23.4 percent of female students who had suicidal thoughts said they were "moderately to extremely strong," compared with 7.5 percent of male students, the CWLF said at a press conference.

The survey, conducted from May 27 to June 30, collected 7,007 valid responses from junior high, high school and vocational students across Taiwan. Of the respondents, 52.9 percent were female, 46.3 percent were male and 0.8 percent identified as other, the CWLF said.

The main sources of emotional distress included academic pressure, peer pressure, family stress and past trauma, with nearly 30 percent reporting moderate to extreme feelings of irritability, depression or inferiority, the CWLF said.

The foundation warned that emotional distress can cause sleep problems, with 47.9 percent of students reporting sleep deprivation, 46.6 percent having irregular sleep schedules, and 20.5 percent feeling reluctant to attend school two to three days per week.

Among students who sought help, 46.5 percent of students said they used generative AI, higher than those who turned to school counseling offices (41.1 percent) or mental health professionals (30.4 percent).

Although high school students have been allowed to take mental health leave since August 2024, more than 60 percent said they were unfamiliar with the rules, while nearly half of those who tried to use it reported obstacles from family members or school staff, the survey showed.

Li Hung-wen (李宏文) of the CWLF said the reliance on AI highlights the lack of access to official resources, urging the Ministry of Education to remove barriers for students seeking mental health leave.

Students in need of help can call the 1925 or 1995 hotlines for counseling.