Over 1,000 secondary students in Selangor at high risk of depression, says exco
State Public Health and Environment Committee chairman, Jamaliah Jamaluddin said the students were identified through the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), making up 2.8% of those screened.
She said the findings, based on the Minda Sihat (Healthy Mind) Mental Health Screening Analysis for the 2024/2025 school session, indicated that overall psychosocial behavior among students remains under control.
"To address mental health concerns, intervention programmes have been implemented and expanded to primary schools, especially for Year 5 and Year 6 students. The goal is to raise early awareness about mental health and build emotional resilience," she said.
The interventions focus on emotional and behavioral development, early prevention activities, and capacity-building for school guidance and counselling teachers.
These include workshops on mental health strategies such as relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, physical activities, as well as shoulder and neck massages.
Jamaliah was responding to a question from Azmizam Zaman Huri (PH-Port Klang), who had asked what immediate measures were being taken by the Selangor Education Department (JPN) to address depression and anxiety among students in the 2024/2025 session.
She added that, in addition to general interventions, Selangor JPN is also running the Healthy Mind programme along with specialised modules. These cover counseling sessions, emotional awareness, coping skills, 10B stress management, breathing techniques, mindfulness, anger management, problem-solving, positive thinking, and effective communication.
"These initiatives serve as early preventive measures and aim to strengthen students' mental well-being from the primary level," she said. - Bernama
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THE recent report revealing that over 1,000 secondary students are at risk of depression is deeply concerning. The findings, based on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) as well as the Minda Sihat Screening Analysis for the 2024/2025 school year, indicate that while intervention programmes have been implemented, and that overall psychosocial behaviour among students remains 'under control', there is still room for improvement. First and foremost, funding for mental health programmes must be adequate. Depression, alongside other mental health conditions such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, and even learning disabilities like ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), can have severe consequences if left untreated. Sufficient funding would ensure that intervention programmes are taken seriously.
