How Family Interactions Affect Youth Mental Health

More than half of young people feel inferior because of parental criticism: Accumulated emotions increase the risk of depression

Hong Kong SAR – Media Outreach Newswire – 22 May 2026 – Save the Children Hong Kong today released its research report, “Hearing Children” – Child-led research report: How family interactions affect young people’s mental health (full report). Following the implementation of the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance (“Ordinance”), there has been ongoing public debate over how to enhance child welfare; However, unlike physical injury, psychological trauma is much more difficult to recognize. According to the latest data from the Social Welfare Department, a total of 1,354 cases of child abuse were reported in 2025. Only 16 of these cases – a mere 1.2% – were classified as “psychological abuse”.

The organization believes that while most parents care deeply for their children, they may inadvertently cause psychological trauma through their disciplinary methods, communication styles, and the way they express expectations. Save the Children Hong Kong recommends that parents adopt “positive parenting” to strengthen parent-child non-violent communication, expressing their views through mutual understanding and respect. Additionally, the government should allocate additional resources to increase mental health support for children and youth in community and school settings. In respect of the 25 categories of professionals specified under the Ordinance, training on identifying psychological abuse should be strengthened to support frontline practitioners in making clear decisions on reporting thresholds and facilitating timely intervention.

More than 80% of youth feel pressure to be “perfect”: 40% ask for improvement even when praised

The study was designed by six young researchers aged 14 to 17 under the guidance of Professor Gary Tang Kin Yat, Associate Professor in the Department of Social Sciences at the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong. Its objective was to explore the psychological and emotional harm hidden behind parental “love and discipline”. The study surveyed 408 children and teens aged 13 to 18 and found 20.4% of respondents experience immense pressure to “be perfect”. Ahead, 41.2% reported that even when parents praise their achievements, they are often reminded “how to do better next time”. More than half of the respondents felt inferior to others due to parental disrespectWhereas More than 30% felt that no matter how hard they tried, they would never be able to meet their parents’ expectations.

Ms Wong Shek Hung, director of Save the Children Hong Kong programme, said that although parents genuinely care about their children, when faced with their own stress and worries, they may have difficulty finding the most appropriate way to express their care. As a result, their love may inadvertently become a burden to the child. He said, “This reflects the important role that parents play in the lives of their children. Children attach great importance to every word said by their parents; thus, comments that may seem insignificant to us can directly impact how the child sees himself.”

The survey also explored the parenting behaviors that teens found most troubling. Respondents identified the most hurtful comments as toxic comparisons (e.g., “Why can’t you be like them?”), invalidating value (“You’re such a disappointment”), and dictatorial orders (“Because I said so”). The most commonly resented behaviors include losing emotional control (“losing my temper”), invading privacy (“checking my phone”), and micromanagement (“controlling everything”).

Table: True voices of youth – what we want to tell parents

Avoiding adults: The growing gap in mental health support for children

Another worrying development is the significant gap emerging in Hong Kong’s mental health safety net for children and adolescents. Unlike physical trauma, psychological distress is difficult to recognize and victims often seek help on their own. However, the study found that when children and youth feel distressed, their help-seeking behavior tends to be “adult avoidance.” A large majority of respondents (86.3%) preferred to express their anger by talking to friends or on social media (78.7%). On the contrary, tremendous The majority “rarely or never” sought help from teachers (96.8%), social workers (97.5%), or parents (73.3%).

Almost half of the respondents (49.6%) tend to understand and handle their problems alone. Beyond the habit of self-reliance (47.3%), the main reasons for this include the feeling that “no one really understands or can help” (45.3%), the desire not to be a burden on others (29.9%), and fear of being judged, misunderstood, or in trouble after asking for help (18.4%).

Ms Wong Shek Hung expressed concern that current child protection systems – such as school-based social workers and helplines – may be ineffective if children actively avoid adult assistance, limiting opportunities for timely intervention. He warned that if stress and emotions continue to accumulate without any restraint, the consequences could be serious.

Invisible wounds: the link between mental stress and psychosomatic symptoms

Although psychological stress leaves no visible scars, its latent damage can be more lasting and profound. Studies show that when teenagers are under mental pressure, their physical health is equally affected. When facing conflict or difficulties at home, more than one-third of the respondents (37.1%) reported experiencing “sometimes” insomnia, stomach pain, or headache. Similarly, more than one third (38.1%) indicated that they “sometimes” experience intense anxiety reactions, such as nervous tension, trembling, or heart palpitations.

Dr. Phyllis Chan Kwok-ling, a consultant and psychiatrist at Save the Children Hong Kong, said psychological trauma is difficult to detect, which can have more serious cumulative consequences. “This is especially true if children and teens hide their trauma or lack the self-awareness to address it. As trauma grows, it can become the root cause of emotional problems and increase the risk of developing conditions like depression.” Dr. Chan explained. He also expressed concern that the study found that neither parents nor teachers are seen as confidants. “When adolescents encounter difficulties, they need adults to listen and share experiences. If they turn only to social media or peers, the lack of adult guidance may exacerbate their distress. Furthermore, relying solely on peers risks an ‘echo chamber’ effect; mutual validation among friends may deepen their sense of hurt and increase anxiety or hostility toward parents.”

Ms Wong Shek Hung said teenagers do not know how to express their inner needs, causing them to remain silent or cope in isolation. “In fact, as long as both parties are willing to take the first steps toward better communication and empathy, a warm and close parent-child relationship can be maintained.”

Strengthening systemic supports and empowering children with emotional regulation skills

Beyond the family unit, society has the responsibility to provide support at schools, communities and institutional levels. We must systematically promote emotional management skills in children and assist parents in adopting positive communication and parenting techniques. To this end, the organization proposes the following recommendations:

1. Mainstream “social and emotional learning” (SEL): Integrate SEL into regular school curriculum to strengthen students’ ability to manage and express their emotions.
2. Promote “Positive Parenting” through home-school collaboration: Implement comprehensive positive parenting initiatives to develop cross-disciplinary communication skills and promote empathy within parent-child interactions.
3. Increase Mandatory Reporting Training: Regarding Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse OrdinanceTraining for professionals should be strengthened to include content on “recognition of psychological abuse” supported by real-life case studies to help clarify reporting criteria to frontline staff and enable timely intervention.

(Please see the full report for detailed information on these recommendations.)

Ms Wong Shek Hung stressed that family dynamics cannot be addressed with a “one-size-fits-all” legislative framework, nor is punishing parents an ideal way to manage family relationships. “The law provides only the most basic safety net. As mentioned earlier, most parents care deeply for their children; the difference is in communication and mutual understanding as well as the adoption of positive methods of interaction. Beyond the law, we hope to improve parent-child relationships in the long term through support services and public education.”

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