Your Voice: Urgent need for emotional education, making genuine connections (long letters)
This week, readers write about the benefits of teaching students about their emotions and stopping teenagers from becoming overreliant on artificial intelligence.
Young people must be taught how to understand and manage their emotions, for their overall well-being, one reader writes. Photo: ShutterstockHave something to say? Send us a letter using this form.
Urgent need for emotional education
Teresa Yin Sum-yee, St Paul’s Secondary School
Statistics indicate that mental health issues, particularly anxiety disorders, have surged among Hong Kong’s youth in recent years. The rising rate highlights the urgent need for emotional education.
Hong Kong’s highly competitive academic environment places immense pressure on students to perform well, often leading to heightened stress and anxiety levels. Other factors, such as societal expectations and even social media, contribute to the troubling trend.
Emotional education can be an essential tool to address these concerns. Teaching students to recognise and articulate their emotions will help them better understand the source of their anxiety.
For instance, an emotional literacy programme would show students how to identify their stress and anxiety triggers and equip them with coping strategies to manage these feelings. Research shows students who undergo emotional education report improved mental health, including lower anxiety levels and better emotional regulation.
Your Voice: Empower domestic violence survivors, accessible learning resources (long letters)
In addition to addressing mental health, emotional education equips students with life skills that are crucial for personal and professional success. These vital skills include resilience, empathy and effective communication. For example, teaching students resilience – the ability to bounce back from setbacks and adapt to change – will help them view challenges as opportunities for growth.
This perspective is particularly important in today’s fast-paced environment, where individuals must frequently adapt to new situations, whether in academics or the workplace. Research indicates that resilient individuals are better at handling stress and staying positive despite adversity.
A supportive school environment is crucial for student success and well-being. When schools implement emotional education, they send a clear message: mental health must be a priority. Schools can then establish programmes such as peer mentoring or counselling.
Openly discussing emotional setbacks with one another will normalise and destigmatise the conversation around mental health, encouraging others to seek support without fear of judgment.
Emotional education can also help teachers and staff. Training educators to recognise signs of emotional distress will allow them to address the issue and provide timely support, creating a more inclusive learning environment. This proactive approach not only benefits students struggling with anxiety but also creates a school culture that values emotional well-being.
In conclusion, emotional education in schools can significantly improve the well-being of young people. It will enhance their lives now while also investing in their futures, equipping the next generation with the tools to manage their emotions and navigate life’s challenges – paving the way for a healthier, more resilient community.
Make genuine connections
Chloe Mou, Pope Paul VI College
As a young person, I am concerned about teenagers’ increasing reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for companionship. As this technology continues to evolve, many are turning to digital entities for friendship and connection, which poses significant risks to their emotional and social development.
AI chatbots provide immediate responses and some semblance of companionship. However, they lack depth and the human connection essential for healthy emotional growth.
Teenagers may find comfort in chatbots’ non-judgmental and always-available nature, but this can lead to unrealistic ideas and expectations of human interactions. It is a dangerous substitution for genuine relationships. Interacting with a machine that only mimics conversation and cannot provide genuine understanding and empathy can hinder the development of young people’s social skills.
Face Off: Should children be banned from using chatbots like Character.ai?
Moreover, the anonymity and lack of accountability that chatbots allow may lead to harmful behaviour, such as sharing personal information or engaging in damaging, even dangerous conversations.
Teens may not fully grasp the potential consequences, which include anything from being exploited to mental health issues that stem from an unrealistic view of relationships.
Parents, educators and policymakers must work together to encourage real-world interactions and nurture emotional intelligence.
In conclusion, while AI technology offers fascinating possibilities, we must advocate for a balanced approach that supports healthy social development rather than allowing chatbots to become a surrogate for genuine human connection.