Over 13 pct of young students need thorough mental examination: data

SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Yonhap) -- More than 13 percent of South Korean children and teenagers require a thorough examination of their mental health, data showed Sunday.
According to the data collected by the education ministry and submitted to Rep. Park Young-ah of the ruling Grand National Party, 13.5 percent of students, based on a sample from those in grades 1, 4, 7 and 10, were found to require in-depth evaluations of their mental health.
The ministry conducts mental health checkups on select schools each year, and those students who receive higher-than-standard scores are classified into a group requiring further examination.
This year's figure is an average of the past three years' results, with 17 percent scoring higher in 2009, 12.8 percent in 2010 and 10.6 percent this year, according to the data.
Students who are recommended for further care can receive treatment at specialized institutions with their parents' consent. Last year, 31.7 percent of these students received additional counseling, while this year, the proportion was 53.7 percent.
"This is due to parents' negative perceptions of mental health problems and their concerns about possible stigmas," Park said. "An institutional framework needs to be in place so that students who need treatment receive it for sure."
South Korean students are well known worldwide for being under intense pressure to excel academically.
hague@yna.co.kr