XN000022-1982-07-28 — Page 7

WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1982

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HE SAID HE WAS TOLD BY A PRACTISING PSYCHIATRIST THAT THE TREND WAS FOR FEWER SUCH CASES IN HONG KONG.

COMMENTING ON THE MAJOR CAUSES OF THESE TRAGEDIES AS ASKED BY MISS DUNN, MR HAYE SAID IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY WITH ANY CERTAINTY WHAT WERE THE MAJOR CAUSES. HE ADDED THAT THERE MIGHT BE A COMBINATION OF FACTORS, AMONG THEM A PREDISPOSITION OF CHARACTER, AND STRESS IN THE HOME, AT SCHOOL AND IN THE WAY OF LIFE IN HONG KONG.

HE SAID HE WAS TOLD BY HIS EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS AND MEDICAL ADVISERS THAT PREDISPOSITION WAS THE KEY TO ANY STUDENT BREAKDOWN OF WHICH SUICIDE WAS THE EXTREME AND SADLY IRRETRIEVABLE FORM.

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+HIGHLY SENSITIVE, IMAGINATIVE CHILDREN ARE PARTICULARLY PRONE TO PRESSURES, WHEREVER THEY COME FROM. AND IF THESE ARE COMPOUNDED BY AN UNHAPPY HOME, THEY WILL NOT BE HELPED BY THE MORE IMPERSONAL ENVIRONMENT OF SCHOOL.

+A CAREFUL ANALYSIS OF RECENT CASES HAS PROMPTED MY EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST TO REMARK THAT IN VERY, VERY FEW INSTANCES HAS ACADEMIC PRESSURE AT SCHOOL APPEARED TO BE THE PRECIPITATING CAUSE OF STUDENT SUICIDE. IN ALL CASES THERE HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTING FACTORS, AND, IN SADLY TOO MANY, PRESSURES AT HOME,+ MR HAYE NOTED.

HE SAID THIS WAS NOT TO SAY THAT STUDENT BREAKDOWNS COULD NOT BE CHECKED. +ALERT AND RESPONSIVE PARENTS AND TEACHERS CAN SEE TROUBLE COMING AND WITH LOVE AND COMMONSENSE OFTEN MEET AND TREAT TEENAGE PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY GET OUT OF HAND.

+IF BEHAVIOURAL TROUBLE ESCALATES, THERE ARE THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES OF COUNSELLING AND GUIDANCE TEACHERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, PSYCHOLOGISTS AND PSYCHIATRISTS AVAILABLE; BUT THE PROBLEM IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN DIAGNOSIS.

+ IF THE APPROACH OF TEENAGE BREAKDOWN IS HARD TO DIAGNOSE, ANTICIPATING A STUDENT SUICIDE IS OFTEN IMPOSSIBLE. A COMMON FACTOR IN THESE SAD CASES 13 THE UTTER SURPRISE OF PARENTS, FAMILY, TEACHERS AND FRIENDS OF VICTIMS.+