Helping reluctant students regain their love of learning

While pursuing her PhD degree at Beijing Normal University, psychologist Zong Min had the opportunity to lead a three-year psychological consultancy program to help students who didn't want to go to school — an issue parents are increasingly struggling with.

The program exposed Zong to many poignant stories told by anxious parents, who felt helpless in the face of their teenage children's reluctance, or refusal, to attend school. Most of the youngsters involved also struggled with mood disorders like depression and anxiety.

As she delved deeper into the phenomenon — which experienced a surge during the pandemic due to learning moving online — Zong realized the situation was worse than she had initially estimated.

During an event organized by Tencent News, she cited a survey conducted in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, referencing a study by Chen Yuxia, an expert at the Guangzhou Primary and Secondary School Health Promotion Center.

According to the survey, 24.6 percent of junior high school students in Guangzhou exhibited a reluctance to go to school, with the figure rising to 37.6 percent among senior high school students — a trend attributed to factors such as social difficulties, and mounting stress from academic pressure.

Zong also took note of a 2022 survey conducted by psychologist Sun Tingting and her fellow researchers, which found that on average, one in five middle school students experienced learning fatigue, or a fear of attending school.

Drawing on the research and her personal experience, Zong has developed the idea of creating a program to bridge schools, parents, and young students, to help them collectively find solutions to alleviate academic pressure, and help children regain their zest for life.

Known as Xin Niu Dai (Mental Bond), the program was introduced during a Tencent News event called Ideas, which encourages people to develop ideas and bring them to life.

The event invited six people to share creative ideas in a variety of fields, from re-creating ancient recipes, to helping domestic workers organize a stand-up comedy festival. Tencent News plans to assess the feasibility of the proposals and provide support to turn them into reality.

Zong shared details of one of her most memorable cases with China Daily — a 13-year-old boy who had excelled academically in primary school, but began refusing to attend classes after entering junior high.

While conventional research often attributes a child's psychological struggles to parenting flaws, Zong says that underlying causes have grown far more complex today.

"His parents were highly educated, successful in their careers, and their family dynamics appeared completely normal. Yet the boy suffered stomachaches and heart palpitations in class, only to recover the moment he returned home," she says.

"The parents even asked me if their child was faking symptoms to skip school. But this boy wasn't lying — he was genuinely ill. He required medicine and professional psychological counseling to address emotional distress manifesting as physical symptoms," she explains.

Individuals who suffer from anxiety or depression may exhibit physical symptoms such as tiredness and nonspecific aches.

Pointing to the rise in reluctance to go to school, she suggests that parents must confront an unsettling reality. "Not wanting to go to school has become a global challenge, with hospitals increasingly establishing specialized clinics for those exhibiting this behavior."

Currently working as the head of the Center of Mental Health Counseling at the China Foreign Affairs University, Zong envisions her program consisting of three sections: helping students discover their resilience, inspiring teachers to recognize a student's potential rather than criticizing them, and empowering parents to better protect their child's mental health.

She has invited experts to compile a pamphlet to help students recognize their problems and master key strategies to overcome emotional struggles. She also plans to collaborate with a digital company to develop an artificial intelligence app for the program.