Many parents send their children to study in Europe or the US for a common reason:
“Education abroad is more relaxed, so kids have less stress, are less prone to depression, and it’s better for their mental health.”
It sounds reasonable: children in China have a lot of homework, fierce competition, and frequent exams, while children abroad seem happier, getting out of school around 3 PM for sports, clubs, dances, and summer camps.
But is this really the case? I had an in-depth discussion with an AI using data, and the conclusion might upend your assumptions.
01 Starting with the Intuition that “Stress = Mental Health Problems”
Initially, the AI’s response was like most people’s:
“American education is more relaxed and thus more beneficial for adolescent mental health.”
The reasoning was: less stress â less anxiety â better mental health.
This sounds logical, but it’s based on impressions and speculation, not data.
So I pressed further: “Can we compare this using quantitative metrics, like depression rates or suicide rates?”
02 Depression Rates: A Wide Discrepancy in Data
The AI found data on adolescent depression rates in China and the US, revealing a huge statistical variance for China:
| Metric | China | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnosed Depressive Disorder | â 2% (6â16 years, national review, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry & Mental Health 2024) | â 19â20% (12â17 years, major depressive episode in the past year, NIMH / SAMHSA NSDUH 2021â2022) |
| Symptom Screening (Blue Book) | 14.8% (2022 edition), 24.6% (2020 edition) | â |
| Meta-analysis Summary | â 26% (synthesis of 439 studies) | â |
| Large-sample CES-D Study | 39.93% positive | â |
| PHQ-9 Positive (last 2 weeks) | â | 19.2% (CDC NHANES 2021â2023) |
| Self-reported sadness/hopelessness in school | â | 42% (CDC YRBS 2021) |
Looking only at this data, it’s easy to conclude that depression among Chinese adolescents is severe. However, depressive symptoms are heavily influenced by screening thresholds and cultural expression, so they can’t be the sole standard.
03 Suicide Rates: The Most Objective Mental Health Indicator
To eliminate cultural and measurement biases, I looked up adolescent suicide rates. The results were very clear:
| Country | Age Group | Year | Suicide Rate (per 100,000) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 10â19 years | 2021 | 2.83 | JAMA Pediatrics 2023 |
| United States | 10â24 years | 2021 | 11.0 | CDC NCHS Data Brief 471 |
The adolescent suicide rate in the US is 3-4 times that of China. Even accounting for differences in statistical scope, the US rate is still significantly higher.
04 The AI Admits Its “Mistake”
When I presented this data to the AI, it frankly admitted:
“My previous conclusion was based more on assumptions from my training data and general public opinionâthat ‘high stress = poor mental health’ârather than reasoning from hard data.”
It also stated that in the future, it would base its reasoning on objective data to avoid preconceived judgments and be truly scientific, objective, and fair.
This conversation left a deep impression on me: many parents, teachers, and even experts often rely on intuition rather than evidence when discussing “mental health.” The facts and public opinion can be two different things.
05 The Rebound During the Pandemic
It’s worth noting that after hitting a low of 1.59 per 100,000 in 2017, China’s adolescent suicide rate rebounded to 2.83 per 100,000 in 2021.
This period coincided with the online learning phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many children were at home for online classes, lacking a classroom atmosphere, losing motivation to study, becoming addicted to online games and short videos, having their routines disrupted, and even experiencing increased conflict with family. Their mental state fluctuated.
From this perspective, this rebound precisely illustrates thatâ
Focused study and a regular lifestyle are important protective factors for adolescent mental health.
When the rhythm of learning was disrupted and children were just “going through the motions” by playing games on their computers, their mental health actually worsened.
06 Stress Might Be Training for Psychological Resilience
The data tells us something unexpected:
Academic pressure does not necessarily lead to mental collapse; on the contrary, it may cultivate a child’s resilience.
Chinese children have to deal with exams, rankings, and comparisons from a young age, which teaches them emotional regulation and how to cope with setbacks earlier. In contrast, an overly relaxed environment may not help children deal with real-world pressures, potentially making them more fragile when they encounter genuine difficulties.
07 Takeaways for Parents
- Don’t panic about pressure: Moderate academic stress can cultivate a sense of purpose and resilience.
- Mental health isn’t just about “having fun”: A regular routine, engagement in learning, and family support are more crucial.
- Studying abroad is not a panacea: Adolescent suicide rates are higher in the West. Don’t see studying abroad as the only solution to mental health problems.
08 Conclusion
Judging by the hard metric of suicide rates, the mental health of Chinese adolescents is no worse than that of their American counterparts, and may even be better.
The rebound during the pandemic also reminds us:
Maintaining a regular study routine and focus is an important safeguard for mental health, not indulging in online games.
And the AI in this discussion also gave us a reminder:
Don’t blindly follow “public opinion and impressions.” Instead, use objective data to reason and arrive at more truthful conclusions.