Happiness lessons for positive attitude! Here’s what a study in Beijing High School found

The intervention made for the High School students in Beijing is not new as several academicians, mental health experts and scientists have highlighted the importance of catering to the growing vulnerability of mental health of young adults

In a significant development, happiness lessons imparted to High School students in Beijing has led to significant improvement in the attitude of students. As part of a study, a one semester-course in happiness and well-being was imparted to High School students aged 15-16 in Beijing, China capital city and led to improvement in the attitude of students, the World Economic Forum reported. The intervention made by the happiness and well-being course comes in the wake of emerging reports of the younger generation facing mental depressions the world over.

A recent study conducted by Sapien Labs has highlighted the decreasing levels of mental well-being among the adults from the younger generation. The study which spread its research to eight English speaking countries including India, Singapore, the US and South Africa found that about 45 percent of adults aged between 18 and 24 were suffering from a mental clinical disorder or were at high risk of developing a mental disorder. What compounds the situation further is the fact that it is primarily people from the young generation that are facing the brunt of mental disorder. For instance, among people aged above 65, the number of people suffering from a clinical mental disorder or at high risk of the same was only 6 percent.

The intervention made for the High School students in Beijing is not new as several academicians, mental health experts and scientists have highlighted the importance of catering to the growing vulnerability of mental health of young adults. In 2018, Yale University professor Laurie Santos launched a new Psychology and the Good Life course that went on to receive more than 1200 students in its first maiden itself. Prof Santos tolf the World Economic Forum that about 40 percent College students were too depressed to function normally and 60 percent students were overly anxious in their outlook. After getting positive response from across the board, the course designed by Santos will be offered to students studying in about 550 low-income high school schools across the United States.