Latest news with #JadisBlurtonFamilyDevelopmentCentre
South China Morning Post
08-06-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Tackling social media's impact on teens' mental health
Social media is pervasive in the lives of adults and adolescents alike: beyond simply being communication and image-sharing platforms, the likes of Instagram, YouTube and Facebook have become sources of news, information and entertainment, and are so integrated into daily life that they can be hard to disengage from. A US-based study from 2016 revealed how the addictive use of social media platforms and video games correlated with mental health disorders, and technology since has only further developed dopamine-inducing algorithms, gamified elements and endless scrolling. The 2022 report 'Hong Kong Kids Online' from Save the Children showed that 93 per cent of secondary school students have their own profile on a social media or a gaming platform, one in five had experienced cyberbullying in the last year, and four in 10 have had at least one unwanted online exposure to sexual content. When it comes to social media, experts say parents must make clear rules for their children. Photo: German Swiss International School With the introduction to digital tools and technology like smartphones, smartwatches and tablets happening ever-earlier, young people's emotional, social and behavioural development is at risk – but is social media a danger they should be totally shielded from, or can we hack the system? Dr Katrina Rozga, head psychologist and managing director at the Jadis Blurton Family Development Centre, focuses on teenagers, whom she describes as 'a fascinating group of people with their own needs, wants and difficulties, especially in the current day'. 'Social media is a massive issue; parents don't know how to balance it, although not for a lack of trying' she says. 'Allowing their kids access to something that all their friends have access to, while managing their own fears about it. 'We're dealing with very smart apps here. It's not random – whatever you come across is being targeted to you. It can create echo chambers, meaning you want to spend more time online and procrastinate.
South China Morning Post
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
‘Chiikawa' anime captures hearts with relatable themes and cute characters
After a long day at school, something small and cute can help distract us from the stress. Lately, for many in Hong Kong, this comes in the form of a cute character called Chiikawa. A Japanese artist named Nagano created this character. It went viral as a web comic in 2017. In 2022, it was adapted into an anime, called Chiikawa. Its name means 'something small and cute'. This show and its characters have become popular in Japan and other parts of Asia. In Hong Kong, Chiikawa fan accounts have tens of thousands of followers on Instagram. Ken Fung is a clinical psychologist at Jadis Blurton Family Development Centre in Hong Kong. He says the show is popular because it looks cute and has themes that young people understand. It often talks about fear and failure. 'At first glance, Chiikawa's appearance is cute ... but the episodes are far deeper than that,' Fung said. Why is this character so popular? In the series, Chiikawa and his friends need to work hard to earn money for the things they need. Their jobs are not exciting or fun; they need to hunt monsters, remove weeds and put stickers on fruits. These tasks are similar to what many students do every day. Chiikawa's friend, Hachiware, once complained: 'I wish the stuff we wanted would just pop out of the ground.' Even though they face many challenges, Fung said the characters openly talked about their sadness and fear of failure. He shared the example of how Hachiware admitted he did not know the answers to a test, so he just guessed. Chiikawa was relieved because he had done the same. 'The show ... helps [us] understand that these emotions are normal parts of life,' Fung said. Happiness in the small things The anime also shows the small moments of joy in life when yummy food magically appears or when Chiikawa has a meal with his friends. 'They really enjoy simple things like spending time together, even if it's doing nothing special and just eating together,' Fung said. 'These scenes show us that even ordinary, everyday life can be beautiful, and we often forget that.' The show's message about showing support for friends is also important for young people. 'I really like how the characters' relationships show that in a world filled with challenges, kindness can help them overcome even the toughest obstacles,' Fung said. Use the puzzle below to test your knowledge of the vocabulary words in the story. Suggested answers Before you read: Answers will vary. Stop and think: Fung says that this show can introduce kids to real and difficult topics such as sadness and failure. Even though it is a kids' show, it is not always happy. He also says the show highlights simple joys in life. It proves that everyday like is still fun. Consider: Chiikawa has to do boring and ordinary things throughout the day, such as pulling weeds and putting stickers on fruits. Students also sometimes have to complete boring tasks. Chiikawa also has a problem where he guesses answers on a test and feels bad about it, something students can relate to.
