A research study titled Hearing Children: How Family Interactions Affect Youth Mental health was officially released in late May 2026, shedding night on the critical role of parent-child relationships in sharping adolescent well-being. 

Initiated by Save the Children Hong Kong and supported by a research team led by Dr Gary Tang, Associate Professor in the Department of Social Science at The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK), the project stands out for its innovative youth-led approach. Dr Tang's team provided professional expertise in research design, questionnaire development, and data analysis, while guiding a "Youth Research Group" of six adolescents. Through extensive partner networks and school outreach, the team successfully gathered 408 valid responses from young people aged 13 to 18. 

The findings reveal a concerning picture of family life for many Hong Kong adolescents. Frequent belittling remarks, unfavourable peer or sibling comparisons, and excessively high parental expectations are significantly associated with diminished self-esteem and emotional distress. Affected youth reported feelings of inferiority along with physical and psychological symptoms such as insomnia and heightened anxiety. Alarmingly, the vast majority of respondents indicated they would not proactively seek support from their parents when facing emotional difficulties. 

"These results underscore the urgent need to transform parent-child communication patterns," the report emphasises. 

Save the Children Hong Kong plans to translate the research insights into actionable initiatives, including parent education programmes, school counselling training, and community workshops. The organisation aims to promote positive, affirming communication styles grounded in active listening and validation. 

Dr Tang supported the entire research process, from methodological design to data interpretation, providing a robust empirical foundation for identifying risk factors in family interactions. This collaboration exemplifies HSUHK's commitment to impactful, community-engaged research that bridges academic expertise with real-world social challenges.