Depression in Chinese Adolescents from the Perspective of Cultural Differences: A Current Review

Abstract

With the increasing rate of having depression at a young age, the World Health Organization has called on worldwide concern for teenage mental health. Especially in nations with limited access to psychotherapy, experiencing mental disorders during adolescence exerts a more adverse influence on development. This paper focuses on depression in Chinese adolescents from the angle of cultural differences, including national policies. It explores the impact of Chinese culture on the formation of specialties of depression in Chinese adolescents. The paper finds that cultural differences have contributed to distinct etiology, manifestation, gender difference, and treatments of depression through a culturally accepted mechanism that remains unknown through the literature review. Compared to depression in the West, biological factors, romantic relationships, and internet addiction lead to a higher prevalence of depression in Chinese teenage girls than boys. Filial piety and the only child policy also affect Chinese teenagers exclusively. Nuances originate from culture and cannot be ignored for the development of depression. Future research should figure out the exact mechanism which outputs the Chinese adolescents' depression. This review appeals to public knowledge and psychological insight of mental health in school, family, and national education.