High school seniors sit at desks fitted with plastic dividers in Daejeon, 164 kilometers south of Seoul, on May 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 3 (Korea Bizwire) — Along with an increase in the amount of time teenagers are staying at home due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, the number of teenagers seeking consultations for various personal concerns is on a steep rise.
According to data that the Korea Youth Counseling and Welfare Institute presented to Rep. Shin Hyun-young, a lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party, the number of teenager consultations on computer and Internet addiction and family issues more than doubled in the first half of this year.
By issue, the number of consultations on mental health accounted for the largest share at 29.2 percent (63,046 cases) in the first half of this year, more than doubling from 31,158 a year ago.
The number of consultations on family-related issues stood at 32,082, almost triple the 12,907 recorded last year.
The number of consultations on computer use and Internet addiction marked the highest growth, rising to 2,551, more than tripling from 785 one year ago.
“The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a switch to online classes and a decline in outdoor activities. It also resulted in an increase in the use of computers and the Internet,” Shin said.
“Along with the increase in the amount of time teenagers stay at home, chances are high that compound issues such as family unrest have increased psychological anxiety among teenagers.”
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
