Enhancement of psychosocial competence and well-being of Chinese high school students under the COVID-19 pandemic : Tin Ka Ping P.A.T.H.S. Project in Mainland China

Abstract

Mental health problem is a growing problem in mainland China and the situation has worsened under the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides focusing on tertiary and secondary prevention strategies, there is an urgent need to enhance the well-being of adolescents through primary prevention programs. During the pandemic, a positive youth development program entitled “Tin Ka Ping P.A.T.H.S. Program” was implemented in schools in mainland China. In 2022/23 academic year, students were invited to write a weekly diary on their experience about the program after completion of the program (N = 2,337). Qualitative evaluation showed that 98.2% of the students perceived the program was beneficial to their well-being in different domains. Specifically, students perceived the program enhanced their sense of community, school and academic adjustment, interpersonal relations (family relations and peer relations), and intrapersonal competence (including optimism, resilience, positive coping with stress, spirituality, life meaning and cherishing one’s life). In conjunction with other quantitative and qualitative evaluation findings, the triangulated findings strongly suggest Tin Ka Ping P.A.T.H.S. Program is a promising program that enhances the psychosocial competence and quality of life of adolescents.