It was disclosed what percentage of pupils in Uzbekistan feel isolated at school

It was found that 15.4% of schoolchildren in Uzbekistan are in a state of moderate and severe anxiety and 9.8% have depression.  This was announced at a press conference held today, October 14, at the Information and Mass Communications Agency.

It is noted that 22,854 students from 299 schools in all 14 regions of the republic participated in the study conducted together with UNICEF.

"Adolescence offers great opportunities, but also requires special attention due to factors that harm mental health.  This affects the way teenagers learn, make decisions, and actively participate in the life of society," says Munir Mamedzadeh, head of UNICEF's representative office in Uzbekistan.

According to the results of the study, more than 10 percent of students do not feel social connection and experience isolation.  Also, one in 10 students do not feel connected to the school (8.7 percent), and even more, do not feel part of the school (13.1 percent) or feel alone in the classroom (16.7 percent).

The research report makes recommendations for school mental health interventions and partnerships with other sectors, including:

• promotion of mental health awareness in schools to increase awareness of conditions, risks, and protective factors for adolescents and parents;
• developing a mental health literacy curriculum;
• improving the skills of school psychologists in terms of capacity building and updating of counseling methods;
• investing in targeted evidence-based mental health service programs;
• help to create a supportive family environment;
• to expand cooperation between schools and neighborhoods.