For information and reference only – not to be submitted as your own work.
This extract shows one way to structure the PSY213 ECA. It is not a complete answer. SUSS requires your own work, accurate citations and disclosure of any GenAI use. Use this page to understand the approach, then write and design your own submission.
Related: read the full PSY213 ECA July 2026 question and our step-by-step PSY213 ECA guide.
Question 1a extract: youth mental health in Singapore
Applying the mental health continuum
Keyes (2002) argues that mental health is not simply the absence of mental illness. People sit on a continuum from flourishing, through moderate mental health, to languishing, and this runs alongside, rather than opposite to, the presence or absence of a disorder. A young person can have no diagnosis and still be languishing, while another may manage a diagnosed condition and still function well.
This lens matters when reading the National Youth Mental Health Study (NYMHS). The study measured severe and extremely severe symptoms of depression and anxiety using the DASS-21 (Subramaniam et al., 2025). These figures capture the far end of the continuum. They do not show how many youths are languishing at milder levels, which suggests the true need for early support is wider than the headline numbers.
Prevalence
The NYMHS surveyed 2,600 residents aged 15 to 35 between October 2022 and June 2023 (Subramaniam et al., 2025). Key prevalence figures are summarised below.
| Indicator (severe or extremely severe symptoms) | NYMHS finding |
|---|---|
| Anxiety symptoms | 27.0% |
| Depressive symptoms | 14.9% |
| Highest-risk age group | 20 to 24 years (depression 20.9%, anxiety 34.1%) |
A critical reader should note the limits. The design was cross-sectional and symptoms were self-reported on the DASS-21 rather than clinically diagnosed (Subramaniam et al., 2025). The figures therefore indicate distress, not confirmed disorders, and cannot show cause and effect.
Risk factors
Body shape concern, daily smoking and lower self-esteem were significantly associated with both depressive and anxiety symptoms (Subramaniam et al., 2025). Group the factors you use from the readings into risk and protective sides, and check the full article for each one before you cite it. Be careful with social media use: public summaries of the study describe heavy daily use as linked to higher symptom odds, so read how the journal article treats it and report only what it shows.
The most prevalent conditions
Anxiety involves persistent worry, tension and physical arousal that interfere with daily life. Depression involves low mood, loss of interest and reduced energy lasting for an extended period. Both commonly begin in adolescence and early adulthood, which is why youth is a key window for prevention.
[Help-seeking paragraph continues in the full answer, drawing on Gulliver et al. (2010) and Singapore stigma research.]
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Question 1b extract: barriers and interventions
Three barriers
| Barrier | Evidence | Singapore angle |
|---|---|---|
| Stigma and embarrassment | The most frequently reported barrier in a systematic review of young people’s help-seeking (Gulliver et al., 2010). | Singapore research shows that stigma towards people with mental disorders remains present across ethnic groups (Subramaniam et al., 2017). |
| Low mental health literacy | Young people often do not recognise symptoms or know where to go (Gulliver et al., 2010; Radez et al., 2021). | Distress may be read as stress from school or work rather than a health concern. |
| Preference for self-reliance and confidentiality worries | Wanting to cope alone and fearing that others will find out are common across studies (Radez et al., 2021). | Family reputation and concern about records may discourage early contact with services. |
Two interventions
Mental health first aid style training for friends and family. Training members of the public improved knowledge, reduced stigmatising attitudes and increased confidence in helping others (Kitchener & Jorm, 2002). In Singapore, this can be delivered through schools, community centres and faith groups, which fits the family-centred way many youths seek support.
Peer-based safe spaces built on psychological safety. Edmondson (1999) showed that groups where members feel safe to speak up are more willing to share problems. Peer circles, such as the Growth Circle approach taught in the course, apply this idea so that youths can talk about difficulties without judgement and be guided towards professional help when needed.
Question 2 extract: poster plan (A4)
The table below shows how a poster could be organised. The wording is illustrative and should be adapted to your own design and seminar learning.
| Poster panel | Example content (plain community language) |
|---|---|
| 1. Know the risk factors | Worries about body shape, daily smoking and low self-esteem (Subramaniam et al., 2025). Add other risk factors only after checking them in the readings. |
| 2. Growth Circle skills you can use | Listen fully without rushing to fix (“Take your time, I’m listening”). Ask open questions (“What has this week been like for you?”). Reflect feelings (“It sounds like you’ve been feeling alone”). Hold space and keep what is shared respectful and non-judgemental. |
| 3. What to avoid | “Just think positive” or “Others have it worse”. Comparing, lecturing or giving advice too quickly. Labelling the person. Promising to keep a secret when someone’s safety may be at risk. |
| 4. Where to get more help in Singapore | School or institution counsellors, family doctors and polyclinics, the IMH Community Health Assessment Team (CHAT), and National Mindline 1771. In an emergency, call 995 or go to the nearest emergency department. |
Design tips: use a short headline, four colour-coded panels, icons rather than long text, font size 12 or above, and subscript citations that match the reference list.
Related pages
References
Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999
Gulliver, A., Griffiths, K. M., & Christensen, H. (2010). Perceived barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seeking in young people: A systematic review. BMC Psychiatry, 10, Article 113. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-10-113
Keyes, C. L. M. (2002). The mental health continuum: From languishing to flourishing in life. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 43(2), 207–222. https://doi.org/10.2307/3090197
Kitchener, B. A., & Jorm, A. F. (2002). Mental health first aid training for the public: Evaluation of effects on knowledge, attitudes and helping behavior. BMC Psychiatry, 2, Article 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-2-10
Radez, J., Reardon, T., Creswell, C., Lawrence, P. J., Evdoka-Burton, G., & Waite, P. (2021). Why do children and adolescents (not) seek and access professional help for their mental health problems? A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 30(2), 183–211. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-019-01469-4
Subramaniam, M., Abdin, E., Picco, L., Pang, S., Shafie, S., Vaingankar, J. A., Kwok, K. W., Verma, K., & Chong, S. A. (2017). Stigma towards people with mental disorders and its components – a perspective from multi-ethnic Singapore. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 26(4), 371–382. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2045796016000159
Subramaniam, M., Vaingankar, J. A., Tan, B., Abdin, E., Chang, S., Tan, Y. W. B., Samari, E., Archana, S., Chua, Y. C., Lee, J. K., Tang, C., Lee, Y. P., Chong, S. A., & Verma, S. K. (2025). Examining psychological distress among youth in Singapore: Insights from the National Youth Mental Health Study. Asian Journal of Psychiatry, 105, Article 104405. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2025.104405
