PARENTS are the key element in teenagers psychological crises and suicide attempts, according to research by Professor Gao Hongyun.

Parents' own mental health and their understanding of their children's education are both closely related to their children's mental well-being.

"Parental communications with children are direct, person to person," Gao said. "It is asking too much for school teachers to be held responsible for each students' mental situation."

Gao of the Shanghai Children's Hospital, affiliated to Fudan University, conducted a survey on Shanghai teenagers' suicide attempts and the result was surprising: nearly one quarter of children had thought about committing suicide, and nearly 6 per cent had made specific plans to take their own lives.

The survey was undertaken in co-operation with the city school's psychological guidance network. The proportion was quite low in comparison with other parts of China, as Shanghai has much better psychological services for school children than most other regions and cities.

But the problem remains serious, since 1.7 per cent of the city's children had actually attempted to take their own lives. "Wrist-cutting, taking poison and hanging are methods they would frequently choose," Gao said.

Yang Zuoting of the Psychological Guidance Association for School Children in the city has treated a student who jumped off a building but who was lucky enough to be caught by people passing by.

"Crises are unavoidable for teenagers. They lead to dangerous suicidal ideas mainly because society doesn't take sufficient care of them," Yang said.

Also, teenagers start to consider the problems of life and death more deeply than ever, which leads them to think about the possibilities of killing themselves.

Psychological problems such as depression, anxiety and desperation often appear among teenagers, according to Gao's research.

The general environment can't be changed in the short term - the great pressures come from studies and competition - Gao said, but psychiatrists are working with parents, to solve the mental crises of teenagers.

In the psychology department of the Children's Hospital, emotional depression is the second most frequently encountered problem. Usually the situation has become fairly serious by the time parents decide to bring the problem to the hospital, which prolongs the length of necessary treatment.

Some patients refuse to go to school, some have difficulty getting along with classmates, while some lose interest in everything.

Even for impulsive suicide attempts, Yang said, there is a long-term emotion build-up.

Parents with poor mental stability put great pressure on their children. Even if they try to pacify their children in face of defeat, their own depression is disclosed, and perceived by their children.

"Why can't you do it since other children can?" Parents often ask, without realizing the specific differences of each child's situation.

"The world is difficult enough. Children are faced with competition every day at school," Gao said. "Home is their last port for security and warmth."

The one-child policy may relate to the crises but it is not the key element, Gao said.

For children around 13, the main cause of such mental crises are closely related to the financial situation of the family. "Some families can't satisfy their children's needs in life. And parents busy making a living can't spare much effort to care for their children," Gao said.

Junior middle school students go through the hardest times when they have problems making friends. The relationship with their mothers matters greatly in this period, while the father-child relationship becomes more important for senior middle school students.

When faced with the college-entrance examinations, academic demands put great pressure on students. Children with more free leisure time adjust better than others.