Unrealistic standards for success drive youth depression in Singapore

Most young people in Singapore regard depressive disorders as a “reduced state of being” due to living a life that falls short of often unrealistic societal expectations, according to a recent study.

“Careful thematic explication revealed important sociocultural nuances that were unique to the current context,” the researchers said. “Young adults reportedly faced tremendous pressure to fulfill unrealistic societal expectations and had consequently struggled to construct personally meaningful goals.”

Through 33 face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with young adults from different ethnic backgrounds (aged 20–35 years; Chinese, Malay, and Indian, with 10–12 interviews from each ethnicity), all seeking treatment at a psychiatric hospital, five main themes emerged regarding youth perception of depressive disorders.

Principally, many participants thought that depression was a “reduced state of being” that arose when they were “at a point of goal disengagement.” In some cases, depression was likened to “a stop button in my life,” manifesting mainly as a lack of direction and motivation in life, along with feelings of frustration and discontentment. [PLoS One 2021;doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0252913]

Moreover, participants acknowledged that depression was the product of a system that was fixated on success and made no room for personally meaningful goals. Though they recognized that there were multiple biochemical and environmental causes of the disorder, participants nevertheless said that social stressors contributed greatly to their depression.

Specific family dynamics emerged as a central talking point among many participants, pointing out the chronic lack of warmth and closeness with their nuclear family, and high expectations to perform well in school or at work. As a result, some participants grew overly invested in their romantic relationships, such that when those ended, the loss became overwhelming.

Notably, the immense social and filial pressure disallowed many participants from pursuing their own personal goals, ultimately contributing to their depression.

“Not being able to define and pursue personal goals, especially goals that were incongruent with the expectations of the family or society, were articulated as a contributor to depression,” the researchers said. “The lack of agency in influencing the direction of their future that is personally meaningful left them feeling demotivated and trapped at the same time.”

The remaining themes dealt with the participants’ reckoning of the disorder—and their acceptance of it. Participants recognized that depression came with a wide range of symptoms, many of them uncontrollable and disabling, and that their condition was there to stay, with no quick and easy way to treat it.

“Even though Singapore is often lauded as a melting pot of eastern and western cultures, the family is fundamentally collectivistic in nature. Mainstream ideals of success that are propagated from Chinese influences (the majority ethnic group) are inculcated in the family and in school. Capitalistic values of competitiveness and meritocracy, fueled by the need to survive as a nation since the industrial era, are entrenched in the cultural fabric of Singapore,” the researchers said.

“These findings re-emphasized the role of culture in illness perceptions of depression and self-identity. Addressing societal and familial expectations in relation to goal failure would therefore have immense relevance for young adult individuals seeking psychotherapy in Singapore,” they added.