HBC101 Assignment: Understanding Contemporary Society – The Social and Behavioural Sciences (GBA)

HBC101: Understanding Contemporary Society – The Social and Behavioural Sciences

Singapore University of Social Sciences

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This Group-Based Assignment (GBA) requires you to answer a case scenario.

In September 2024, the Singapore Institute of Mental Health (IMH) released their findings from the latest nationwide survey on youth mental health and wellbeing. According to the survey findings, one in three youths experienced severe or extremely severe symptoms of depression, anxiety and/or stress. It found that youths predominantly relied on informal networks of family and friends for support. Factors like social media use and societal stigmatisation towards mental health issues were also challenges that needed to be tackled to improve youth mental health and wellbeing.

In your assigned groups, explain the factors identified by the report that are linked to mental health, and explore potential solutions that could improve the state of youth mental health and wellbeing in Singapore.

This group-based assignment tests students on their ability to apply social and behavioural science concepts to a real, contemporary social issue in Singapore. The challenge lies not in identifying problems, but in explaining why these factors matter and how they interact to shape youth mental health outcomes.

A common weakness is treating the IMH findings as standalone facts. High-scoring submissions instead use them as an entry point to analyse structural influences, such as education pressure, work culture, social stigma, and digital environments. Another frequent issue is presenting solutions that are either too broad or insufficiently grounded in existing policy landscapes.