She argued that prevention is preferable to cure and suggested a long-term program of student counseling.
Yang Yiyin, a social psychology researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that when people are in constant close contact, reliance on and comparisons with each other can become magnified. "In relationships such as this, if expectations are unfulfilled, anger or depression may mutate into a desire for revenge or even attacks."
Feng emphasized that campuses in the UK and the US attach great importance to education designed to help students cope with and manage dangerous situations. She joined an emergency drill where the scenario revolved around a shooting incident at a US campus and said all students were encouraged to take part. She also once played the role of the gunman. "It was very impressive when tens of tennis balls were thrown at my face by the student 'victims' when I broke into the classroom," she said, referring to one of the survival tactics promoted by the police.
But the most important thing the students learned was that they must be vigilant in the face of unexpected attacks, because a large number of cases have been triggered by impulsive anger. "It (the training) helps people to remain calm. That means the chances of survival are higher," she added.
Yao Ping, who has lectured at Peking University's department of psychology for nine years, said US students, both at high schools and on campus, have access to optional group discussions about dealing with social relationships and emotional management.
"This not only helps students to express their hidden thoughts, but also creates the opportunity to better understand each other," she said.
New measures
Yao said psychological education that helps students cope with social relationship problems is often not highlighted in Chinese schools.
"But the students have great passion for learning about these things," she said. Her classroom at Peking University seats 220, but the school had to arrange for a larger room last semester to meet the demand from students.
"Most of the younger generation come from one-child families. Some have little experience in dealing with interpersonal conflicts. They are also used to their parents solving problems for them, and I've met many students who spend all their time studying and are less focused on adjusting their mood."
Psychological problems can easily lead to fatal results if not detected early through intervention. Beijing Normal University has established a psychological emergency intervention system for students, and senior psychologist Zhang hopes it will prove beneficial.
"First, all the teachers and even the guards and dormitory keepers monitor the students' behavior and moods. They can report to us or intervene if they discover anything abnormal. Second, each class has a psychological counseling envoy, he said.
"They live and work with their classmates, so it's easy for them to discover problems and offer counseling. If they feel strongly enough, they can refer the students to our counseling center for professional help."
2 killed, 1 injured in man's street knife attacks in Beijing
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