Chinese Student Suffers Mental Breakdown After Watching Horror Film At School

A Chinese student suffered a mental breakdown after watching a horror film during a self-study session at school, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. The incident led to a legal case against the institution. The student's mental health issues led to a court ruling in their favour, and the school's insurance provider was ordered to pay 9,182 yuan (approximately $1,300) in compensation.

The incident happened in October 2023 when a teacher was on leave, and the period became a self-study session during which some students suggested watching a movie.

A horror movie was picked after all agreed to it, including the class head teacher and all classmates. The name of the movie was not revealed in the report.

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On the same day, when the student was chatting with their mother online, they experienced speech issues and showed some mental confusion. The exact nature of the signs was not revealed.

The student, with no previous history of mental illness, was rushed to a hospital, where doctors diagnosed them with acute and transient psychotic disorder. As per the Cleveland Clinic, psychosis is a disconnection from reality and people may have false beliefs or experience things that aren't real. It isn't a condition; it's a term that describes a collection of symptoms.

The parents claimed that the school failed in protecting the health of the student, as the mental health issues were triggered by watching the horror film, which was on the premises.

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Meanwhile, the school tried to evade charges and said in court that the student's mental breakdown was due to "special physical constitution" or an "underlying illness".

During the proceedings, the school mentioned that it had bought liability insurance covering more than 5,000 students, including the victim, with an individual coverage limit of 500,000 yuan (US$70,000). The already implemented comprehensive psychological health education systems, the court heard.

As per the Hengzhou People's Court's recent ruling, the school was asked to pay 30 per cent of the responsibility as it was at fault, as the event occurred after approval. However, questions were also raised about the student's voluntary participation.

The incident highlights the risks of exposing students to disturbing content. Horror movies can trigger anxiety, fear and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in some individuals.

The incident went viral on Chinese social media platforms. As quoted, one user said, "Honestly, they should not have shown a horror film. There are so many classic films to choose from, and this one was even approved by the teacher. The school definitely bears some responsibility."