University of Auckland Associate Professor Roshini Peiris-John says the results highlight how misleading it can be to group young people of Asian identity into a single category as often happens in health and governmental studies.

The Youth19 survey is the latest in the Youth2000 survey series which asks more than 7,000 students about everything from family life to sexual activity.

Of these, nearly 2000 - or one-quarter - identify as Asian. `Asian' captures everyone from Afghanistan in the west to Japan in the east and from China in the north to Indonesia in the south.

It also covers everyone from new arrivals to those who have multi-generational ties to New Zealand. Read more

The Youth19 survey of close to 8000 secondary school students found that while some progress is being made, and about half of the rainbow students in the study are coping well, some - especially transgender and gender diverse young people - are struggling.

University of Auckland education and social work senior lecturer John Fenaughty said that was evident in their findings around mental health.

"The increased amounts of mistreatment and stress, particularly for some transgender and diverse gender young people, are known drivers that underpin the increased rates of mental health challenges we are seeing," he said. Read more