Articles on Child and/or Adolescent Issues

How does anti-social behavior during Childhood shape the Adult life

“Hate is as injurious to the subject of hate as it is to the object of hate.” ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This statement made by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has been one of my lifelong favorites. It goes past the typical non-violence quote by concentrating on how violent thoughts affect those who entertain them. In that vein, I would like to discuss this topic in the context of a paper published in the Australian Journal of Psychology titled “Antisocial behaviour across the life course: An examination of the effects of early onset desistence and early onset persistent antisocial behaviour in childhood.”1 Of course, I am not suggesting that all antisocial behavior is defined by hate, but that hate is antisocial. I will discuss the paper in that context.

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Date Posted: October 25, 2012

Categories: Adult psychological development, Antisocial personality, Child and/or Adolescent Issues, Depression / Bipolar

Can Fun and Play Improve Intelligence?

Derek Bok, lawyer, professor and former president of Harvard University once said, “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” I have to wonder if Mr. Bok had ever heard of Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil in Switzerland. At over $100,000 US per year for tuition, it is the most expensive school in the world. After throwing in another $80,000 US plus for fees and expenses, the school costs parents over $200,000.

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Date Posted: August 10, 2012

Categories: Academic Issues, Child and/or Adolescent Issues

Aurora Incident: Does Violent Media Cause Aggressive Behavior?

For years there has been a controversy surrounding the question of a causal link between exposure to violent media and aggressive behavior. At least as far back as 1986 when the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City was released, the public has been divided over whether not such media has a detrimental affect on the psychology of game players.

Vice City engaged players in gunplay to resolve an inter-ethnic gang war in a fictionalized representation of Miami, Florida. Similarly, Final Fantasy VIII caught a lot of attention in the year 2000, when Jose’ Rabadon Pardo, claiming that he was executing a mission from the game’s Squall Leonhart character, murdered his father, mother and sister with a katana. There are several reports which present convincingly and unconvincingly information to support correlations between violent media and aggressive behavior.

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Date Posted: July 28, 2012

Categories: Aggression & Violence, Child and/or Adolescent Issues

Can Your Parenting Style Influence your Child’s Weight?

Asian Americans are the least likely of all Americans to be obese. That is what a Gallup poll, released a few days ago on July 17, 2012 in America reported. After reading about that report I decided to do a bit of thinking on the topic of weight-related issues, especially child obesity. I read on the website of the United States Department of Health and Human Services that the “rate of diagnosed diabetes in Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders over 18 years of age is 9.1% compared to 7.6% of Caucasians.”

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Date Posted: July 23, 2012

Categories: Child and/or Adolescent Issues, Parenting

State of support for Children with Disabilities in Singapore

When I first moved to Singapore, I was initially struck by just how differently the attitude towards children with disabilities were from what I had known it to be in the west. A number of studies have shown the extreme gap in resources for people suffering with mental health disorders throughout Asia. However the longer I live here, I see benefits in the way culturally things are done differently. 

The 2006 Child Care Act shows the great measures taken within the UK to ensure the safety of children of all abilities. The act outlined how crucial parents and caregivers were for a child’s healthy development. Acknowledging this group’s healthy well-being ensured the best possible chance for a child’s healthy development. It identified the importance to have access to the support they need, when they need it, in helping to maintain a positive, resilient parent. Documenting imperative factors such as information, advice and signposting to other services would be crucial, while retaining a discrete and dignified system, with which parents feel comfortable in seeking help and advice.

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Date Posted: November 27, 2011

Categories: Caregiver Issues / Stress, Child and/or Adolescent Issues, Developmental Disorders (Autism, Aspergers, etc.), Learning Difficulties