Page 78 - Javanan Magazine Issue # 1891

PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUE No. 1890
PSYCHOLOGICAL
ISSUE No. 1856
PERSPECTIVES JAVANAN

PERSPECTIVES
JAVANAN
Dr. Alan A.
Modarressi LOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
Clinical and A SOCIOCULTURAL AND MIND AND BODY OUTLOOK
Neuro-Psychologyst
In this column, we examine the mental health issues in the context
of social, culture, and physiological concerns of the Iranian community

HOW CLOSE ARE YOU TO YOUR CHILDREN

Young Kids Who Are Close to their Parents Grow up, More Giving & prosocial

A new University of Cambridge The study also explored how far
study used data from more than mental health and prosocial behav-
10,000 people born between 2000 ior are fixed traits in young people,
and 2002 to understand the long- and how far they fluctuate accord-
term interplay between our early ing to circumstances like changes at
relationships with our parents, pro- school or in personal relationships.
sociality and mental health. It is one It measured both mental health and
of the first studies to look at how prosociality at ages 5, 7, 11, 14 and
these characteristics interact over a 17 in order to develop a comprehen-
long period spanning childhood and sive picture of the dynamics shaping
adolescence. One caveat, closeness these characteristics and how they
to your kids does not mean overin- interact.
dulgence. The findings are reported The researchers said, "Our analy-
in the International Journal of Be- sis showed that after a certain age,
havioural Development. we tend to be mentally well, or men-
The researchers found that people tally unwell, and have a reasonably
who experienced warm and loving fixed level of resilience. Prosociality
relationships with their parents at varies more and for longer, depend-
age three not only tended to have ing on our environment.
fewer mental health problems dur- "A big influence appears to be our
ing early childhood and adoles- early relationship with our parents.
cence, but also displayed height- As children, we internalize those as-
ened "prosocial" tendencies. This pects of our relationships with par-
refers to socially desirable behav- ents that are characterized by emo-
iors intended to benefit others, such tion, care and warmth. This affects
as kindness, empathy, helpfulness, our future disposition to be kind and
generosity and volunteering. helpful towards others."
Although the correlation between The study found some evidence
parent-child relationships and later of a link between mental health
prosociality needs to be verified problems and prosociality. Notably,
through further research, the study children who displayed higher than
points to a sizeable association. On average externalizing mental health
average, it found that for every stan- symptoms at a younger age showed
dard unit above "normal" levels that less prosociality than usual later. For
a child's closeness with their parents example, for each standard unit in- a sustained way, rather than being So much of this comes back to
was higher at age 3, their prosocial- crease above normal that a child dis- implemented in the form of one- parents. How much they can spend
ity increased by 0.24 of a standard played externalizing mental health off interventions, like anti-bullying time with their children and respond
unit by adolescence. problems at age 7, their prosociality weeks. to their needs and emotions early in
Conversely, children whose early typically fell by 0.11 of a unit at age life matters enormously.
parental relationships were emo- 11. As well as being more prosocial, Some may need help learning how
tionally strained or abusive were There was no clear evidence that children who had closer relation- to do that, but we should not under-
less likely to develop prosocial hab- the reverse applied, however. While ships with their parents at age three estimate the importance of simply
its over time. The researchers sug- children with greater than average also tended to have fewer symptoms giving them time. Closeness only
gest this strengthens the case for prosociality generally had better of poor mental health in later child- develops with time, and for parents
developing targeted policies and mental health at any single given hood and adolescence. who are living or working in stress-
support for young families within point in time, this did not mean their Researchers said that the findings ful and constrained circumstances,
which establishing close parent- mental health improved as they got underlined the importance of culti- there often isn't enough. Policies
child relationships may not always older. On the basis of this finding, vating strong early relationships be- which address that, at any level, will
be straightforward; for example, if the study suggests that schools' ef- tween parents and children, which have many benefits, including en-
parents are struggling with financial forts to foster prosocial behaviors is already widely seen as critical to hancing children's mental resilience
and work pressures and do not have may be more impactful if they are supporting children's healthy devel- and their capacity to act positively
much time. integrated into the curriculum in opment in other areas. towards others later in life.

DANESH FOROUGHI, PH.D. Alan Modarressi, PhD, QME
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, PSY13680 Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Licensed Marriage, Family & Child Psychotherapist, MFC23455 Qualified Medical Evaluator
Certified National Board of Addiction Examiners #4974 Certified Psychophsychologist
Tel: (310) 940-3642 Diplomat, American Academy of Pain Management
15720 Ventura Blvd., Second Fl. #224 Encino CA 91436 (818) 501-6080 (562) 861-7226

78