Updated Sunday, January 24, 2016Key brain connections are weaker in poor children report researchers, from Washington University St. Louis. When compared to children from wealthier backgrounds, children in poor families showed weaker connections in parts of the brain that deal with learning, memory, stress and emotion, according to the study published Jan 15. “Our past research has shown that the brain’s anatomy can look different in poor children, with the size of the hippocampus and amygdala frequently altered in kids raised in poverty,” said first author Deanna M. Barch, PhD. “In this study, we found that the way those structures connect with the rest of the brain changes in ways we […]
Indifference & lack of empathy as a toddler may lead to antisocial behaviour later
Updated Friday, June 5, 2015 Credit: Mindaugus Danys on Flickr Preschool children whose behavior is inconsiderate and apathetic are at risk for later behavioral problems, according to researchers from the University of Michigan. Young children who show a lot of oppositional behavior, ADHD like behavior or “callous and unemotional behavior” are most likely to display this behavior at the beginning of primary school. If this type of behavior goes unchecked, the child may become aggressive or violent as an adult. “Adults who are aggressive or violent have often shown early-starting behavior problems as young children, said Rebecca Waller, the study’s lead author. Thus, a focus on understanding the emergence and development of […]
Parents’ fights can disrupt their kids’ emotional development
Updated Friday, June 5, 2015 Credit: Namibnat on Flickr Fights between parents can disrupt their children’s abilities to identify and control emotions, reports a study from New York University. In addition, children that are exposed to fighting over a long period have a higher risk for developing anxiety and depression, according to the study. Researchers followed over 1,000 children from 6 months of age until they were nearly 5 years old. They established that parents’ verbal and physical aggression could interfere with “children’s ability to regulate their own feelings of sadness, withdrawal, and fear, placing them at greater risk for symptoms of anxiety and depression later on.” In addition to parental conflict, researchers investigated whether other symptoms […]
