Role Of Emotional Intelligence In Children
Did you know by the age of 3 years, your brain is 80% of its adult size in terms of brain cells and volume? The growth then becomes more gradual as we grow up, and between adolescence and our early 20s, the development of the last area of the brain takes place, which is the frontal lobe of the brain.
The frontal lobe, located in the front of the brain, is responsible for managing cognitive abilities. It is also known as the brain’s emotion center. It works on understanding our emotions and generating a rational response to them, hence playing a significant role in a person’s Emotional Intelligence.
Any damage to this part might lead to difficulty in rational decision making, social behavior, personality, expressing emotions, and inability to focus on a task for an extended period. Therefore, it is essential to understand the environmental factors that impact an individual’s mental development and avoid traumatic experiences that might hamper his/her growth.
FACTORS AFFECTING EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF TEENS/YOUNG ADULTS
1. Family dynamics
In the last decade, a lot of research has been conducted to identify the factor contributing to an individual’s positive and healthy mental development during his/her teenage years. Many factors identified pointed towards the importance of healthy family dynamics, such as strong attachment towards the family, prosaically family behavior, strong moral and religious beliefs, and positive and strong social support. These factors were associated with lower levels of anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsory disorder symptoms, and better stress management throughout adolescent and adult life.
It has been noticed that parenting styles, including how children are disciplined, rewarded, monitored, involved in verbal exchanges, and supported with a safe atmosphere, helping to build their self-concept, their ability to recognize and assess traumatic situations, and their coping mechanisms are essential and protective factors for the functioning of children’s mental emotional and behavioral well-being
1. Schooling Experience
Apart from the family, the majority of time spent by a teenager is in a school; therefore, the education facility’s environmental factors also contribute majorly to the frontal lobe development of a teen.
Work over the past decade has suggested that children in school environments marked by positive and caring interactions between teachers, employees, and students; a sense of physical and emotional safety; and mutual learning expectations among multiple partners in school appear to have less mental and emotional difficulties and greater academic performance than their counterparts in school environments that lack these attributes.
It has also been shown that a healthy school environment moderates negative results and encourages improved LGBTQ+ student outcomes. Similarly, based on empirical evidence, studies on the school characteristics that generate the greatest change for students have demonstrated the school environment’s influence, including parent involvement and a student-centered learning atmosphere.
2. Peer influence
As a risk factor for the occurrence of many MEB conditions, including antisocial behavior, the use of cigarettes, alcohol, and other drugs; unsafe sexual behavior; and academic achievement, negative peer control has been well-founded.
One of the major problems encountered by many teenagers is the problem of bullying. More than 20% of students from the ages of 12-18 have experienced bullying in one or the other form. With the uprise of social media, this problem has become even more prominent as cyber-bullying such as name-calling, false rumors, and threats have created a psychologically unsafe environment for teenagers.
It has also been found that the students who are exposed to such harassment are more likely to exhibit more aggressive, antisocial, and cigarette smoking habits. Youth who bullied their peers have also suffered in their lives later by substance abuse problems.
3. Lifestyle
One of the significant factors that have gained a lot of awareness in the past few years is the impact of an individual’s lifestyle habits on his/her physical and mental health. Day-to-day habits like physical activity, nutritional intake, sleep, and relaxation pattern are interdependent; imbalance in any of these would impact the other. As research suggests, it hampers the mental, emotional, and behavioral growth of an adolescent. In today’s day and time, with social media booming, screen time and technology use rise, especially amongst teenagers, maintaining a healthy lifestyle balance is becoming more difficult. The potential impacts of prolonged screen time and exposure to television violence on MEB health may include elevated calorie consumption (snacking) and reduced physical exercise, all leading to overweight and obesity; inadequate sleep; social isolation; and video game addiction. This eventually leads to major mental and physical health hazards in the future of the individual.
4. Adverse Childhood Experience
Adverse childhood experiences refer to negative experiences such as physical, sexual, emotional violence and neglect, peer bullying. These incidents tend to leave a lasting impact on a person’s brain. Adverse childhood experiences have been studied extensively for a very long time.
Many evidence and correlations have been found with increased mental illness risks, substance abuse, risky sexual behavior, social isolation, poor social relationships.
5. Societal Background
The immediate socially surrounding plays a major role in his/her mental, emotional and behavioral development. The difference in people’s social statuses due to poverty and injustice, sexism and bigotry, the promotion of unhealthy goods, access to substance abuse have significant repercussions and be correlated to their involvement with the criminal justice system.
WHAT CAN PARENTS/TEACHERS/GUARDIANS DO?
As a child, numerous factors frame and play a part in the child’s mental development. Many of these factors cannot be avoided and are just a part of circumstances such as for a child born in an orphanage, life and experiences they go through are very hard. Some factors like parental styles, societal support, positive communication that can be monitor, and people in contact with a child should make a conscious effort to reflect on how their actions might impact the child’s development. A few things parents, guardians, or teachers should take care of are:-
1. Active and Honest Communication
Parenting is an easy task, and each child is different, so they respond differently to their parent’s actions. However, it has been found that regular encouragement and reassurance by the parents impact children’s self-confidence, especially during adolescence when the child is going through a lot of changes and trying to create his/her identity.
It is also important to note that being overly encouraging and positive with an adolescent might lead to a lack of trust in a parent; therefore, it is imperative, to be honest with them and provide them with the necessary criticism but constructively. This might not lead to a bit of anger by the child initially but would help the relationship in the long term
2. Stability
For emotional growth, continuity at home is imperative because it tends to eliminate personal complexity or confusion. For example, to internalize this into their psyche, the young person must understand what boundaries and rules exist within the family. The older child appreciates the protection that comes with the routine created.
Separation and divorce are a part of life for many modern families. Separate parents must strive to interact with their children to mitigate the consequences of multiple parenting activities. The principle of joint parental responsibility has also been enshrined in family law laws.
3. Taking Active Interest in Teenager’s Life
Younger kids are more likely than teens to expose or exhibit emotional difficulties, attempting to control the emotion by ‘holding it in. This can pose a problem for a parent who is stuck between honoring the increasing desire for privacy for the young person and needing to remain a confidant, especially if there are unreported issues.
However, it has been found out that the majority of teenagers do want their parents involved in their lives. Still, since the constant changes in the frontal lobe of their brain, the way they respond to a situation does not depict how they are actually feeling.
One of the ways to connect with a teenager would be to objectively share own anecdotes, feeling and attitude from their teenage years, this would help establish relatability.It should still be recalled that adolescent parenting requires the parent’s common sense, an open mind, versatility, empathy, encouragement, and a lot of self-assurance.
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