Happy kids still deal with mental issues

Children who grew up in stable environments could also experience anxiety later on

Washington: While it’s widely known that a difficult childhood could increase the likelihood of mental illness, a new suggested that a happy and secure childhood does not always protect a child from developing a mental illness later in life.

The findings of the study were published in the journal titled Current Psychology. Conducted in partnership with the University of Canberra, the study examined how early childhood experiences relate to different developmental pathways, and how these might be associated with poor mental health.

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Given that both positive and negative childhood experiences were found to manifest as anxiety or other mental health disorders into adulthood, researchers believed that it is our ability to adapt – or rather not adapt – to unexpected scenarios that might be influencing mental health.

In Australia, almost 50 per cent of the population will experience mental illness at some point in their lives, with an estimated 314,000 children aged 4-11 (almost 14 per cent) experiencing a mental disorder.

The national recurrent expenditure on mental health-related services is estimated at $9.9 billion or about $400 per person.

While the study reaffirmed that people who had adverse and unpredictable early life experiences had elevated symptoms of poor mental health (including depression and paranoia), it also found that children who grew up in stable and supportive environments were also at risk of experiencing symptoms of anxiety in adulthood.

Lead researcher, Bianca Kahl, said the study highlighted the indiscriminate nature of mental illness and revealed key insights about potential risk factors for all children.

“Mental health conditions are not solely determined by early life events and that a child who is raised in a happy home, could still grow up to have a mental health disorder,” Kahl said.