Key Findings:
Anxiety, depression, and parental difficulties are the main reasons why children have sought psychological therapy and emotional support from Save the Children Romania.
The article mentions a few reasons why anxiety and depression are prevalent among the children who sought help from Save the Children Romania:
Family Issues: The study referenced ("Save the Children Romania study on the incidence of violence against children (2021)") indicates a lack of emotional support within families. This could be due to factors like:
Neglect: 12% of children received little to no physical affection from parents.
Lack of Quality Time: Nearly half (48%) spend free time alone or outside the family.
Parental Difficulties: Situations like divorce (mentioned in the article) can create stress and anxiety for children.
School Environment: The high prevalence of bullying (witnessed by 81% of students, according to another study) can be a significant source of anxiety and depression. Feeling unsafe or ostracized at school can take a toll on a child's mental well-being.
Social Media: The Eurobarometer study (2023) cited in the article suggests that excessive social media use is perceived by Romanians as detrimental to children's mental health. Social media can create unrealistic expectations, social comparison, and feelings of inadequacy.
Academic Pressure: The article doesn't explicitly mention this, but pressure to perform well academically could also contribute to anxiety in some children.
In the period January 2022 - December 2023, the organization's psychologists treated 678 cases, most of which involved primary school children (217), followed by middle school children (215) and adolescents (140).
The Forum of Children, held in Bucharest, focused on the topic of mental health and its impact on emotional and social development. Children formulated a series of urgent recommendations, including specialized support in schools for emotional problems, the creation of an anonymous reporting system for abuse, bullying, and other problems affecting the school climate, and the introduction of sex education in the school curriculum as a mandatory subject.
The most common cases among the 678 treated were anxiety (148) and emotional disorders (128). For 60 children, the reason for needing therapy was related to parental difficulties (such as divorce), in 54 cases it was ADHD/ADD disorders, while 50 children were diagnosed with depression.
There were also six cases of suicide attempts, five among high school children and one among a middle school child.
Children expressed a desire for more school counselors without other administrative duties, without a teaching norm (at least 1 per 200 children).
They also want an anonymous reporting system for abuse, bullying, and other problems affecting the school climate, as well as the introduction of sex education in the school curriculum as a mandatory subject.
Overall, the article highlights the growing concern about children's mental health in Romania and the need for more accessible and effective support services.
Additional Points:
The article provides specific data on the prevalence of different mental health problems among children in Romania.
It also outlines the challenges faced by children in accessing mental health care.
The recommendations made by the children at the Forum of Children are practical and could be implemented relatively easily.
Implications:
The findings of this article have important implications for policymakers, educators, and parents.
There is a need to increase awareness of mental health issues among children and to reduce stigma.
More resources need to be allocated to providing mental health support for children.
Schools need to be supported in creating a more supportive and inclusive environment for children.
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