Blog Assignment: Consequences Of Stress On Children’s Development

At this point in your studies, you are well aware that developmental domains interact and overlap (i.e., biosocial development, cognitive development, and psychosocial development are interrelated). Some of the readings for this week focused on factors that support, or impede, biosocial development in early childhood. For example, child physical abuse harms not only a child’s body but also her mind and her soul.

The Berger textbook mentions some of the more common stressors in a child’s life, such as maltreatment or injuries. When you think of your own life experiences or the lives of children and adults you know well, what are the stressors of which you are aware? Take a look at the list below-it is by no means complete, but instead highlights some of the major stressors children all over the world may experience:

• War
• Poverty*** (This is my topic)
• Racism
• Natural disaster
• Isolation
• Hunger
• Noise
• Chaos
• Disease
• Environmental pollution
• Violence

Have you, or has anyone you know, experienced any of these stressors as a child? How did you, or the other person, cope/survive? What were the ramifications? In what regions and/or countries are children currently experiencing any of these stressors? What do you think happens to those children’s biosocial, cognitive, and psychosocial development?

By Day 6

Post the following:

• From the list above, choose one stressor that you, or someone you know, experienced as a child. Share how you, or that person, coped with and/or compensated for that stressor (including any resources used or any support obtained).
• Choose a region or country in the world that you would like to know more about and/or for which you have a special affinity. Find out, and describe, the kind of stressor(s) that impact the development of children in that region/country and what is being done to minimize the harm.