Impact of poverty on the mental health of children - Essay Example

The study “Impact of poverty on the mental health of children” describes the conduct disorders common for children of poor families. Studies carried out over the years by many different psychologists concerning poverty and mental disorders have always come up with the conclusion that there are many children in poor families that have mental health issues whose cause is the poverty in their environment. A counter argument is that mental health issues have also been found to be a causative agent of poverty.

This however happens only to adults and not children. According to research, this is so because those with mental health issues cannot work hence fail to earn a living causing the poverty scenario. Children on the other hand do not work and hence any mental health issues they may have may not significantly contribute to poverty. According to the National Association of School Psychologists, depression is one of the leading mental health issues in children who are from poor homes. The mental health issue emanates from the fact these children have been exposed to many hardships brought about by the poverty.

Most of the times, these children are stressed from lack of basic amenities like food, shelter and even clothing. Even when they are provided with these necessities, they are not proper, satisfactory or even balanced. This therefore makes them constantly live under stress of the unknown future. Anxiety has also been identified as another of the mental health issue that is prevalent among children living in poverty.. In the case of panic disorder for example, a child is griped with panic as a result of intense fear (this is fear mostly of the unknown future).

The parents of these children are not home most of the times in a bid to look for livelihood in order to support their families. For those present, some are too sick or drunk to provide for the children. Such children therefore are always gripped with fear of whether they will get food or clothing or even social amenities like the rest of the children. This fear with time becomes intense leading to constant panic attacks. The case is not true for those with secure future because their parents do not struggle to provide for them.

The conduct disorder is also common among children from poor homes. This conduct disorder may range from aggressive behavior towards people or animals to deceit, stealing and even destruction of property. Such behavior according to (Southwick, Litz, Charney and Friedman, 2011) is one of the ways children from these poor homes cope with their poor lifestyle. These children due to the hardships they face (where even some of the children mostly the elder ones are forced to beg for food or even work in manual labor where they are exploited and some have no time for play as they look after their younger siblings when the parents are working), are often frustrated and extremely stressed and their only way to cope with these emotions is to engage in aggressive behavior which with time leads to conduct disorder.

There are several solutions that can reduce these scenarios (where the children from poor families and neighborhoods are diagnosed with mental health issues or disorders) in many countries. These solutions will however