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Reading 3 mins.
in collaboration with
Stéphane Clerget (Child psychiatrist)
Medical validation:
March 07, 2023
According to a new study, evolving in a safe environment would allow children to develop better and even avoid certain physical and mental health problems in adulthood. The opinion of Dr. Clerget, child psychiatrist, on the question.
We know: for toddlers, the establishment of a safe environment is essential. What was less known, however, is that this framework would allow them to avoid certain physical and mental health problems in adulthood. The results of this study are available in the journal Social Science & Medicine.
Physical health problems at the age of 29
“Even though we don’t have many tangible memories at this age, we know how we felt, we know how loved and supported we were, and those things are ingrained in us.“, reveals, in the preamble, Kelsey Corallo, graduate of a doctorate from the psychology department of the University of Georgia (United States) and author of the study.
But to test how this affective framework (dubbed “parental vigilance” in the study) might help children stay healthy, Kelsey Corallo and four other researchers analyzed data from a survey of nearly 4,829 people.
That’s how they discovered that growing up in an insecure environment resulted in “physical health problems at age 29, but was not significantly associated with mental health symptoms at around age 34“.
Unsurprising results, according to Kelsey Corallo, who spoke in a statement on this subject.
“A great deal of research shows that stressful experiences, for example, not feeling safe, not getting the resources you need in life, or being exposed to neglect or abuse, alter the functioning of the body”.
It would therefore be this stress, accumulated during childhood, which would be the cause of problems in adulthood (especially in terms of immune function or hormonal regulation).
Parents therefore have a real role to play in the healthy development of their children.
“Parental vigilance, including parental efforts to set boundaries and/or monitor and learn about children’s daily lives, has been shown to buffer and protect against health problems in people growing up in low-impact environments. safe and secure“, conclude the scientists.
Moreover, children whose parents imposed a “curfew” and knew their friendly relations were less inclined to adopt risk behaviors (smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, etc.).
Parental vigilance perceived as “attention”
“These results correspond to what is observed clinically. Indeed, children quickly integrate “self-protection”: they are attentive to this. This parental vigilance, they perceive it as attention on their own body. Parents who disinfect a sore, who put cold water on a burn, who brush their teeth to prevent cavities… The child will integrate these gestures and apply them almost by reflex. Once an adult, he will reproduce this pattern and will therefore develop fewer diseases: he will have learned to be preventive“, reveals Dr. Clerget, child psychiatrist.
However, this reassuring family environment should not be “overflowing”.
“Children of overprotective parents will, conversely, suffer more accidents. These are adults who protect themselves less well. It is therefore necessary to find a good balance between prevention and autonomy in the child“, specifies the expert, before adding “The imposed framework must also be accompanied by explanations.”
Finally, if we teach the child to be attentive to his emotions (anger, grief…), “he will be more attentive to himself later and will more readily confide in his problems.”