7/10/2019 Kids from needy families face risk of poorer outcomes: Study, Singapore News & Top Stories

s & Top Stories - The Straits Times

THE STRAITS TIMES

Premium

Kids from needy families face risk of

poorer outcomes: Study

ST ILLUSTRATION: MANNY FRANCISCO

 PUBLISHED APR 1, 2019, 5:00 AM SGT

Nearly all have at least one negative childhood experience that could impact
their future well-being


Janice Tai Social Affairs Correspondent (mailto:jantai@sph.com.sg)

Children from low-income families in Singapore suffer a high degree of adversity, and these unhappy
childhood experiences could set them up for poorer outcomes well into adulthood, a new study here has
This site uses cookies to help us serve you better. By continuing to
found. ✓ Accept
explore our site, you accept our use of cookies.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/kids-from-needy-families-face-risk-of-poorer-outcomes-study 1/4
7/10/2019 Kids from needy families face risk of poorer outcomes: Study, Singapore News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Almost all of these children - nine in 10 - face at least one negative childhood experience such as abuse or
parental separation, according to preliminary findings in the study by the Singapore Children's Society
(SCS).

About half of them have experienced four or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which could
compromise their health and well-being later in life.

Other examples of ACEs include being bullied, having a household member in prison or with mental
illness, and witnessing community or domestic violence.

"These experiences can have severe and lasting impacts on children, putting them at higher risk of
developing mental health and substance use problems in adulthood," said Ms Denise Liu, lead research
officer of the SCS, which completed data collection for the study in February.

In comparison, one of the largest investigations of childhood abuse and neglect and later-life health and
well-being, done in the United States, found that almost two-thirds of the 17,000 study participants
reported at least one ACE, and more than one in five reported three or more ACEs. The study was done
from 1995 to 1997 by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the SCS survey, researchers polled 278 caregiver-child pairs from low-income families, defined as having
a household income of $4,000 a month or less, or per capita income of $1,000 per month or less.

MITIGATING THE RISK FACTORS

We plan to find out which protective factors, for instance social support, can
mitigate the effects of ACEs and other risk factors... and these findings will be used
to inform our current programmes that aim to build resilience in children from
vulnerable families.


MS DENISE LIU, lead research officer of SCS, on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).

The children, aged between 10 and 15 years old, were asked to complete a questionnaire to find out
whether they had experienced any of the 18 different types of ACE.

Ms Liu said that to the best of their knowledge, there have been no studies in Singapore to determine the
prevalence of ACEs in the general population, so the team did not have a basis for comparison.

However, overseas research, such as the US study, has shown that the prevalence of ACEs tends to be lower
in the general population. Other studies have also found that people with lower socioeconomic status tend
to experience more ACEs.

This site uses cookies to help us serve you better. By continuing to

explore our site, you accept our use of cookies.
✓ Accept

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/kids-from-needy-families-face-risk-of-poorer-outcomes-study 2/4
7/10/2019 Kids from needy families face risk of poorer outcomes: Study, Singapore News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

The US study had concluded that as the number of ACEs increases, so does the risk for various forms of
dysfunction later in life, such as alcoholism, depression, drug use, heart disease, lung disease, suicide
attempts, sexual violence, unintended pregnancies and poor academic achievement.

The SCS' findings on ACEs are part of a larger study it is doing on resilience in order to determine how to
protect children from low-income families from the impact of such experiences or prevent such
experiences from occurring.

"We plan to find out which protective factors, for instance social support, can mitigate the effects of ACEs
and other risk factors... and these findings will be used to inform our current programmes that aim to build
resilience in children from vulnerable families," said Ms Liu. The full analysis of the data will be completed
by the end of the year.

The rest of the study also aims to examine the impact of ACEs on other outcomes such as a child's
behavioural problems or academic performance.

Ms Liu said the high prevalence of ACEs among children from low-income families highlights the need for
caregivers and professionals to be sensitive to the possible impact they have on a young person's behaviour,
to provide a safe space for him or her to talk about it as well as focus on developing their strengths.

Some of the warning signs children may show after going through such experiences include emotional
reactions such as mood swings, or physical reactions from stomach aches and headaches to difficulty
sleeping at night and concentrating in school.

Related Story
Teen overcame childhood troubles after finding
way to express himself

For Bryan (not his real name), 15, the warning signs of childhood trauma were evident. He had poor
attendance and conduct in school, and was beating up his sister and mother, who was considering filing a
Beyond Parental Control complaint so the authorities could help manage him. His parents were divorced,
and one of them suffered from mental health issues. Growing up, Bryan had witnessed violence at home.

But his behaviour at home and in school took a turn for the better after he discovered a passion for long-
distance running at one of SCS' youth drop-in centres. He now competes in national competitions.

"WhatThis siteBryan
helped uses cookies to help
was to have us serve
a clear youdirection
goal and better. Byincontinuing to opportunity for him to pursue it,"
life, and the ✓ Accept
explore our site, you accept our use of cookies.
said Mr Daryl Tan, Bryan's social worker from SCS.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/kids-from-needy-families-face-risk-of-poorer-outcomes-study 3/4
7/10/2019 Kids from needy families face risk of poorer outcomes: Study, Singapore News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

The importance of early intervention cannot be overstated, according to Reach Youth Services, which
works with young people and offers counselling to offenders in prison, among other functions.

Mr Joe Chan, who heads the youth arm of the charity, said: "When we interview prisoners and trace their
past, normally we see negative childhood experiences that make them prone to go down a certain pathway.

"There is a tendency to overlook such childhood experiences and just look at income level to disburse
financial aid, but they really need multi-dimensional aid such as introducing role models in their lives or
providing a safe environment for them to have their developmental needs met."

 Terms & Conditions  Data Protection Policy

 Need help? Reach us here.  Advertise with us

SPH Digital News / Copyright © 2019 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn. No. 198402868E. All rights reserved

This site uses cookies to help us serve you better. By continuing to

explore our site, you accept our use of cookies.
✓ Accept

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/kids-from-needy-families-face-risk-of-poorer-outcomes-study 4/4