Factors Affecting Mental Health of the Children
Basically, there are two bases of physical and mental development of a man- heredity and environment. Some factors are hereditary and environmental or both. We can understand them in the form of other factors.
Causes of Hereditary
It has been often observed that the offspring of the healthy parents are healthy, and the offspring of unhealthy parents are unhealthy. It is mainly due to the genes. Healthy men and women abound in genes related to good health, so there is more possibility of their joining together at the time of copulation, as a result of which healthy children take birth. On the contrary, unhealthy men and women lack in genes of good health, there is more possibility of joining genes lacking in good health, so unhealthy children are born.
The structure of the brain also depends on heredity to a large extent. Some children are sharp from birth itself and some are dull. It has also been observed that children adjust well when they are physically healthy and possess proper mental capability. On the contrary, mental health cannot be developed in the case of deficient physical and mental capability. It is evident that heredity is a basic factor influencing the mental health of children.
Environmental Causes
Environment is a wide concept, it includes natural environments, both, and in social environment are included the and social environment in family, neighbourhood, society and schools.
1. Family Environment
Mental health and adjustment capability of children are affected by the family environment the most. The families in which members live in harmony, respect and cooperate with each other, those families face little mental stress and it has direct bearing on the mental health of the children, they also live a tension-free life. On the contrary, the families in which members by envirous environment lacking peace, the members of such a family face mental stress including the parents of the children, and consequently, the children also develop such defects as mental stress and anger, etc.
Psychological studies reveal that the children whose parents set higher targets than their ability and capability and expect more achievement from them and if the children fail to achieve those aspirations, they inculcate frustration which has ill-effect on their mental health. More than necessary parental love and neglectful behaviour also have adverse impact on the mental health of the children. Affectionate, sympathetic and cooperative behaviour of the parents towards their children helps in the development of their mental health and their harsh or neglecting behaviour is an obstacle in it.
2. School Environment
As the children grow, they cross over to school. School environment has direct effect on their mental health. If the school is located away from the rustle and bustle of the town, with proper arrangement of air and light and equipped with resources, then such an environment has favourable effect on their mental health, else the otherwise is the consequence. One of the functions of the school is to effect physical, mental, emotional and social development of the children. For it. it should refine the traits developed in the family and neighbourhood in order to develop them according to the social norms. If teachers do their task devotedly and treat children with love, sympathy and cooperation, then they succeed in their objective, else they fail.
Another function of teachers is to complete the school curriculum and assist the children in their all-round development. If the school curriculum is useful for children, if teachers complete it using interesting and effective teaching methods an render individual assistance to the children in this Lask, then it has positive effect on the mind and brain of the children, else this environment creates mental stress in the children and they are. inflicted by mental illnesses.
It has also been seen that the school children are often terrified of examinations, and those who fail in them repeatedly become inflicted of mental illnesses and maladjustment.
3. Neighbourhood Environment
The extent of desires and aspirations of children is often affected by the neighbourhood. The other children or objects in neighbourhood families that a child sees, it is natural for him to desire for them. In the same way, the achievements of his companions and friends and family members determine the type and extent of his ambitions. The children become happy when these desires are fulfilled and they grieve when they are not fulfilled, and they become inflicted with mental defects as mental stress and anger, etc. Thus, achievable ambitions of the children help in the development of their mental health, while unachievably aspirations are an obstacle to their mental health.