Foundations of Growth
The effects of prenatal development and early childhood experience have a major impact on adolescence, social emotional development. Explore the effects of prenatal development and childhood experiences on adolescent social-emotional development. Gain insights on how early experiences shape emotional intelligence and social skills in adolescents.
Impact of Prenatal Development
Prenatal care such as proper nutrition and avoiding harmful substances impacts children's brain development. They can also affect the social emotional development of a child. According to National Institute on Drug Abuse, research shows that the use of tobacco, alcohol, or illicit Drugs or misuse of prescription drugs by pregnant women can have severe health consequences for the infant. This is because many substances pass easily through the placenta, so substances that a pregnant woman take also reach the fetus, (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2020).
Role of Childhood Experiences
Childhood experiences, such as attachment with caregivers and exposure to trauma, play a significant role in shaping social-emotional development. Understanding the impact of early experiences can help educators and parents support adolescents effectively. During the second half of infancy, emotional information from the more inadequate limbic system moves up and becomes part of the babies' consciousness. Frontal lobe activity increases, and myelination of the limbic pathways also begins during this time. With this gain in the limbic system, a caregiver's soothing and consistent response to the child's emotions develops into the child's attachment to the caregiver, usually the mother. Attachment is regarded as a pivotal event in a person's emotional development. It lays the foundation of a child's security, harbors self-esteem, and builds emotional regulation and self-control skills (Malik & Marwaha, 2022).
Adolescence
The implications of trauma during adolescence can alter social and emotional development. Research identifies a child’s exposure to traumatic events can create ripple effects throughout an individual’s lifespan. This begins as early as infancy with the introduction to trust versus mistrust. Depending on whether or not a child has a secure attachment with their primary caregiver, will influence the trajectory of how they navigate the next developmental crisis (Boyles, 2024). Adolescence exposed to these factors early in life are more susceptible to depression, suicide, relationship problems, and anger issues.
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