[ad_1]
SINGAPORE – Children in Singapore are more anxious about tests than Covid-19, according to a survey.
Seven out of 10 children feel negative about upcoming school exams – “angry,” “worried” or “sad” – and more than three out of five feel “worried.”
By comparison, six in 10 feel positive – “calm,” “safe” or “hopeful” – about the Covid-19 situation in Singapore, said local charity Focus on the Family Singapore, which conducted the online survey. .
More than 1,050 schoolchildren here aged 10-15 were surveyed, and the results were released on Friday (September 18).
Focus on the Family Singapore said the findings suggest that tests and grades are “of great importance” to the general population of students here.
“While it is natural for tests to cause some anxiety, high levels of worry can lead to test anxiety if left unchecked. This, in turn, can affect students’ academic performance and lead to other forms of anxiety. depression or mental health problems, “said the charity. said.
Parental support can mitigate the negative effects of test anxiety on students, he added.
Of the three out of five children who are concerned about upcoming exams, 38.1 percent indicated that they do not receive consistent parental support.
Executive Director of the charity, Ms. Joanna Koh-Hoe, said: “It’s probably not a surprise that the survey results show that our children face tremendous pressure when it comes to their academic performance.
“They really need their parents to tune in to their emotional needs and not just attend to their practical daily needs.”
More than seven out of 10 children in the survey described themselves as being close (scoring 7 or more on a 10-point scale) to their parents, and boys and girls differed in the ways they were they felt more connected and loved by each parent.
Younger children, or those aged 10 to 12, were also closer to their parents compared to those aged 13 to 15.
The children seemed to especially value their talks with both parents, followed by the quality time they spent with their parents through shared activities and outings. They also enjoyed deeper conversations with their mothers and the feeling of being heard.
The girls seemed to prefer their fathers for shared activities and outings, and their mothers for physical and verbal affection.
The survey was conducted as part of an annual Focus on the Family Singapore Children’s Day campaign.
The campaign, called Race to Praise, is in its sixth edition and is part of efforts to address mental health issues among children in Singapore.
[ad_2]
