October 19, 2018

How will early life experiences and/or family economic resources influence early childhood development? 

Professor Jean Yeung, Director of the NUS Centre for Family and Population Research, writes in The Straits Times that earlier studies suggest children with poorer early life experiences and lower family economic resources tend to be disadvantaged in their biological, cognitive and social development. Differences in neural structuring, and its subsequent functioning, as well as environmental experiences contribute to these findings. 

The collectivistic yet diverse nature of Singapore society (i.e. multicultural, multiracial, high-immigration), which stems from the government policies, emphasizes the complexity of the issue. Within the family unit, there may be increasing contextual varieties which may influence children’s development, such as bilingualism or transnational marriages. Apart from family influences, differences in children’s educational context may have an impact on their social and moral development. These factors will be further investigated by the NUS Centre for Family and Population Research to determine if they promote or hinder early child development, especially in disadvantaged families. The Singapore Longitudinal Early Development Study (SG LEADS), funded by the Ministry of Education, kicks off this month and seeks to provide greater insights for various stakeholders to encourage positive early childhood development, thus striving towards a sustainable ageing population for Singapore’s future.

Read more here.