October 11, 2016

In ‘Singapore youth: The impact of social status on perceptions of adolescent problems’ (1990), Prof Richard E. Isralowitz (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev) and Dr Ong Teck Hong (Dept of Social Work, NUS) investigate if social class has any effect on a youth’s perception of problems. Surveying 220 lower and middle class youths between the ages 13 to 18, the authors uncovered that youths with lower economic status feel a greater anxiety towards issues such as school work, job security, relationships with parents, self-esteem, sex education, and accessibility to recreational facilities. Such results reflect the stresses that adolescents in Singapore face as they transition into adulthood. Although this study was conducted 26 years ago, the issues raised remain relevant today.

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