There are a number of social and emotional factors affecting the health, well-being and personal, physical, social and emotional development of children.
Gender
Children may be prone to gender stereotyping, with shops offering separate clothes and toys for girls and boys. Children are sometimes judged if they choose to dress or play with toys in a way that breaks this stereotype, for example, a young boy who decides to play with a doll. In order to challenge the stereotype, children should be encouraged to play with whatever is of interest to them.
Types of families
- Nuclear family – normally consisting of parents and children who are siblings. Children who experience life within a nuclear family normally experience a close relationship within the family and receive a great deal of individual attention.
- Stepfamilies – this type of family consisting of a stepmother or stepfather and half siblings is becoming more common. It can have positive and negative outcomes. Children may enjoy being a part of a larger family, having more children to play with and seeing their parent happy. But they may not be happy with the new situation and struggle to form a relationship with the stepmother or stepfather and half siblings. This may lead to behavioural problems.
- Single parent families – this type of family's situation may have a positive and negative influence on the parent and children. Parents may feel stressed and anxious at times due to financial problems. The situation may lead to a very strong bond between the parent and children and the parent may be an excellent role model to their children.
- Foster families – children in foster care have often been abused or neglected before arriving with their foster parents. As a result they will sometimes struggle to form a close relationship with the foster family due to emotional problems or lack of trust.
- Single-sex families – there is little difference between single-sex families and nuclear families (mother, father and children). As long as the relationship between the two parents is healthy and they love and support their children, then the children will grow up feeling safe and secure with a good sense of self-worth.
Parenting styles
- Passive – this kind of parent is very loving but there is very little discipline or structure in the child's life. Children who are brought up in this way might make poor decisions because of a lack of problem solving skills, but they may feel very safe and secure with high self-esteem.
- Negligent – this kind of parent is characterised by a lack of attention to their children's needs. This kind of parent is absent, emotional and happy to let the television or technology babysit their children. An upbringing like this often leads to children struggling to form successful relationships with others and they may experience anxiety and depression due to a lack of support. These children may be more at risk of developing behavioural problems in the long term.
- Authoritative – this kind of parent sets high expectations for their children but in a loving and supportive environment. Children have some independence within clearly defined boundaries. Children who are brought up in this way are self-confident and independent. They can form secure, healthy relationships and are less likely to be affected by peer pressure.
- Authoritarian – this kind of parent also sets high expectations for their children but not in a loving environment. Children have little opportunity to make decisions and their mistakes tend to be punished severely. Children brought up in this way may grow up to be aggressive with low self-esteem.
Educational experiences
Education can help people to live longer and healthier lives. The well-being of everyone within a learning community can be developed positively by developing a safe, caring and supportive environment which allows relationships to be developed based on mutual respect. Schools and colleges have an essential role in supporting students to make choices which may lead to positive outcomes. If a child or young person's education experience is not positive, this may impact on their well-being. Students may experience mental health problems such as anxiety and depression when studying for exams.
Culture
Culture is a set of ideas, customs and behaviours which are shared with people in society. This may affect the way a group of people thinks about health, illness and death and the types of treatment that are acceptable to them. This can all influence health and well-being.
Young people from different cultural backgrounds may feel they are trapped by different cultural standards and values. This often includes the views of different cultures regarding sexuality, relationships, gender roles, education and employment. This may lead to a feeling of restriction in terms of their choice of friends, with some relationships causing family conflict.
Racial diversity
Some races are more susceptible to suffer from certain diseases, for example, sickle cell anaemia is more prevalent in African, Asian, Middle Eastern and Eastern European people.
Racism can lead to mental health problems. Individuals' self-esteem and confidence often suffer, which then leads to depression and anxiety.
Mae nifer o ffactorau cymdeithasol ac emosiynol all effeithio ar iechyd, llesiant a datblygiad personol, corfforol, cymdeithasol ac emosiynol plant.
Rhyw
Gall plant fod yn agored i stereoteipiau ar sail rhyw, gyda siopau yn cynnig dillad a theganau merched a dillad a theganau bechgyn ar wahân. Weithiau mae plant yn cael eu beirniadu os ydynt yn dewis gwisgo neu chwarae gyda theganau sy'n torri'r stereoteip hwn, er enghraifft, bachgen bach sy’n penderfynu chwarae gyda dol. Er mwyn herio’r stereoteip dylai plant gael eu hannog i chwarae gyda beth bynnag sydd o ddiddordeb iddynt.
Mathau o deuluoedd
- Teulu cnewyllol - fel arfer yn cynnwys rhieni a phlant sy’n frodyr a chwiorydd. Mae plant sy’n profi bywyd mewn teulu niwclear fel arfer yn profi perthynas agos o fewn y teulu ac yn derbyn llawer o sylw unigol.
- Llys deuluoedd - mae'r math hwn o deulu sy’n cynnwys llysfam neu lystad a hanner brodyr a chwiorydd yn dod yn fwy cyffredin. Gall ddod â chanlyniadau cadarnhaol a negyddol. Efallai y bydd plant yn mwynhau bod yn rhan o deulu mwy, cael mwy o blant i chwarae gyda nhw a gweld eu rhiant yn hapus. Ond efallai na fyddant yn hapus gyda’r sefyllfa newydd ac yn cael anhawster creu perthynas gyda’r llysfam neu’r llystad, a’r hanner brodyr a chwiorydd. Gall hyn arwain at broblemau ymddygiadol.
- Teulu un-rhiant - gall sefyllfa’r math yma o deulu fod â dylanwad cadarnhaol a negyddol ar y rhiant a'r plant. Gall rhieni deimlo straen a phryder weithiau oherwydd problemau ariannol. Gall y sefyllfa arwain at gysylltiad cryf iawn rhwng y rhiant a'r plant a gall y rhiant fod yn fodel rôl wych i'w plant.
- Teuluoedd maeth - yn aml, mae plant mewn gofal maeth wedi cael eu cam-drin neu eu hesgeuluso cyn cyrraedd eu rhieni maeth. Oherwydd hyn byddant weithiau yn ei chael yn anodd ffurfio perthynas agos gyda’r teulu maeth oherwydd problemau emosiynol neu ddiffyg ymddiriedaeth.
- Teuluoedd un rhyw - nid oes llawer o wahaniaeth rhwng teuluoedd un rhyw a theuluoedd niwclear (mam, tad a phlant). Cyn belled â bod y berthynas rhwng y ddau riant yn iach ac maen nhw'n caru ac yn cefnogi eu plant, yna bydd y plant yn tyfu i fyny'n teimlo'n ddiogel gydag ymdeimlad da o hunanwerth.
Dulliau magu plant
- Goddefol - mae'r math yma o rieni yn gariadus iawn ond ychydig iawn o ddisgyblaeth neu strwythur sydd ym mywyd y plentyn. Gallai plant sy’n cael eu magu yn y ffordd yma wneud penderfyniadau gwael oherwydd diffyg sgiliau datrys problemau, ond gallant deimlo’n ddiogel iawn gyda hunan-barch uchel.
- Esgeulus - nodweddir y math yma o rieni gan ddiffyg sylw i anghenion eu plant. Mae'r math yma o riant yn absennol, yn emosiynol ac yn hapus i adael i'r teledu neu dechnoleg warchod eu plant. Mae magwraeth fel hyn yn aml yn arwain at blant sy’n ei chael hi'n anodd ffurfio perthynas lwyddiannus ag eraill a gallant ddioddef pryder ac iselder oherwydd diffyg cefnogaeth. Gall y plant yma fod mewn mwy o berygl o ddatblygu problemau ymddygiadol yn y tymor hir.
- Awdurdodol - mae'r math yma o rieni yn gosod disgwyliadau uchel ar gyfer eu plant ond mewn amgylchedd cariadus a chefnogol. Mae gan blant rhywfaint o annibyniaeth o fewn ffiniau sydd wedi'u diffinio'n glir. Mae plant sy'n cael eu magu yn y modd hwn yn hunanhyderus ac yn annibynnol. Gallant ffurfio perthynas gadarn, iach ac maent yn llai tebygol o gael eu heffeithio gan bwysau cyfoedion.
- Awdurdodaidd - mae'r math yma o rieni hefyd yn gosod disgwyliadau uchel ar gyfer eu plant ond nid o fewn amgylchedd cariadus. Nid oes gan blant llawer o gyfle i wneud penderfyniadau ac mae eu camgymeriadau'n dueddol o gael eu cosbi'n llym. Gall plant sy'n cael eu magu fel hyn dyfu i fod yn ymosodol, gyda hunan-barch isel.
Profiadau addysgol
Gall addysg helpu pobl i fyw bywydau hirach ac iachach. Gall lles pawb o fewn cymuned ddysgu gael ei datblygu'n bositif trwy feithrin amgylchedd diogel, gofalgar a chefnogol sy'n galluogi datblygu perthnasoedd yn seiliedig ar barch at ei gilydd. Mae gan ysgolion a cholegau rôl hanfodol wrth gefnogi myfyrwyr i wneud dewisiadau a all arwain at ganlyniadau cadarnhaol. Os na fydd profiad addysg plentyn neu berson ifanc yn gadarnhaol gall effeithio ar eu lles. Gall myfyrwyr ddioddef problemau iechyd meddwl megis pryder ac iselder wrth astudio ar gyfer arholiadau.
Diwylliant
Diwylliant yw cyfres o syniadau, arferion ac ymddygiadau sy’n cael eu rhannu gan bobl mewn cymdeithas. Gall hyn effeithio ar sut mae grŵp o bobl yn meddwl am iechyd, salwch a marwolaeth a’r mathau o driniaeth sy’n dderbyniol iddynt. Gall hyn holl ddylanwadu ar iechyd a lles.
Gall pobl ifanc o wahanol gefndiroedd diwylliannol deimlo eu bod yn cael eu caethiwo gan safonau a gwerthoedd diwylliannol gwahanol. Mae hyn yn aml yn cynnwys barn wahanol ddiwylliannau am rywioldeb, perthnasoedd, rolau rhyw, addysg a chyflogaeth. Gall hyn arwain at deimlad o gyfyngder o ran eu dewis o ffrindiau, gyda rhai perthnasau yn achosi gwrthdaro teuluol.
Amrywiaeth hiliol
Mae rhai hiliau yn fwy tueddol o ddioddef o glefydau penodol, er enghraifft, mae anemia cryman-gell yn fwy amlwg mewn Affricanwyr, Asiaid, pobl o’r Dwyrain Canol a Dwyrain Ewrop.
Gall hiliaeth arwain at broblemau iechyd meddwl. Yn aml bydd hunan-barch a hyder unigolion yn dioddef sydd wedyn yn arwain at iselder a phryder .
