Performance pressure Every 4th child mentally stressed

Study: Every fourth child in Germany is psychologically stressed. Every second child already has therapy experience.

(14.08.2010) Mental suffering and emotional stress in Germany are steadily increasing in children as well. According to a study by the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), a quarter of children and adolescents under the age of 18 already suffer from symptoms such as anxiety, abdominal pain, depression, inner restlessness and stress. The reason: Increasing pressure to perform can be observed not only in the world of work, but now also in schools. Because in the mid-90s, the proportion of psychologically conspicuous children was still under 20 percent. This was confirmed by the child and adolescent psychiatrist Prof. Michael Schulte-Markwort opposite the "Hamburger Abendblatt".

Parents demand more and more benefits from their children, although many parents are also subject to the increased social pressure to perform. So said Prof. Michael Schulte-Markwort: „Children are incredibly disciplined and ready to perform today“. But: „In principle, that is a good thing - but not when they no longer realize that they are overburdening, or when their parents make excessive demands.“

Even children and adolescents can already do one „Burn-out syndrome“ psychiatrist Schulte-Markwort already uses this disease term, although it still needs to be scientifically studied in children. He has already become "braver" in professional circles, because the growing pressure to perform does not stop at the schools.

The statements of the psychiatrist are also confirmed by a recent study by the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, according to which so-called psychosomatic manifestations have increased significantly in young people. More and more children are complaining about headaches, dizziness, anxiety, ADHD and abdominal pain. Very frightening: 4 percent of newly trained people suffer from headaches. In the fourth grade, it is already 10 percent of the students. These numbers are very relevant and should lead to a rethink. Because these numbers also show that these symptoms are not unique phenomena, but everyday diseases already many children. And also show that the path to manifested mental disorder is not far away. Because the complaints are often an "initial symptoms" that result in a mental abnormality in children. "If you do not treat it, mental symptoms or disorders develop," says the professor.

The causes of the increase in mental and psychosomatic indicators are quickly identified. More and more media overstimulation at home, at leisure and at school, the children accompany increasingly. On the other hand, the social expectations of the children have increased. This also applies to the parents, who are themselves often exposed to high pressure to perform. This pressure is then passed on to the children. The children should finally "become something". "This is an expression of the changing environmental conditions under which children grow up today." Parents, doctors and educators have become more attentive to such symptoms, the researcher emphasized: "In the past, this was rather trivialized and declared unimportant."

The data were searched and evaluated by the Hamburg scientists from several studies together. These include two UKE studies, two World Health Organization (WHO) studies and a KiGGS child and adolescent health study. Almost 18,000 children participated in the last study alone.

In addition, more and more children also suffer from lack of exercise and back pain. That resulted in a study of the German employee health insurance (DAK). The health problems usually begin at school age and are particularly common at the age of 11 to 14 years. The proportion of children with mild to moderate back pain is already 44 percent. (Sb)

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Image: Barbara Eckholdt, Pixelio.de.