tag:www.funtimesmagazine.com,2005:/categories/education?page=5Education | FunTimes Magazine Page 5Celebrating Africa And Its Diaspora2023-09-06T10:30:28-04:00urn:uuid:c4ea55d9-f657-4dd6-8a07-903c74a792872023-05-26T15:04:41-04:002023-09-06T10:30:28-04:00 CLASSROOM EDUCATION VS STREET EDUCATION – WHICH IS BETTER?2023-06-06 14:00:00 -0400Okechukwu Nzeribe<p>Photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-man-bringing-radio-3620411/" target="_blank">uncoveredlens Eze Joshua from Pexels</a><br></p><p><br></p><span><p>While growing up a comment which was common place among our parents in the past was the notion that to succeed in life one only need to go to school, get good grades, graduate and get a good job, marry and live happily ever after. Well life did not really pan out the way neither we nor our parents had envisaged, well at least not in Nigeria.</p><p>We did go to good schools, we did work hard to make good grades, we ensured we graduated, but shockingly the jobs were not available, the ladies were unwilling to marry us (a conversation for another day) and we are yet to start living happily ever after.</p><p>This shocking realization has created new saying amongst the younger generation who now posit in the usual Nigerian Pidgin English “School na scam”. With such revulsion growing amongst this generation, quite a number are beginning to have a disdain for education which restricts them to the four walls of the educational system and have rather resigned themselves to slugging it out on the streets by hustling.</p><p>While our parents cannot be blamed for putting out advices based on the information readily available to them, we cannot disregard the importance of getting a sound education especially as required for the formative years. Also, while we can point to individuals who made it on the street hustling through grit and sweat, we cannot ignore those who never made it beyond the limitations of their educational exposure.</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1005557/fill/700x0/pexels-uncoveredlens-eze-joshua-3620429.jpg?timestamp=1685977544">Photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/book-monochrome-photography-3620429/" target="_blank">uncoveredlens Eze Joshua</a><br><br><br></div></span><span><p>Which then is better? Quite frankly, for one who has experienced both worlds, I am of the opinion that formal education as gotten in the classroom is as important as education gotten on the streets. There is a lot formal education prepares you for which the street cannot offer and that is Character and Learning. </p><p>Formal education chisels out the rough edges through character and moulids the mind through learning. But, whatever is learnt in the classroom is quite a different experience in the streets. Not only is the curriculum chaotic, it is only applicable to the circumstance and individual in question. It is not transferable and confers upon the recipient a certain street smartness.</p><p>So then the biggest challenge is how to balance both formal education as well as street education to produce a thoroughbred individual.</p><p>To achieve this one who must be willing to break down the mind that is cocooned and sees the world through the four walls of the educational system while embracing the openness the streets present.</p><p>For a country like Nigeria where one’s options are limited, it is suicidal to not have both experiences working in one’s favor. Money, though vital in accomplishing things for those who have been able to breakthrough in both worlds, it does not make up for the deficiencies which is seen in the inferiority complex experienced by those who do not have a formal education especially when they are in a gathering of educated persons, and the possibility of being exploited by those with street education against those without.</p><p>So in the end having both is far more important than having just either one.</p><p><br></p><p>Related articles:</p><div class="media clearfix">
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<p> </p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:78d27181-73a5-41c1-bbd1-c69bdc454edd2023-06-02T15:12:34-04:002023-06-04T13:07:17-04:00Black students in Ghana talk about their social media addiction, and how it affects their use of English 2023-06-05 10:00:00 -0400The Conversation via Reuters Connect<p>Social Media Icons. Source: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Social_Media_Mix_3D_Icons_-_Mix_-2_(28188286432).jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></p><p><br></p><p>Social media networks such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, YouTube and Instagram <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343971547_THE_IMPACT_OF_SOCIAL_MEDIA_IN_ENGLISH_LANGUAGE_LEARNING">have been shown to have</a> significantly transformed student behaviour. But the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343971547_THE_IMPACT_OF_SOCIAL_MEDIA_IN_ENGLISH_LANGUAGE_LEARNING">focus</a> has been on students’ social behaviour. And on <a href="https://www.languageservicesdirect.co.uk/social-media-changing-english-language/">how</a> the English language is being spoken because of social media use.</p><p>The relationship between social media and students’ English language writing has been largely ignored.</p><p>Our team of four researchers who specialise in language studies set out to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2189388">study</a> the relationship between social media use and English language performance. We studied one English as a Second Language class at Fiaseman Senior High School in Tarkwa, western Ghana.</p><p>English is Ghana’s official language and is the medium of instruction for all levels of education.<br><br></p><p>We learnt from the students that they spend significantly long periods of time on various social media platforms. Some even described their use as an “addiction”. We also found that their social media use had resulted in their adoption of shortened forms of English words in their writing, including in their English examinations.</p><p>We concluded from our findings that the significantly long periods of time spent on social media platforms was worrying, considering that most of the sites they visited are not pro-learning. This means that they are sites where most activities are not academically oriented.</p><p>In our view as language and communication experts, this situation could culminate in poor performances in the English language, as the valuable time students need to study to improve their proficiency is channelled into unproductive exploits on social media.</p><p>Our findings are important because in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, English language is a core subject that students need to pass before gaining entry into institutions of higher learning like universities and training colleges.</p><p><br></p><p>Related articles:</p><div class="media clearfix"><span class="pull-left"><a href="https://www.funtimesmagazine.com/2022/09/28/412734/top-college-courses-african-and-caribbean-students-in-the-diaspora-love-to-study" target="_blank"><img alt="pImage Source Shutterstockp" src="https://cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/951397/fit/80x80/image1.jpg?timestamp=1685732966" class="media-object"></a></span><div class="media-body"><h4 class="media-heading"><a href="https://www.funtimesmagazine.com/2022/09/28/412734/top-college-courses-african-and-caribbean-students-in-the-diaspora-love-to-study" target="_blank">Top College Courses African and Caribbean Students in the Diaspora Love to Study</a></h4><p>Africans and Caribbeans in the diaspora often face unique challenges when it comes to getting an education. <span class="pull-right"><a href="https://www.funtimesmagazine.com/2022/09/28/412734/top-college-courses-african-and-caribbean-students-in-the-diaspora-love-to-study">Read More »</a></span> </p></div></div><p></p><p> </p><div class="media clearfix"><span class="pull-left"><a href="https://www.funtimesmagazine.com/2023/05/30/436700/we-have-all-heard-social-media-can-impact-womens-body-image-but-it-isnt-all-bad" target="_blank"><img alt="We have all heard social media can impact womens body image but it isnt all bad" src="https://cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1003679/fit/80x80/pexels-andrea-piacquadio-3755749.jpg?timestamp=1685732979" class="media-object"></a></span><div class="media-body"><h4 class="media-heading"><a href="https://www.funtimesmagazine.com/2023/05/30/436700/we-have-all-heard-social-media-can-impact-womens-body-image-but-it-isnt-all-bad" target="_blank">We have all heard social media can impact women's body image – but it isn't all bad</a></h4><p>It is clear social media can negatively affect women’s relationships with their bodies, but our recent research revealed a more complex and nuanced picture. <span class="pull-right"><a href="https://www.funtimesmagazine.com/2023/05/30/436700/we-have-all-heard-social-media-can-impact-womens-body-image-but-it-isnt-all-bad">Read More »</a></span> </p><div><br></div></div></div><p><br></p><h2>What the students told us</h2><br><p>In Ghana, the West African Senior School Certificate Examination is taken by students after completing their high school coursework. It is primarily a written examination.</p><p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2189388">Our research</a> targeted a Form 2 class (students who are a year away from writing their final high school exams), made up of 47 students aged 17 and 18 on average. They were one of the largest classes in the school, which offers English as a general subject and Literature-in-English as an elective subject.</p><p>All the students in the class volunteered to take part in our study.</p><p>We divided the students into seven groups. Our rationale was to obtain diverse in-depth knowledge from them.</p><p>The study found that the students were exposed to most social media platforms, especially WhatsApp and Facebook. We also found that participants paid regular visits to social networking sites and spent significantly long periods of time there. One respondent said:</p><blockquote><p><i>I visit social media twice in a day. Sir, I visit there every day. I can’t count. I’m always there.</i></p></blockquote><p>In addition, participants had been active on social media platforms for significant periods, even before their enrolment into the school. Most participants admitted that they were addicted to social media.</p><blockquote><p><i>Please, yes. That is very true. I am hundred percent addicted. I can see that I’m very addicted because it is very difficult to control my presence there.</i></p><p><i><br></i></p></blockquote><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1005139/fill/700x0/ghana_20jr_20high_20students.jpeg?timestamp=1685732813">Image: Junior High School students in Ghana (not subjects in the article study). <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ghana_Junior_High_School_students,_South_Campus,_Winneba.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a> </div><i><br></i><h2>Consequences</h2><br><p>Based on this experience we argue that there are two critical consequences here: the participants are likely not to give their studies the needed time and attention, and their English language performances will be negatively affected, culminating in poor academic progression.</p><p>Exacerbating this is the finding that the students frequently use short forms in their academic writings.</p><p>Short forms are the unacceptable written forms of English – such as “4” in place of “for”, “u” in place of “you” and “d” in place of “the” – that students transfer from their informal social media interactions into their formal English language examination writing.</p><p>Our research indicates that it is a frequent student practice. Interestingly, we found that the participants know that such deviant practices affect their English language performances.</p><blockquote><p><i>For my side, I use short hands doing chats on social media, and I forget myself and use them in my compositions. I sometimes find myself using short hands in my notes and also in exams.</i></p></blockquote><p>We concluded that the way in which English is being used in examinations by students is being undermined by their use of the English language on social media. This is a growing trend that will see students struggle to get ahead in the subject, as more formal English language writing is needed for examinations and for further studies.</p><p><br></p><h2>What should be done</h2><br><p>We recommend that those involved in education should consider integrating teaching practices that take advantage of social media to engage students. This would allow students to learn during their time on social media platforms. Online dictionaries with pronunciation buttons and websites that offer free educational materials to students, for instance, could come in handy.</p><p>Also, teachers should assist students in selecting appropriate social media sites. The academic counselling units of high schools should engage students to sensitise them on social media sites, their importance, dangers and how best to use social media, especially for academic purposes.</p><p>All those involved in education should be taking students’ use of social media seriously. Until innovative approaches are implemented, Ghana risks recording mass failures in the English language component of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination.</p><p><br></p><p>Related articles: </p><div class="media clearfix">
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<p> </p><div><div><div><div><div></div></div></div></div></div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:d002290e-af6f-4df5-9931-a2aa05b382bc2023-05-30T16:05:18-04:002023-05-30T16:05:27-04:00Sign language is set to become South Africa’s 12th official language after a long fight for recognition2023-05-31 14:00:00 -0400The Conversation via Reuters Connect<p>Photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-of-man-showing-sign-language-10031280/" target="_blank">RDNE Stock project</a><em><br></em></p><p><br></p><p><em>Sign language is on its way to become the 12th official language in South Africa after parliament recently <a href="https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/sign-language-bill-leaves-parliament-ready-to-be-enacted">agreed to amend the constitution</a> to this end. The move will bring to fruition three decades of a struggle to empower the country’s deaf community. An official language has legal status in a state and serves as the <a href="https://read.oecd-ilibrary.org/economics/oecd-glossary-of-statistical-terms_9789264055087-en#page378">language of administration</a> (conducting day-to-day state business). We asked Theo du Plessis, an emeritus professor of South African Sign Language and Deaf Studies, for his insights.</em></p><p><em><br></em></p><h2>What was the process leading to sign language becoming an official language?</h2><br><p>Numerous attempts have been made since the adoption of the interim post-apartheid <a href="https://www.gov.za/documents/constitution/constitution-republic-south-africa-act-200-1993">constitution in 1993</a> – in which <a href="https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=Xqg8m9Ni&id=4D680A11EA41D8BD1F748B34FA5B0D8113C427A1&thid=OIP.Xqg8m9Ni5UEfWCxD5BjDEAAAAA&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fwww.realsasl.com%2fimages%2f2022_Alphabet%2fABC_Alphabet_South_African_Sign_Language_2022.jpg&cdnurl=https%3a%2f%2fth.bing.com%2fth%2fid%2fR.5ea83c9bd362e5411f582c43e418c310%3frik%3doSfEE4ENW%252fo0iw%26pid%3dImgRaw%26r%3d0&exph=335&expw=474&q=south+african+sign+language+-+one+language+or+many%3f&simid=608051667494007872&FORM=IRPRST&ck=54BCF7CD6DEF046473579F152C1151E1&selectedIndex=2&ajaxhist=0&ajaxserp=0">South African Sign Language</a> was not mentioned at all – to make it official.</p><p>These included a formal request by the South African National Deaf Association (<a href="http://www.sanda.org.za/">DeafSA</a>) to the Pan South African Language Board (<a href="https://www.pansalb.org/">PanSALB</a>) <a href="https://pmg.org.za/hansard/18063/">in 1996</a>. The board is constitutionally mandated to develop and promote the country’s current 11 official languages, and the <a href="https://www.archaeology.org.za/events/non-bantu-click-languages-versus-khoisan-linguistic-reality-and-ideological-aspirations">non-bantu indigenous click languages</a> – incorrectly referred to as “Khoisan” languages.</p><p>The board can’t give languages official status, so nothing came of the request. Eventually another submission was made to the Constitutional Review Committee <a href="https://pmg.org.za/committee-meeting/8091/">in February 2007</a>. Two further submissions in <a href="https://pmg.org.za/committee-meeting/21459/">2013 and 2015</a> were made to parliament to recommend that South African Sign Language be made official.</p><p>In <a href="https://www.gov.za/speeches/president-cyril-ramaphosa-2020-state-nation-address-13-feb-2020-0000">February 2020</a>, the president announced the pending official recognition of sign language as the country’s 12th official language.</p><p>Two years earlier, the United Nations <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/concluding-observations/crpdczafco1-concluding-observations-initial-report-south-africa">had expressed concern</a> about the slow pace of amending the constitution to recognise <a href="https://www.ufs.ac.za/humanities/departments-and-divisions/south-african-sign-language-home">South African Sign Language</a>.</p><p>Only on 25 May 2022 did cabinet approve the <a href="https://www.gov.za/speeches/statement-virtual-cabinet-meeting-25-may-2022-26-may-2022-0000">Constitutional Eighteenth Amendment Bill</a> for public comment.</p><p>After public hearings <a href="https://pmg.org.za/tabled-committee-report/5263/">in March 2023</a>, the committee recommended the bill for approval. The National Assembly gave its approval to make South African Sign Language official on <a href="https://www.parliament.gov.za/press-releases/na-approves-south-african-sign-language-12th-official-language">2 May 2023</a>. The <a href="https://www.parliament.gov.za/national-council-provinces">National Council of Provinces</a> has also approved and the president must <a href="https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/sign-language-bill-leaves-parliament-ready-to-be-enacted">sign the amendment as law</a>.</p><h2><br></h2>Related articles:<br><div class="media clearfix"><span class="pull-left"><a href="https://www.funtimesmagazine.com/2023/04/14/431656/the-story-of-how-swahili-became-africas-most-spoken-language" target="_blank"><img alt="The story of how Swahili became Africas most spoken language" src="https://cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/994198/fit/80x80/nyerere.jpeg?timestamp=1685476180" class="media-object"></a></span><div class="media-body"><h4 class="media-heading"><a href="https://www.funtimesmagazine.com/2023/04/14/431656/the-story-of-how-swahili-became-africas-most-spoken-language" target="_blank">The story of how Swahili became Africa's most spoken language</a></h4><p>Once just an obscure island dialect of an African Bantu tongue, Swahili has evolved into Africa’s most internationally recognised language. <span class="pull-right"><a href="https://www.funtimesmagazine.com/2023/04/14/431656/the-story-of-how-swahili-became-africas-most-spoken-language">Read More »</a></span> </p></div></div><p> </p><div class="media clearfix"><span class="pull-left"><a href="https://www.funtimesmagazine.com/2021/02/21/347936/wakandan-is-a-real-language-south-africa-s-isixhosa" target="_blank"><img alt="Wakandan is a REAL Language South Africas isiXhosa" src="https://cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/803198/fit/80x80/Wakanda-series-in-the-works-for-Disney-by-Black-Panther.jpg?timestamp=1685476201" class="media-object"></a></span><div class="media-body"><h4 class="media-heading"><a href="https://www.funtimesmagazine.com/2021/02/21/347936/wakandan-is-a-real-language-south-africa-s-isixhosa" target="_blank">Wakandan is a REAL Language: South Africa’s isiXhosa</a></h4><p>On this #InternationalMotherLanguageDay, we focus on the language that used in the highly popular 2018 Black Panther that is an official language of South Africa. <span class="pull-right"><a href="https://www.funtimesmagazine.com/2021/02/21/347936/wakandan-is-a-real-language-south-africa-s-isixhosa">Read More »</a></span> </p></div></div><br><h2>In what ways will this benefit users of sign language?</h2><br><p>To be honest, not in any meaningful way. The constitution obligates the government to use <a href="https://www.gov.za/documents/constitution/chapter-1-founding-provisions">at least two official languages</a> for the purposes of government administration. <a href="https://www.gov.za/documents/use-official-languages-act">The Use of Official Languages Act, 2012</a> later made this at least three languages. So, there is no legal requirement that all 11 languages must be used. The official languages therefore have only symbolic value at most.</p><p>For all practical purposes, the current language regime is in fact dysfunctional. The state primarily uses only one language, English.</p><p>One consolation is that the <a href="https://www.gov.za/documents/use-official-languages-act">Use of Official Languages Act</a> requires state entities to accommodate people who choose South African Sign Language as their preferred language when communicating with the state.</p><p>Hearing people do not enjoy the same official language right to use their preferred language when communicating with the state.</p><h2><br></h2><div class="image-main"><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1003991/fill/700x0/SASL-Fingerspelled-Alphabet.png?timestamp=1685476554"></div><p>Image: South African Sign Language alphabet. Source: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Sign_Language#/media/File:SASL-Fingerspelled-Alphabet.png" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a><br></p></div><br><h2>What constitutional rights do sign language users currently enjoy?</h2><br><p>First language users of South African Sign Language already enjoy all the same individual language rights that hearing South Africans enjoy – in fact even more – without sign language being an official language. So, making their language official is not giving them access to any new right.</p><p>Deaf people and persons with serious hearing loss already have the individual language rights that are guaranteed for all citizens – such as the right to access to information, to cultural association, to non-discrimination on the basis of language and to interpretation in courts.</p><p>A provision of the <a href="https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201409/act84of1996.pdf">South African Schools Act</a> declares South African Sign Language official in public schools for the purposes of education.</p><p><br></p><h2>How did the country decide which sign language to use?</h2><br><p>There’s a lot of <a href="https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/124951">lexical variation</a> in South African Sign Language. One of the earliest <a href="https://spil.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/55">publications</a> on the subject, from 1998, poses a similar question: South African Sign Language - one language or many?</p><p>The authors, Debra Aaron and Philemon Akach, argue that the variation found in sign language is at most geographical and that these “dialects” all contain the same grammatical structure.</p><p>It signifies the existence of one national sign language. The <a href="https://www.gov.za/documents/south-african-schools-act">Schools Act</a> partly answers the question. It stipulates that the sign language to be used for education purposes will be the one approved by PanSALB. Usually, the language variety used in education is considered the standard variety of the official language.</p><p>The board is also working towards the further standardisation of the sign language. In collaboration with DeafSA, the <a href="https://www.westerncape.gov.za/news/dcas-and-pansalb-partner-launch-new-online-sa-sign-language-dictionary#:%7E:text=The%20first-ever%20online%20South%20African%20Sign%20Language%20%28SASL%29,in%20Cape%20Town%20on%20Thursday%2C%2001%20September%202022">first comprehensive electronic dictionary</a> for South African Sign Language was made available last year.</p><p>The board has also set up a working group to further the standardisation initiative. The idea is not to create “one” sign language; rather to cultivate one standard for using South African Sign Language in higher functions – such as in parliament, government administration, universities and the courts.</p><p>In conclusion, making South African Sign Language official is more symbolic than useful.</p><p>The justice minister, <a href="https://www.justice.gov.za/legislation/notices/2022/20220719-gg47049gen1156-Const-S6-Comments.pdf">in his motivation</a> for making South African Sign Language official, echoes the claim made by DeafSA way back in 2007. It is that for the deaf (and hard of hearing persons) an official sign language will help this community to realise and enjoy their rights and human dignity, make them an integral part of South Africa and promote inclusivity.</p><p>However, the same people who have failed to realise existing rights will be responsible for trying to do so now, in the context of a largely dysfunctional and even more complex official language dispensation. I don’t envisage any significant changes in the lives of a very marginalised community who are being misled into expecting a better life for all.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>Related articles:</p><div class="media clearfix">
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<p> </p><div class="media clearfix"> <br></div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:6f5263ba-a5a4-41ec-b45c-514f0abb7f942023-05-30T14:16:53-04:002023-05-31T10:46:34-04:00Black and Bold Queens is a new children's book celebrating women in Ghana's history2023-05-31 10:00:00 -0400The Conversation via Reuters Connect<p>Theodosia Okoh, the designer of Ghana's flag. illustrated by Denyse Gawu-Mensah Source: <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Black_and_Bold_Queens/BFKzEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0" target="_blank">Yellow Mango Press | Google Books</a><em><br></em></p><p><em><br></em></p><p><em>A new children’s book, <a href="https://yellowmangopress.com/">Black and Bold Queens</a>: Women in Ghana’s History explores the lives of 16 notable female pioneers and leaders in the West African country, with a strong focus on the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Ghana/Independence">independence period</a> of the 1950s and 1960s. It was written by <a href="https://nikittadede.com/">Dr Nikitta Dede Adjirakor</a>, a writer and academic researcher in east and west African literature and popular culture. We asked her about this trailblazing project.</em></p><p><em><br></em></p><h2>What made you decide to write the book?</h2><br>In 2020, during the first months of the COVID pandemic, I kept thinking about the stories we document and whose history is compiled and kept. In Ghana, this is overwhelmingly male.<p>This led to my attempt to make a list of the women I know in Ghana’s history off the top of my head. It was extremely difficult. It took days to compile without resorting to Google or any books. I realised we needed a reference book, especially for children who needed to know this history. And it needed to be accessible, interesting and fun.</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1003988/fill/700x0/cover_20black_20and_20bold_20queens.png?timestamp=1685475761">Image: Cover for <i>Black and Bold Queens: Women in Ghana's History.</i> Source: <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Black_and_Bold_Queens/BFKzEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0" target="_blank">Yellow Mango Press | Google Books</a></div><p><br></p><h2>How did you choose which women to include?</h2><br><p>I wanted to make sure I had a variety of women to accurately represent Ghana’s geography as well as different occupations and educational levels. Some of the women in the book are educated and others not. Their careers are vastly different – pilots, doctors, queens, market women, photographers. Some were deeply engaged in politics, others weren’t. All the women, except the famous warrior queen <a href="https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/yaa-asantewaa-mid-1800s-1921/">Nana Yaa Asantewaa</a> (1830 – 1921), were active in the independence period of the 1950s and afterwards. I wanted to focus on how women shaped the country’s legacy in different ways.</p><p>The biggest challenge was finding accurate sources for the stories of the women and this also shaped who was chosen. It took about two years of research. A lot of available internet sources provided inaccurate dates or biographies. The academic sources were behind paywalls. As an academic, I was able to access some of them, but it reinforced my belief that we need a book that’s easily accessible and available – and accurate.</p><p><br></p><p>Related article:</p><div class="media clearfix">
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</p><p> </p><h2>Can you tell us about three of the women?</h2><br><p>The <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10823-014-9232-y">Krobo Queens</a> are queen mothers from the Krobo ethnic group. In the 2000s, AIDS was killing many and education was lacking on the disease. Seeing the devastating impact of the disease on their people, the Krobo Queens banded together, sought accurate information from medical personnel and organised awareness programmes in their communities to help prevent and manage it.</p><div><p>I love this story because it’s a collective effort to create change within an entire ethnic group. It’s also a story of resilience among women – these queen mothers often fostered children orphaned by the disease. The change they effected was truly generational.</p><p><br></p><p><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2017/4/18/esther-afua-ocloo-ghanas-inspiring-businesswoman">Esther Afua Ocloo</a> (1919 – 2002) understood the importance of economic freedom and started her own business early in life, making and selling marmalade. Her story teaches us to understand the concepts of economics, money and power. In particular, the relationship between money and power.</p><p>She was concerned with how women living in poor conditions could have access to loans and other financial incentives.</p><p>She created resources to advocate for policy change and directly help women across the world, co-founding the organisation Women’s World Banking.</p><p>Her company, Nkulenu Industries, is still a leading producer of processed traditional Ghanaian foods.</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1003986/fill/700x0/felicia_20abban.png?timestamp=1685475649">Felicia Abban, illustrated by Denyse Gawu-Mensah. Source: <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Black_and_Bold_Queens/BFKzEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0" target="_blank">Yellow Mango Press | Google Books</a></div><p><br></p><p>The story of <a href="https://contemporaryand.com/magazines/felicia-abban-behind-the-scenes/">Felicia Abban</a> (1935 –) is important in a country where, for years, creative careers like photography were not considered valuable.</p><p>She learned from her father at a young age, becoming an apprentice in his photography studio at 14, before opening her own. She was one of the first professional photographers in Ghana.</p><p>Her photos remain a powerful look into the past, showing the clothing and styles of women in the early independence period.</p><p><br></p><h2>What was behind the illustrations?</h2><br><p>My wonderful illustrator <a href="https://www.instagram.com/scorpio.eyes/">Denyse Gawu-Mensah</a> and I wanted to create illustrations that were representative of the women and captured details of their lives. We wanted them to be vivid and colourful.</p><p>For women whose stories span multiple careers and interests, the illustrations also display their multitudes. For instance, <a href="https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780195382075.001.0001/acref-9780195382075-e-1619;jsessionid=EE1E6C26B72D8CE0337C4CC6339B2CF5">Theodosia Okoh</a> (1922 – 2015) designed Ghana’s flag and influenced the <a href="https://mg.co.za/africa/2020-06-13-africa-flags-history-continent/">design of many African flags</a> due to the pan-Africanist independence movement. She was also interested in the hockey movement in Ghana. Her illustration captures all of these things.</p><p><a href="https://www.adinkrasymbols.org/">Adinkra symbols</a> incorporated in the overall design of the book are Akan symbols that express specific concepts and messages. Other Ghanaian ethnic groups also have similar symbols.</p><p>They’re usually visual representations of proverbs, sayings and concepts with historical and philosophical meaning. They’re often incorporated into woven clothing, pottery and furniture.</p><p>Together with the designer for the book <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mikeanim/">Mike Anim</a>, we wanted to use them to symbolise the legacies of the women within Ghana.</p><p>For instance, Nana Yaa Asantewaa, who led the Ashanti army to war against the British, is represented with the adinkra symbol <em>akofena</em>, which means “sword of war” and symbolises courage and valour.</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1003984/fill/700x0/theodora_20and_20nana.jpg?timestamp=1685475524"></div><p>Theodosia Okoh and Nana Yaa Asantewaa, illustrated by Denyse Gawu-Mensah. Source: <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Black_and_Bold_Queens/BFKzEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0" target="_blank">Yellow Mango Press | Google Books</a></p><p><br></p><p>Related article:</p><div class="media clearfix">
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</p><p> </p><p><br></p><h2>Why do these women’s stories matter?</h2><br><p>They matter because they provide a rounder representation of life. Many of these women only exist as footnotes in the stories of men. They haven’t been adequately documented and discussed. This means that young people grow up without an accurate representation of Ghana’s development.</p><p>I hope to use the book to encourage young people to document the stories of women around them, to see that all stories matter and that these stories provide the foundation on which the next generations learn, develop and adapt to challenges.<br></p><div><br><br>Related articles:<br><div class="media clearfix">
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<p> </p></div></div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:04d80c48-817a-4f66-a890-5c3217f407732023-05-25T14:22:06-04:002023-05-26T15:46:11-04:00Mental health: almost half of Johannesburg students in new study screened positive for probable depression2023-05-29 10:00:00 -0400The Conversation via Reuters Connect<p>Photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-woman-reading-books-3059654/" target="_blank">RF._.studio</a><br></p><p><br></p><p>Depression is a mental health disorder characterised by a persistently low mood or loss of interest in activities. It causes significant impairment in daily life. Possible causes include a combination of biological, psychological and social sources of distress.</p><p>It’s a major mental illness that largely goes undiagnosed. Survey <a href="https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.187.6.495">estimates</a> put the lifetime risk of depression at 10%. This makes depression one of the <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression#:%7E:text=Approximately%20280%20million%20people%20in%20the%20world%20have%20depression%20(1)">most common mental illnesses</a>. In 2019, the World Health Organization estimated that <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression#:%7E:text=Approximately%20280%20million%20people%20in%20the%20world%20have%20depression%20(1)">280 million</a> people in the world – about 3.8% of the population – had depression.</p><p>Projections for South Africa are alarming, with research suggesting that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4038770/">one in three people</a> will experience depression, anxiety or a substance use disorder in their lifetime.</p><p>University students are particularly at <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30211576/">high risk</a> of depression. One South African study estimated that <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07448481.2016.1178120">24.2%</a> of university students have mild depression, and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07448481.2016.1178120">12.4%</a> have moderate to severe depression. Globally, an average of about <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/manuscript/2018-44951-001.pdf#page=17">21%</a> of university students have major depressive disorder.</p><p>This is concerning because students with depression face very specific challenges. These include:</p><ul><li><p>worse <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7793438/">academic outcomes</a></p></li><li><p>low productivity</p></li><li><p>more likely to struggle with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15060400/">alcohol abuse</a> in their adulthood</p></li><li><p>and high <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21823951/">rates of suicide</a>.</p></li></ul><p>It is clear that this population group needs targeted interventions. Up-to-date research on the prevalence and drivers of depression among students is crucial to inform potential interventions in this group.</p><p>The studies that have been done in South Africa do not cover the student population across the country. There’s a lack of data on the prevalence and drivers of depression among students in Johannesburg. Johannesburg is South Africa’s main commercial city and has the country’s highest population of students. To address this gap, we recently conducted an <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1018197/full">online survey</a> among undergraduate students at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa.</p><p>Almost half of the study participants screened positive for probable depression. Probable depression was associated with socio-demographic factors such as economic status, and modifiable behavioural factors such as substance use. These two factors are commonly identified correlates of depression in this group. The prevalence of probable depression among undergraduate students in this study was high relative to the general population. Our findings are an important step towards helping universities tailor mental health programmes to students’ needs.</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1002852/fill/700x0/The_Wits_University_East_Campus__archived_.jpeg?timestamp=1685038973"></div><p> University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Source: Wikimedia Commons</p><p><br></p><h2>Our study</h2><br><p>We used the <a href="https://aidsetc.org/sites/default/files/resources_files/PHQ-2_English.pdf">Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2)</a> to assess the prevalence of probable depression. We also identified factors associated with probable depression. These factors included age, marital status and substance use (alcohol, cannabis, tobacco and other substances).</p><p>We had a response rate was 8.4% (1,046/12,404). Though low, such response rates are common in online surveys. While our survey should be interpreted with caution, the key findings are similar to other <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32664032/">studies elsewhere</a>.</p><p>Forty-eight per cent (439/910) screened positive for probable depression.</p><p>Certain socio-demographic factors were associated with lower odds of screening positive for probable depression. Students who identified as white were 36% less likely than black students to screen positive for depression. Those who could afford the most important things – but few luxury goods – were 50% less likely to screen positive for depression than those who had enough money for food and clothes, but were short of many other things.</p><p>Students with enough money for luxury goods and extra things were 56% less likely than those who had enough money for food and clothes, but were short of many other things, to screen positive for depression. These findings are similar to a recent <a href="https://sajp.co.za/index.php/SAJP/article/view/1795">study</a> among undergraduate physiotherapy clinical students.</p><p>Students who reported substance use had higher odds of screening positive for probable depression. But the probabilities varied based on the substance used.</p><p>Those reporting using cannabis were 29% more likely than students who didn’t use cannabis to screen positive for probable depression. It’s important to note that the global <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/association-between-cannabis-use-and-depression-a-systematic-review-and-metaanalysis-of-longitudinal-studies/B144B7AE5A3D973289DBDD99ADE21E58">findings</a> on the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2723657">association</a> between cannabis use and depression <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17662880/">vary</a>. But our finding is an important consideration given the legal use of cannabis in South Africa.</p><p>Reported alcohol use was common in our study. But it was not associated with screening positive for probable depression. This is contrary to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/add.14935">findings</a> from other <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31733662/">studies</a>. Our study did not find an association between tobacco use and screening positive for probable depression. But other <a href="https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-9-356">researchers</a> have reported a strong association between smoking and depression in adolescents and adults. While we did not find significant associations between alcohol and tobacco use and screening positive for depression, we believe these are important correlates. Alcohol and tobacco are often used as coping mechanisms for individuals with depression.</p><p><br></p><h2>Recommendations</h2><br><p>The odds of screening positive for depression were associated with specific sociodemographic and selected behavioural factors.</p><p>Mental health professionals working with undergraduate students at the University of Witwatersrand should strengthen mental health (including depression) and risk factors (substance use) screening and referral for treatment services.</p><p>In addition, these findings call for strengthening the awareness and use of existing counselling services among undergraduate students at the campus and other services out of the university campus, such as the South African Depression and Anxiety Group’s <a href="https://www.sadag.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11&Itemid=114">help line</a>.</p><p><br></p><div><img alt="" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1003091/fill/0x0/K-L_20FUND_20LOGO.png?timestamp=1685130348"></div><p> </p><p><br></p><p>Related articles:</p><div class="media clearfix">
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<p> </p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:5f856cf6-3136-4d50-ace0-d910c17fe2622023-05-22T13:53:00-04:002023-05-22T14:01:38-04:00The Little Mermaid has always been a story about exclusion – and its author was an outsider2023-05-23 14:00:00 -0400The Conversation via Reuters Connect<p>Statue of the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, Denmark. Halle Bailey in her role as The Little Mermaid (2023). Source: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Expo_2010_Denmark_Pavilion-_Little_Mermaid_Statue_from_Copenhagen_Harbor_02.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a href="http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-wPm99PF9U" target="_blank">Disney Official Trailer on YouTube</a></p><p><br></p><p>Disney’s forthcoming live-action adaptation of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5971474/"><i>The Little Mermaid</i></a><i> </i>has sparked an astonishing backlash. The <a href="https://youtu.be/xiyPHXkcz6s">trailer</a> for the 2023 film was met with millions of dislikes on YouTube, seemingly because the mermaid is played by Halle Bailey, a Black actress.</p><p>The 1989 <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097757/">animated Disney film</a>, on which the upcoming film is based, featured a red-headed mermaid named Ariel (and a singing crab with a Jamaican accent). The implication of much of the recent criticism is that a Black mermaid is not “authentic” to <i>The Little Mermaid </i>fairy tale.</p><p>But fairy tales are continually retold in new ways over time.</p><p>Hans Christian Andersen’s literary fairy tale is radically different to the 1989 film. He was a bisexual social outsider who struggled to express his desires. And his <i>The Little Mermaid</i> was not the happily-ever-after romance Disney fans are familiar with, but a tale of torturous unrequited love – which he worked on while a man he was infatuated with was getting married.</p><p><br></p><p>Related articles:</p><div class="media clearfix">
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<p> </p><p><br></p><h2>The first Cinderella was Chinese</h2><br><p>Outrage over fairy tales crossing cultural and racial boundaries is misguided. Variations of most popular tales are found in multiple cultures, and familiar tale types have a history of circling the globe. The way they’re told has adapted, too: from being shared orally, to literary versions (from the 17th century), and now film, television and games (from the 20th century).</p><p>Indeed, the very reason fairy tales have endured is because they are continually retold in new ways, to suit changing audiences and cultural norms.</p><p>The first recorded <i>Cinderella</i> variant, for example, is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ye_Xian">Yeh-Hsien</a>, from China. It was first published around 850; while Charles Perrault’s <i>Cinderella</i>, which influenced most adaptations we know today, was published in 1697. Yeh-Hsien does not have the aid of a fairy godmother; instead, she wishes on the bones of a fish. If fairy tales should only “belong” to the first culture in which they were ever told or written, then it would be logical to suggest we should only depict Cinderella as Chinese.</p><p><br></p><h2>Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid</h2><br><div class="image-main"><div class="image-medium"><br></div><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1001982/fill/700x0/Little_Mermaid__Bilibin__02.jpeg?timestamp=1684776407">Illustration from<i> The Little Mermaid.</i> Source: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Little_Mermaid_(Bilibin)_02.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a><br><br></div></div><p>Disney’s animated adaptations, beginning with <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029583/"><i>Snow White</i></a><i> </i>in 1937, have come to define our cultural understanding of fairy tales. It’s one reason why we’ve lost our cultural awareness of the diverse origins and traditions surrounding these tales. And these films, aimed at a family audience, sanitise earlier fairy tale variants – which were often more gruesome and disturbing than their Disney adaptations.</p><p>Unlike the Disney films, Andersen’s <i>The Little Mermaid </i>is a tragic story of suffering and extreme sacrifice. P.L. Travers, the author of <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9780007398553/mary-poppins/"><i>Mary Poppins</i></a><i>, </i>wrote about her dislike of the mermaid’s protracted agony and found Andersen’s “tortures, disguised as piety” to be “demoralizing”.</p><p>Many of Andersen’s protagonists are small and delicate figures who arouse our sympathy. This frailty can be due to being poor and uncared for, as in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Match_Girl"><i>The Little Match Girl</i></a>. Or it can result from characters who are unable to move without difficulty. The tiny <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thumbelina">Thumbelina</a> must be carried from one location to another. And the Little Mermaid walks with the sensation of metal blades piercing her feet with every step.</p><p><i>The Little Mermaid </i>is also a prime example of Andersen’s focus on female sacrifice and suffering. For a start, she has her tongue cut out by the sea witch and is made mute. And she maintains her delicate femininity with her “lovely, floating” walk on her hard-won human legs, despite the severe pain that is the cost of her bargain.</p><p>The mermaid saves the Prince on two occasions. First, she risks her life to rescue him from a shipwreck. Andersen’s fairy tale is not a love story, however, because the Prince never romantically desires the mermaid. He is impressed by her devotion but treats the mermaid like an animal or a child. He even gives her “permission to sleep on a velvet cushion at his door”.</p><p>The ultimate self-sacrifice of the Little Mermaid is evident when the Prince marries another woman and the mermaid holds the train of her wedding dress, while thinking only “of her death and of all she had lost in this world”.</p><p>The sea witch had promised that if the mermaid could make the prince fall in love with her, she would gain an immortal soul. If not, she would die of a broken heart on the first day after his marriage to someone else – and become sea foam on the waves. When she is faced with the choice to kill the Prince and rejoin her family in her mermaid form, she sacrifices her own life instead.</p><p><br></p><h2>Andersen as outsider</h2><br><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1001980/fill/700x0/HCA_by_Thora_Hallager_1869.jpeg?timestamp=1684773743">Image: Portrait of Hans Christian Andersen. Source: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HCA_by_Thora_Hallager_1869.jpg" target="_blank">Public Domain</a></div><br><p>Andersen’s sad personal life unavoidably influences how his stories of downtrodden and pitiful characters are interpreted. In the case of the <i>Little Mermaid</i>, there is a close connection between the writing of the story and Andersen’s own feelings of isolation and rejection.</p><p>Andersen was a social outsider who never married – and potentially never had sex. He did become infatuated with both men and women and is therefore understood as bisexual. Yet he struggled to express his desires, an issue related to a series of complex psychological problems.</p><p>One of the men Andersen loved was his friend Edvard Collin, who did not return Andersen’s feelings. Biographer <a href="https://www.penguin.com.au/books/hans-christian-andersen-9780140283204">Jackie Wullschläger</a> notes that The Little Mermaid was written “at the height of Andersen’s obsession with and renunciation of Edvard Collin”. When Collin’s marriage to a woman was held in August of 1836, Andersen intentionally remained on the Danish island of Funen in order to avoid the wedding. There, he continued to work on The Little Mermaid.</p><p>It is possible to view the Little Mermaid failing to gain an eternal soul through marriage to the Prince as Andersen rejecting the idea that immortality must depend on love being reciprocated. As Wullschläger suggests, Andersen likely equated himself, a bisexual, with the mermaid’s understanding of herself as a different species to humans.</p><p>Andersen wrote that he deliberately avoided the convention found in other mermaid fiction, such as Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/140996.Undine">Undine</a> (1811), in which human love enables the acquisition of a soul:</p><blockquote><p><i>I’m sure that’s wrong! […] I won’t accept that sort of thing in this world. I have permitted my mermaid to follow a more natural, more divine path.</i></p></blockquote><p>Andersen’s tales frequently promote his Christian religious ethics. The path to salvation with God that Andersen maps often entails a cheerful embrace of pain, suffering, or humiliation. Maria Tatar comments that Andersen’s protagonists embrace death “joyfully”. They “reproach themselves for their sins and endorse piety, humility, passivity, and a host of other ‘virtues’ designed to promote subservient behaviour”.</p><p>Most of Andersen’s protagonists are female. Fairy tales in the 19th century, such as those of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimms%27_Fairy_Tales">Brothers Grimm</a>, commonly sought to direct the behaviour and morality of girls. In the case of the Little Mermaid, her harsh treatment and ultimate fate can be understood as punishment for her sexual curiosity in pursuing the Prince. It’s also a caution against attempting to leave the undersea home where she belongs.</p><p>The conclusion of Andersen’s tale transforms the Little Mermaid into sea foam and then a “daughter of the air” who may gain a soul after 300 years of compassionate, self-sacrificial behaviour. The moral educational function of fairy tales is especially evident in this ending. Child readers are informed their own good acts will shorten the length of time the Little Mermaid (and the other daughters of the air) must wait by one year, while bad acts will lengthen their wait.</p><div><br><h2>Diversifying and adapting fairy tales</h2><br><p>Disney’s original, animated <i>The Little Mermaid</i> departs radically from Hans Christian Andersen’s published fairy tale. Some of these changes reflect developments in ideas about the purpose of stories of children. Young characters undergoing extreme self-sacrifice and unhappy endings now rarely appear in stories for children.</p><p>Disney’s transformation of a story of salvation and religious devotion into a straightforward romance is but one example of how fairy tales lend themselves to retelling in new contexts. The live-action adaptation starring Halle Bailey, which seeks to make children of colour feel represented in fairy tales, is one more iteration of the story.</p><p>This attempt to diversify fairy-tale adaptations builds on the queer history of <i>The Little Mermaid.</i> The story is already understood as having parallels with Andersen’s bisexuality – and the experience of transgender people. The most important UK organisation for supporting transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse young people, for example, is called <a href="https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/about-us/">Mermaids</a>.</p><p>It’s unsurprising that outsiders of all kinds connect with a story about a mermaid who cannot fit in the human world she desperately wishes to belong to. Whether that’s a beloved author in 19th-century Denmark, or an African American girl today.</p><p><br></p><p>Related articles: <br></p><div class="media clearfix">
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<p> </p></div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:42b0afd4-28a6-4f82-815e-2d44df32cec32023-05-18T13:40:58-04:002023-05-26T15:44:17-04:00Losing a grandmother can have long-lasting mental health effects for kids and adolescents, a new study finds2023-05-20 10:00:00 -0400The Conversation via Reuters Connect<p>Photo by <a href="https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/portrait-grandmother-grandchild-taking-selfie-with-digital-tablet-while-sitting-sofa-couch-home-family-lifestyle-concept_12682448.htm#query=grandma%20african%20american&position=21&from_view=search&track=ais" target="_blank">mego-studio on Freepik</a><em><br></em></p><p><em><br></em></p><p><em>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/research-brief-83231">Research Brief</a> is a short take about interesting academic work.</em></p><p><em><br></em></p><h2>The big idea</h2><br><p>The death of a grandmother can have severe and lasting mental health consequences for both her adult children and grandchildren, according to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmmh.2022.100100">our recently published study</a>.</p><p>This finding may be surprising, because the death of a grandparent is a normal, even anticipated, part of life. Yet the effects are profound. Losing a grandparent can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmmh.2022.100100">increase adolescents’ risk</a> of having a depressed parent and of having higher depressive symptoms themselves.</p><p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12016">Decades of research</a> show that grandparents’ involvement and support is beneficial to their grandchildren. This is especially true for kids growing up with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.2007.00537.x">single mothers</a>. Maternal grandparents often act as a safety net, providing benefits like housing stability, child care and financial and emotional support, all of which benefit their <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12016">grandchildren’s health and development</a>.</p><p><br></p><p>But what happens when a grandparent dies? In our study, we used a <a href="https://fragilefamilies.princeton.edu/documentation">national dataset</a> on a sample of mother and adolescent pairs whom researchers have interviewed multiple times since the child’s birth. We analyzed whether a maternal grandparent’s death during later childhood or early adolescence affected adolescents’, or their mothers’, depressive symptoms, net of depressive symptoms before the loss.</p><p>Following a grandmother’s death, adult daughters were more likely to become depressed relative to other women. Adult daughters experienced this increase in depression for up to seven years following the death. Adolescent boys who lost their grandmother in the prior seven years also had higher depressive symptoms than their peers. We found no statistically significant increase in depression following a grandfather’s death.</p><p><br></p><h2>Why it matters</h2><br><p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0004867414533834">Adolescent mental health has worsened</a> in recent decades. Experts stress the potential for the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-020-01332-9">COVID-19 pandemic to accelerate</a> this concerning trend, pointing to the financial hardships, school disruptions and social isolation as prime reasons young people’s mental health could decline further.</p><p>The mental health effects of losing a loved one to COVID-19 have been curiously overlooked. Although young people experience low COVID-19 mortality rates, COVID-19 mortality has intimately affected millions of young people. Tens if not hundreds of thousands of youths in the U.S. have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.0161">lost parents to COVID-19</a>. And as of June 2022, our statistical models suggest that approximately <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2007476117">4 million people</a> in the U.S. have lost a grandparent to COVID-19 in a mere two years – representing a significant increase in the burden of grandparental death experienced <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmmh.2022.100100">prior to the pandemic</a>.</p><p>Our study suggests that this dramatic increase in the number of grieving adolescents will increase rates of depression in the U.S.</p><p><br></p><h2>What still isn’t known</h2><br><p>A troubling possibility is that having a grandparent die of COVID-19 is even harder for adolescents than the pre-pandemic losses that we studied. COVID-19 deaths epitomize “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/08959420.2020.1764320">bad deaths</a>” – painful, frequently sudden deaths that happen alone and often strip families of the chance to say goodbye.</p><p>In other recent research, we found that adults who lost a spouse to COVID-19 <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbac085">face higher rates of depression and loneliness</a> than those whose spouse died right before the pandemic. Future research can assess whether losing a grandparent to COVID-19 has more severe or far-reaching consequences for adolescents than our analysis of pre-pandemic data shows.</p><p>We are also still examining the gendered nature of our study’s findings. Why does the loss of a grandmother seem to have deeper and longer-lasting effects than that of a grandfather? Why are boys uniquely vulnerable after losing a grandmother?</p><p>Gender socialization could explain boys’ higher depressive symptoms after a grandmother’s death. Adolescent boys may feel pressure to internalize their emotions. Additionally, a grandfather’s death could affect adolescents in other ways, such as their school performance and grades, maintenance of healthy relationships or risk behaviors.</p><p>Even as this study offers a small window into the distress of losing a grandparent, our findings underline the pressing need for adolescents and their parents to have access to support services as they navigate the cascading consequences that such a loss can set in motion – an all-too-common experience in the COVID-19 era.</p><p><br></p><div><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1003091/fill/0x0/K-L_20FUND_20LOGO.png?timestamp=1685130249"></div><p> </p><p><br></p><p>Related articles:</p><div class="media clearfix">
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<p> </p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:1c6eee78-063e-4c96-a68b-a7569f3f53fd2023-05-17T14:44:56-04:002023-05-26T15:28:11-04:00How parents can play a key role in the prevention and treatment of teen mental health problems2023-05-18 10:00:00 -0400The Conversation via Reuters Connect<p>Photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-mother-with-daughter-drinking-water-from-glasses-7114373/" target="_blank">Monstera</a><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>More than 44% of teens reported <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/su/su7103a3.htm">persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness</a> in the first half of 2021, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The early 2022 report, which was based on an online survey, also found that nearly 20% had seriously considered suicide, and 9% attempted suicide.</p><p>The COVID-19 pandemic is a likely contributor to these startling figures, but rates of teen mental illness have been <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.04.033">rising over the past decade</a>.</p><p>One crucial factor that has received little attention in supporting teen mental health is the role that parents can play.</p><p>This is surprising, since research has clearly established that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs10567-015-0182-x">participation by a caregiver</a> in their child’s mental health treatment is directly related to a successful outcome. A key reason for this is that parents generally interact with their teen on a daily basis and can model and cultivate coping skills.<br><br></p><p>Yet, for mental health professionals, it can be challenging to integrate parents into teens’ treatment when there are discrepancies between the perspectives, goals and expectations of teens and parents. In addition, <a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/gpr/2000/08/minors-and-right-consent-health-care">consent and privacy</a> laws sometimes limit providers’ abilities to disclose key details about a teen’s mental health to parents.</p><p>As researchers <a href="https://www.solutionsnetwork.psu.edu/t32-grant/fellows">studying childhood trauma</a> <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=wcuxj5gAAAAJ&hl=en">and adolescent development</a>, we see parents and caregivers as a critical link in addressing the urgent mental health crisis among teens.</p><p><br></p><h2>The teenage years can be brutal</h2><br><p>Parents often <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/parenting/2022/10/18/teen-years-dread-parenting/">dread the teenage years</a>, anticipating mood swings, risk-taking behaviors and endless arguments. Some of this is developmentally normal: Teens are developing their identities, testing limits and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12278">asserting their autonomy</a>. These combined factors can lead to hostility and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12278">a lower-quality</a> parent-teen relationship.</p><p>Physically, <a href="https://theconversation.com/school-start-times-and-screen-time-late-in-the-evening-exacerbate-sleep-deprivation-in-us-teenagers-179178">teens are sleep-deprived</a>, in part due to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2014-1697">overly early</a> <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/features/schools-start-too-early.html">school start times</a> and hormonal changes associated with puberty. As a result, teens can be irritable and sensitive to stressors. They also haven’t developed the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721413480170">self-control to manage their reactions</a>.</p><p>And it’s important to note that half of all mental illness emerges <a href="https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/mental-health-conditions">by age 14 and 75% by age 24</a>, making adolescence a <a href="https://theconversation.com/anxiety-detection-and-treatment-in-early-childhood-can-lower-risk-for-long-term-mental-health-issues-an-expert-panel-now-recommends-screening-starting-at-age-8-192380">highly sensitive period for the prevention</a> and treatment of mental health problems.</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1001249/fill/700x0/iiona-virgin-LLJ-HOiH1Ww-unsplash.jpg?timestamp=1684348460">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@virgin?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">IIONA VIRGIN</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/LLJ-HOiH1Ww?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a></div><p><br></p><h2>Signs and symptoms of a mental health concern</h2><br><p>Mental health problems in teens can sometimes take unexpected forms. Depression and anxiety can manifest as irritability and noncompliance, which parents may reasonably view as disrespect and laziness. Understanding what is beneath those behaviors is challenging. Teens are quite secretive, so they may not disclose the extent of their struggles.</p><p>Traumatic experiences like <a href="https://www.mcleanhospital.org/essential/mental-health-impact-bullying-kids-and-teens">bullying</a>, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/intimatepartnerviolence/teendatingviolence/fastfact.html">dating violence</a> and <a href="https://www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/publications/2019-02/Teenagers_508.pdf">sexual harassment and assault</a> are unfortunately too common in adolescence and can cause drastic changes in behavior and affect.</p><p></p><div></div><p></p><p>Although anxiety is a normal emotional response at any age, about a third of adolescents <a href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/any-anxiety-disorder#part_155096">have some type of anxiety disorder</a>, and about 10% experience severe impairment as a result. Teens struggling with chronic anxiety may experience agitation or irritability, issues with sleep, perfectionist tendencies, or may try to avoid stressful things altogether.</p><p><br></p><p>Among teens, <a href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression">17% struggle with depression</a>. Depression generally involves a loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities, but it is more than feeling blue. For teens, symptoms of depression may look like withdrawing from family or social activities, shutting down during conversations or conflict, lethargy, difficulty concentrating, hopelessness about the future or negative feelings of self-worth.</p><p>Depression can also be associated with <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-teens-engage-in-self-harm-clinical-psychologists-explain-how-to-help-teens-reduce-their-emotional-distress-181419">self-harm</a> and suicide.</p><p>In determining whether a teen is experiencing a mental illness, parents should consider how behaviors are affecting their teens’ everyday lives and plans for the future. Those who are falling behind in school, damaging important relationships or engaging in high-risk behaviors may be most likely to be experiencing a mental health issue – as opposed to typical teenage challenges.</p><h2><br></h2><h2>A shortage of mental health care</h2><br><p>Despite the growing need for mental health care, the U.S. has <a href="https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Press/Press_Releases/2018/Severe_Shortage_of_Child_and_Adolescent_Psychiatrists_Illustrated_in_AAACP_Workforce_maps.aspx">a dire shortage of professionals</a> to meet the demand. Insurance companies create barriers to accessing mental health care by restricting the numbers of <a href="https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-22-104597.pdf">in-network providers</a> and approved sessions. As a result, many providers prioritize patients who will <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/06/the-struggle-of-seeking-therapy-while-poor/484970/">pay out of pocket</a>.</p><p>Parents and teens may wait months for an appointment, and the quality and effectiveness of the services they receive are highly variable. All the while, symptoms may worsen, straining the family and compromising teens’ social and academic opportunities.</p><p><br></p><h2>The powerful role parents can play</h2><br><p>This is where parents come in, since they can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9507.2007.00389.x">serve as role models</a> for teens’ coping and emotional development.</p><p>While good sleep, consistent exercise and quality meals can often be the first line of defense in preventing and managing symptoms of mental health problems, there are several behavioral strategies for parenting struggling teens. Indeed, foster parents care for children with complex histories of trauma, and many of the <a href="https://www.cebc4cw.org/program/together-facing-the-challenge/detailed">behavior management strategies</a> taught to foster parents may be useful for traditional family settings as well.</p><p>When teens are unkind or disrespectful, parents may take it personally. But parents who are aware of and able to manage their own triggers can react calmly to challenging behavior, creating opportunities for effective communication with their teen.</p><p>Building and maintaining the parent-teen connection, such as by watching a TV show together or other low-pressure opportunities to be together, is key. These experiences <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pop.2014.05.004">create safe spaces and opportunities for teens</a> to communicate about difficult emotions or situations. Parents who assist teens in recognizing, talking about and dealing with difficult thoughts and feelings help them to understand how their thoughts and feelings can affect their behavior.</p><p>Parents can also help their teens manage negative emotions by <a href="https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/self-esteem.html">reinforcing their self-esteem</a> and strengths and encouraging self-efficacy. Parents who offer praise to their teens who are working hard to overcome challenges – as opposed to focusing solely on the outcome – can help teens see their worth beyond their accomplishments.</p><p>At the same time, teens require boundaries that allow them to build self-reliance, exercise independence and practice compromise in certain situations. Behavior contracts – in which teens and their parents agree to certain conditions in writing – can provide a structured way to establish shared expectations.</p><p>When consequences are necessary, natural consequences allow teens <a href="https://sites.duke.edu/tftc/files/2020/06/March-2020-DB-TH-article.pdf">to learn without parental intervention</a>. For example, if a teen stays up late the night before a big softball game, their coach may bench them for playing poorly. Parents can help teens to connect the frustration and disappointment they experience to their choices regarding sleep, which can be more helpful for their future decision-making than getting into an argument with a parent about their decision or receiving a parent-imposed consequence, such as removing phone privileges.</p><p>When natural consequences are not an option, discipline should be specific, time-limited and focused on a specific outcome, such as not allowing preferred activities until homework and chores are complete.</p><p>It is also important that parents <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/promoting-empathy-your-teen/201707/how-avoid-power-struggles-your-teen">avoid power struggles</a> with their teens by modeling respectful communication without trying to manage the teen’s reaction or perspective. Teens are unlikely to admit to being wrong – particularly in a heated moment – and if the point is made, there is rarely a benefit to insisting upon a particular reaction such as a forced apology.</p><p>Parents can best support their teens by maintaining connection alongside enforcing structure and discipline. While challenging behaviors can be the status quo of adolescence, parents should be on the lookout for signs that might reflect a pervasive mental health issue, since early detection and treatment is crucial.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><div><img alt="" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1003091/fill/0x0/K-L_20FUND_20LOGO.png?timestamp=1685129280"></div><p> </p><p><br></p><p>Related articles:</p><div class="media clearfix">
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<p> </p><div><div><div><div><div></div></div></div></div></div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:09d1c5e3-2426-493c-8d74-6fa77f507f7b2023-05-17T11:12:45-04:002023-05-26T15:27:35-04:00How to help teen girls’ mental health struggles – 6 research-based strategies for parents, teachers and friends2023-05-17 14:00:00 -0400The Conversation via Reuters Connect<p>Photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/teenage-girl-wearing-a-hoodie-7303353/" target="_blank">Norma Mortenson</a><br></p><p><br></p><p>It’s a well-established fact that children’s and teens’ mental health <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177%2F20503121221086712">took a hit during the pandemic</a>. But new research suggests that teen girls in particular are suffering in unprecedented ways.</p><p>A survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that was published in early February 2023 found that, in 2021, 57% of high school girls reported experiencing “persistent feelings of <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/YRBS_Data-Summary-Trends_Report2023_508.pdf">sadness or hopelessness in the past year</a>,” <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/02/13/teen-girls-sadness-violence-cdc-report">up from 36% in 2011</a>. That’s nearly twice as high as the 29% of males who reported having those feelings in 2021.</p><p>What’s worse, 30% of the girls surveyed reported seriously considering suicide and 13% attempted suicide one or more times in 2021. That is beyond shocking. It’s appalling.</p><p>We are a <a href="https://www.marccenter.org/">research team</a> that studies children and their <a href="https://www.marccenter.org/research-resources">social and emotional development</a>, and during the pandemic we’ve been specifically focused on mental health in children and adolescents. Since 2020, we’ve seen more changes in girls, overall, including increases in depression and thoughts of suicide.</p><p>In our view, a number of key factors have converged to create this mental health crisis in teen girls.<br></p><h2><br></h2><h2>A perfect storm of factors</h2><br><p>Previous CDC research has shown that the COVID-19 pandemic <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nssp/partners/Understanding-the-impact.html">disproportionately affected girls</a>. And in a 2021 study that our team conducted with 240 teens, 70% of girls said that they “very much” <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/pediatric13030064">missed seeing people</a> during the pandemic, compared with only 28% of boys reporting that sentiment.</p><p>A second factor is social media, which can be a <a href="https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/prin/csj/2018/00000052/00000004/art00009">wonderful source of support</a> but also, at times, a crushing blow to the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101304">self-esteem and psychological well-being of girls</a>.</p><p>Finally, we think that all young people are struggling with issues like climate change and social upheaval. These aren’t just abstractions for many boys and girls: They are their future. Children and teens are usually neither <a href="http://www.ourenergypolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/American-Teens-Knowledge-of-Climate-Change.pdf">indifferent to nor unaware of political realities</a>.</p><p>So how can parents, teachers and friends help girls through this crisis?</p><p>Here are six strategies that research shows can work.</p><p><br></p><h2>1. More emphasis on social support</h2><br><p>Social and emotional connectivity between humans is likely one of the most potent weapons we have against significant stress and sadness. Studies have found strong links between a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.03.001">lack of parental and peer support</a> and depression during adolescence. Support from friends can also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-013-9844-7">help mitigate the link</a> between extreme adolescent anxiety and suicidal thoughts. In one study of teens, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1006/jado.2000.0353">social support was linked to greater resilience</a> – such as being better able to withstand certain types of social cruelty like bullying.</p><p><br></p><h2>2. Supporting one another instead of competing</h2><br><p>During the 1970s and 1980s, competition between women was seen as something that held women back. Unfortunately, this message seems to have been lost in the <a href="https://online.king.edu/news/social-media-and-body-image/">tsunami of media coverage</a> about bodies, looks and social achievement. Research has found that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.09.011">social media encourages competition between girls</a>, particularly around their physical appearance.</p><p>Teaching girls at young ages to be cheerleaders for one another – and modeling that behavior as grownups – can help ease the sense of competition that today’s teens are facing.</p><br><br><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1001219/fill/700x0/pexels-mary-taylor-5896792.jpg?timestamp=1684336309">Photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/happy-multiethnic-girls-laughing-on-lawn-5896792/" target="_blank">Mary Taylor</a></div><br><br><h2>3. Showcasing achievements</h2><br><p>Thinking about your own appearance is natural and understandable. But an overemphasis on what you look like is clearly not healthy, and it is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-6402.2006.00265.x">strongly associated with depression and anxiety</a>, especially in women.</p><p>Adults can play a key role in encouraging girls to value other qualities, such as their artistic abilities or intelligence. Childhood can be a canvas for children to discover where their talents lie, which can be a source <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21066">of great satisfaction in life</a>.</p><p>One way that adults can help is simply by acknowledging and celebrating those qualities. For instance, at the <a href="https://www.marccenter.org/">Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center</a>, an organization we direct and manage that is focused on prevention of bullying and cyberbullying, staff members post female achievements – be they intellectual, artistic, scientific, athletic or literary – on social media channels every Friday, using the hashtag #FridaysForFemales.</p><p><br></p><h2>4. Empowering women</h2><br><p>Girls look to grown women for examples of how they can behave and what they can do. You may not be the chief executive officer of a huge corporation, but maybe you are a wonderful teacher, or maybe you run a small business that provides an important product or service. Modeling pro-women attitudes means valuing <a href="https://globalvolunteers.org/global-role-of-women/">all of the roles</a> that people play in a society.</p><p>In addition, teaching the history behind women’s movements and other important steps toward equality, such as the <a href="https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/19th-amendment">women’s right to vote</a>, is key to empowering girls to value themselves and their roles. Women played central roles in <a href="https://www.nationalww2museum.org/students-teachers/student-resources/research-starters/women-wwii">war efforts during World War II</a>. Women have led <a href="https://nmaahc.si.edu/sites/default/files/images/black_women_civil_rights_movement_5.pdf">social movements and fought for people’s rights</a>. And women have been <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1903/marie-curie/biographical/">renowned scientists</a>, <a href="https://oxfordsummercourses.com/articles/famous-female-writers-in-history/">writers</a>, <a href="https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/art-books-music/g7916/best-female-artists/">artists</a> and experts in virtually every other profession you can name.</p><p>Related articles:</p><div class="media clearfix">
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<p> </p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1001220/fill/700x0/pexels-christina-morillo-1181360.jpg?timestamp=1684336590">Photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/group-of-people-talking-to-each-other-in-front-of-brown-wooden-table-11..." target="_blank">Christina Morillo</a></div><p><br></p><h2>5. An honest look at social media</h2><br><p>Social media represents a unique form of human interaction that has taken on an outsize role in the lives of teens. This is magnified for teenage girls, for whom every social media interaction may feel <a href="http://doi.org/10.1177/2056305119886025">consequential and potentially cataclysmic</a>.</p><p>Interacting in a fun and positive way with peers on social media platforms can be a <a href="https://doi.org/10.15804/tner.2016.46.4.01">positive and affirming experience</a>. On the other hand, seeing the things that others post, and comparing it with your own stuff, can make people of any age feel anxious about how they’re appearing, and whether they’re being socially included or excluded. This anxiety applies to both boys and girls, but the potential for emotional distress <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2019.0079">seems to be higher for girls</a>.</p><p>Awareness of how social media has the capacity to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2017.09.001">influence your feelings and mental health</a> seems to help people keep some distance from their interactions on social media. Adults can help girls by discussing with them how social media influences their feelings, their self-perception and even their body image.</p><p><br></p><h2>6. Teaching kids to recognize their feelings</h2><br><p>Learning to recognize and label feelings doesn’t come automatically for many people. The good news, though, is that kids can learn ways to help themselves when they’re experiencing <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9103064">anxiety or depression</a>. Kids can learn to appreciate how hugging their dog, playing a board game, or talking with their parent(s) can help reduce anxiety, once they understand the feelings.</p><p>We think it’s worth noting that everything discussed here can also be helpful for boys, who are by no means <a href="https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/01/special-childrens-mental-health">immune to mental health problems</a>. Encouraging achievement recognition, understanding how moods can be influenced by social media, and increasing support for both boys and girls is a positive step as we move toward a post-pandemic world.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><div><img alt="" src="//cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1003091/fill/0x0/K-L_20FUND_20LOGO.png?timestamp=1685129245"></div><p> </p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>Related articles:</p><div class="media clearfix">
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<p> </p><div><br></div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:37cf220d-4271-4f76-94ca-ef04947038082023-05-12T14:49:31-04:002024-03-05T09:20:00-05:00Cheyney University’s Inaugural Kente Ceremony 2023-05-14 12:00:00 -0400Karen Warrington<span><p>Just days before its 2023 commencement <a href="https://cheyney.edu/" target="_blank">Cheyney University of Pennsylvania</a> held its inaugural Kente Ceremony Program. <br></p><p>Addressing the soon-to-be graduates Cheyney President Aaron A. Walton said, “The ceremony represents and acknowledges the accomplishments you have achieved in America’s first HBCU, and legacy institution.”</p><p>In 2017, the Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education adopted the creation of the Cheyney University Institute for the Contemporary African American Experience. </p><p>The Institute is designed to concentrate on the study and impact of contemporary American race, ethnicity, and diversity issues and the impact on local, national, and international communities.</p><p> The Kente Ceremony is an extension of the Institute‘s mission and represents “the reclaiming of Cheney’s heritage” and the tradition of Sankofa. </p><p>A principle of the Akan people of Ghana, Sankofa, believes that “One should remember the past to make positive progress in the future.” </p><p>Cheyney University administrators explain, “As Cheyney University re-imagines her future, let it be known that she is committed to utilizing and calling upon the best aspects of its illustrious past in answering the challenge of building a great institution for its students.”</p><p><br></p></span><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1000423/fill/700x0/cheyney_20kente1.jpg?timestamp=1683917961"></div><p> </p><span><p>The Kente ceremony included libation and praise of ancestors offered by Julani Ghana, Cheyney’s director of admissions. </p><p>And the charge to the graduates was presented by Interim Provost Dr. Sharon Gramby-Sobukwe. </p><p>She stressed that the graduates should understand the importance of their ancestral heritage and the legacy of Cheyney as they boldly step into the world and future accomplishments. </p><p>President Walton capped off the ceremony, presenting each graduate with a Kente woven stole and a congratulatory handshake, all accompanied by traditional African drumming. </p><p>Before being embraced by the African diaspora as a symbol of unity and cultural heritage, Kente cloth was worn exclusively by Akan royalty.</p><p><br></p><p>Related articles:</p><div class="media clearfix"><span class="pull-left"><a href="https://www.funtimesmagazine.com/2022/07/09/405534/let-s-talk-about-hbcus" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/935065/fit/80x80/hbcu.jpg?timestamp=1683918324" class="media-object"></a></span><div class="media-body"><h4 class="media-heading"><a href="https://www.funtimesmagazine.com/2022/07/09/405534/let-s-talk-about-hbcus" target="_blank">Let’s Talk About HBCUs</a></h4><p>“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela <span class="pull-right"><a href="https://www.funtimesmagazine.com/2022/07/09/405534/let-s-talk-about-hbcus">Read More »</a></span> </p></div></div><p> </p><div class="media clearfix">
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<p> </p><div class="media clearfix"><br></div><span><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p></span><div class="image-medium image-align-left"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/848324/fill/300x0/karen_20warrington.jpg?timestamp=1683918011"></div><span><p> Karen Warrington has had a decades long career as a broadcast journalist, communications professional, performing artist, and documentary filmmaker. She has traveled extensively throughout Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. She is committed to being a voice for the African Diaspora.<br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>Read more from Karen Warrington:</p><div class="media clearfix">
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<p> </p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>