Category: Adversity

“Empowerment is both a means to an end and an end in itself” (Beteile, 1999, p. 590). The term “empowerment” can be considered fluid, allowing itself to be used in different situations. Its meaning is usually based on the context and not with a theory. “Where one might have said in the past that women, Adivasis, or even agricultural labourers were disadvantaged, one is more likely to say today that they are unempowered” (Beteile, 1999, p. 590). Citizen empowerment or people empowerment is generally concerned with the citizens, social transformation, and power. Empowerment, as viewed by the intelligentsia, has been a way of addressing problems like inequality and oppression. Through empowering the people, they are given the courage, ability, as well as power that can alter the perspective of the public on them. Empowering the citizens is essential for the government in order to create a bond that can help increase their service efficiency. Patel (2011, p. 405) emphasized that the citizens and the government should work together to achieve their goals. However, it can also be viewed that citizen empowerment does not necessarily equate with equality. Power has the tendency to be distributed in an unequal manner. Power that is equally distributed is rare, limited, and often unstable (Beteile, 1999, p. 592). When one is empowering the people, it is not simply rearranging the power, it is also a matter of trust and confidence in what they can do. Menike (1993) elaborated that in empowering the poor, they should believe in what they are capable of and respect their conditions. She pointed out that the government, as well as NGOs, should be able to give solutions that would really empower the people by consulting them in the planning, designing, and implementing of their projects. They need to be absorbed in their situation instead of simply instilling new practices that would only cause harm and confusion to the community.

Resilience, on the other hand, has been a vague term linked to empowerment. From ecology to sociology, it is usually referred to as “the capacity of a system, enterprise, or person to maintain its core purpose and integrity in the face of dramatically changed circumstances” (Langeland, Manheim, McLeod & Nacouzi, 2016, p. 5). It has also been used in psychology in the 1940s and 1950s when they were finding out how people are able to cope up with their personal hardships. The term has become widespread since then. Although the term can be used in diverse ways, its array of specific definitions has clouded its general conceptual clarity and practical relevance. In political science, resilience can be a matter of trial and error in case of risk management and public policy (Langeland et al., 2016, p. 5). Furthermore, resilience can be categorized as either general or specific. “Specific resilience refers to the capability to maintain mission functions during and following a specific threat or other event. General resilience is a measure of the ability to maintain operations over a range of unanticipated threats and events” (Langeland et al., 2016, p. 7). There are also three characteristics that can be observed when understanding resilience. First is its coping capacity that involves surviving unexpected turmoil as fast and as reliable as possible. Second is the adapting capacity referring to the “proactive and long-term adaptation of structures, processes, or modes of behavior to present and future vulnerabilities”. Lastly is the transformative capacity in which there exists a gradual radical change in the society (Hanisch, 2016, p. 3).

In this sense, it can be observed that citizen empowerment affects the resilience of a community. As mentioned earlier government projects that may need long-term preparation should involve their citizens by including them in the planning, designing, and implementing in order to ensure that it will truly benefit the people. In addition, albeit resilience can only be further improved through trial and error, it does show that through empowering the citizens, one is able to come up with specific and better solutions even for unanticipated events and not simply band-aid solutions. Patel (2011, p. 405), stated that there are three key ingredients for people’s empowerment: active citizens, strengthened communities, and partnership with public bodies. The people should voice their thoughts in order for them to communicate what needs to be improved in their community as well as to criticize if anything has not been done right. In addition, before the government or NGOs conduct their projects, it should be their priority beforehand to have the budget. This can be achieved by requesting and by partnering with public donors who will be willing to sponsor projects yet also accept the flexibility, avoiding too many limitations that can hinder the success of the project itself. There are also certain factors that lead to resilience. Social, economic, political, or public health disasters can trigger the people to develop and improve their resilience. Having resilience cannot only be based on how one would be able to cope after the disaster but also how they would manage to prepare and survive the phenomenon. The characteristics of citizen empowerment along with resilience can range from being innate to being learned. For instance, it may be innate to have the characteristics that will enable them to feel empowered and resilient, like a community having active citizens, a strengthened bond, and enough budget, yet the community that does not utilize it to empower the people, even if they already possess these characteristics, they would need to learn how to utilize it to benefit all. If they fail to do so, it may lead to disempowerment of some groups or the whole community itself.

Beteille (1999, p. 592), has mentioned that there is a zero-sum approach to power. This kind of power is exercised with force, domination, or manipulation to the point that as one party accumulates power, the less power the other party has. In this case, empowerment goes with disempowerment; in order for some to be empowered, others may be disempowered. In the text of Menike (1993, p. 176), that explains empowerment through the people’s perspective, it says, “The word ’empowerment’ is not unfamiliar to us. It implies that we, the Poor, lack power to improve the quality of our lives”. The text implies that empowerment is familiar with them considering that they are being lifted from disempowerment. It was further emphasized that the government and some organizations do try to “empower” them yet it often leads to destruction and not empowerment. On the other hand, The phrase ‘learned helplessness’ was “first used by Overmier, Seligman, and Maier (1, 2) to represent certain unexpected features in the behavior of dogs after they had been given inescapable shocks in learning experiments” (Lennerlöf, 1988, p. 207). When some think of the disempowered, there is the common notion that it is their fault since they do not do anything to improve themselves. For instance, Menike (1993) has emphasized that the poor do not try to empower themselves not because they are ignorant nor inexperienced but “because they have a deep experiential understanding of their own real” (1993, p. 176). They cannot risk it all, instead, they take it step by step.

In relation to disempowerment, Blacks in America have a long history of discrimination and inequality. It was considered that half of The United States’s economy was greatly dependent on slave labor. African slavery was considered an institution similar to that of the government or religion. It was an institution slowly developed through conscious decisions based on property rights. “The rise in tobacco production, which required a considerable labor force, led to a rapid increase in the slave population in the early 1700s” (Aiken, Salmon & Hanger, 2013, p. 384). Slavery was banned only through the Thirteenth Amendment, yet the past has greatly shaped the present. There was also the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (CRA), the outcome of several forces such as major historical events, social movements, and federal legislation. The CRA “prohibited workplace discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin” (Aiken et al., 2013, p. 383). However, racism is still rampant and existing, being an implicit foundation of some major institutions. Even with the creation of CRA, discrimination throughout America is still a major problem. It is almost as if the CRA is nonexistent. “It is impossible to see the impact of effective laws when the conditions that led to their passage and implementation are forgotten or minimized. Indeed, effective legislation creates the false impression that it is no longer relevant today” (Aiken et al., 2013, p. 384).

In 2012, the shooting of a Black seventeen-year-old named Trayvon Martin followed by the acquittal of civilian George Zimmerman, the person responsible for the shooting, triggered the Black Lives Matter movement (Allen-Taylor, 2017, p. 22). What started as a hashtag (#BlackLivesMatter) created by California and New York-based organizers, Patrice Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi in 2013 on Twitter became a contemporary rights movement as well as an organization (Rickford, 2016, p. 35). Although it had its “first front” in the 2009 shooting death of Oscar Grant by a police officer from the Bay Area Rapid Transit at the BART station in East Oakland (Allen-Taylor, 2017, p. 22). Its second wave, Black Lives Matter, is now referred to either the organization or the general movement itself. Some have considered the goals of the movement as “radical” under white supremacy. “In just over two years, the young movement has reinvigorated confrontation politics, giving voice to a popular and righteous rage, establishing a new touchstone of grassroots resistance, and ending the acquiescence that has crippled progressive forces in the age of Obama” (Rickford, 2016, p. 35). It is a mass struggle that has also addressed not only the misconduct of police but also of the bigger issue of social inequality. Internal struggle within the police is also happening. Among the police officers, they have what they call, “blue wall of silence” in which police officers are bolstered that if they see their fellow police officers break or bend the law, they should not ‘rat’ them out to the public. Because of this, some officers would even go to the extent of falsifying reports or testimonies to help fellow officers. This only showcased that even if there are actually police officers who would want to expose their co-officers, they are greatly pressured not to do so because of underlying consequences. Furthermore, although there are already textbooks that guide police officers as to how to handle different situations, it is still up to their own judgment as to what they would consider as right or wrong, endangering the rights of other people. For instance, “OPD officers still managed – as we have seen – to search African American men during a traffic stop at a higher rate than appears necessary to protect the safety of Oakland” (Allen-Taylor, 2017, p. 26).

From online protests to physical actual protests, protestants usually, at least in Oakland tend to address not the police officers themselves but those who are in power. They voice out their opinions based on relevant facts to the district attorney, chief, as well as mayor. They usually protest on highways, intersections, sporting events, retail stores, malls, campaign events, police stations, and municipal buildings. They have organized “dieins,” marches, and rallies in multiple cities, viewing creative disturbance as a means of dramatizing routine attacks on black life (Rickford, 2016, p. 36). Through these, it has made the Black minority group empowered and has further provided a shield of resilience against racial discrimination. Although it is still an ongoing battle, it has made its progress in changing the lives of the Black in their day-to-day living, along with aids given by the organization into providing service for the Blacks. There are also other organizations not only the Black Lives Matter that pushes for equality and empowers the Blacks. In addition, Several police officers are being held accountable for their misconduct proving that the voices of the people, empowering themselves and through the help of others are heard loud and clear. It is important to remember that in order to achieve these changes, several of the underlying culture, institutions, and practices need to be changed. Hence, solidarity is needed to achieve such a goal. Nevertheless, the Blacks have remained resilient throughout time even if they still encounter challenges on a day to day basis.

Notion towards empowerment and resilience manifested by UPB Community in response to COVID 19 pandemic

In the case of the struggle of the UPB Community against the pandemic, most of the narratives I saw on social media are pushing for mass promotion and that a deferred grading system is not justifiable considering the pandemic and other social, political, and economic issues at hand. They have emphasized that it should be solidarity and compassion that should prevail. Various groups have pointed out that no student should be left behind in the decisions that will be made. These groups as well as individual sentiments of some UPB professors have intended to empower the students by defending them into having an education that considers all. I was able to see that there are students not specifically from UPB Campus that have shared how difficult it is for them to keep up with their online classes and requirements. Some would even go to the top of the mountain or travel long distances just to get a signal to send their requirements. It was disheartening to see others in that situation especially now that they should be focusing on how to be well and alive instead. Although I do see the importance of studying, it is not the top priority and where the focus of students should be. In relation to this, the University of the Philippines Baguio Student Council conducted a survey on April 9, 2020, on the preference of the students on how to end the semester. 408 out of 841 students voted the option to End the Semester.

I was one of the students who was able to answer the survey and opted to end the semester and pass all the students. Although I myself have access to an internet connection and have my own gadget to make the requirements, it would be unfair and unjust if I will only consider myself in my decision. I am aware that not all of my classmates and schoolmates have the same resources that I have. I am conscious that some of them are greatly affected by the pandemic, having relatives who have been working as a frontliner and had already been infected with the COVID 19 virus. Hence, even if some do have the proper resources, not everyone is in their proper state to give quality work, defeating the excellence that UP education exemplifies to achieve. Based on my knowledge of my peers, some have difficulty in accessing resources for their specific requirements especially in their major courses that need primary references.

Most of my professors for this semester have been open to us, their students. They have given us their opinion on the situation and have assured us that their decision will be for our betterment. They have shared what they think of the current situation. They have provided us with options as to how we would want to continue the semester. They have been transparent with their decisions and have continuously made sure of our safety. I do, therefore, see the compassion that they give to the students. It is the compassion that knows what they are for and not simply saying that they have compassion. They provide the context into coming up with solutions. In my opinion, I do think that the dominant narrative that I see on social media depicts the opinions of my current professors although it still ranges per accuracy. Nevertheless, almost all of my professors have vied to end the semester and pass all the students.

Indeed, the whole process of how the semester ended was vague. So many things have happened in a span of one month. However, because of the whole pandemic, I was able to see the solidarity of the teachers as well as the students in facing adversity. The professors, since the pandemic, have consecutively updated the students as to what will happen. All of my professors have reached out to us students, asking how we have been and if there is anyone who has been stranded in Baguio. Furthermore, donations from organizations, alumni, and others have helped students who were stranded in Baguio in providing them relief goods. With only these, I was already astounded at how the UPB community has handled the situation. Compared to other universities that I heard from peers, who did not receive any news from their own university. Through the pandemic, I felt the empowerment bestowed to us when the professors asked us our own preferences and not simply giving us instructions on what to do. We, as students, were given the responsibility to help decide for ourselves; our opinion was being weighed on how they will decide. Through this, the professor was able to make sure that whatever they will provide for us will be the best option for our learning and for our health. Working in solidarity has also empowered the whole community in overcoming the challenges of the pandemic.

However, we felt disempowered that although the professors and students have continuously voiced out their opinions and suggestions to the higher-ups, it seemed unheard. Hence, I believe that the BOR decision does not reflect the opinion of most of the community of UPB as well as of other campuses at least based on the posts I have seen on social media and on my peers. It felt almost useless that although students fought for what they believed in, it was heard, yet not considered, hence, leading to disempowerment and a feeling of helplessness.

In conclusion, empowerment and resilience is needed in arriving at a solution for problems in the society. However, achieving both is not as easy as it looks. The people who will be empowered should be included in the process of empowering and creating a resilient community. It cannot be achieved overnight. However, through the solidarity of the people, communicating with each other, it is not impossible. Hence, it is only through working together, can we overcome disempowerment, discrimination, and a pandemic.

Introduction

My proposed research will involve two key areas, storytelling and psychology. By looking into childhood adversity in top athletes, I would like to find out what effect the adversity had on their sporting career. The storytelling side will be in two parts, first the athletes will share their stories with me and I will use their stories to create a written creative piece. Robert McKee once said, “Storytelling is the most powerful way to put idea into the world today.” Storytelling is a natural process for humans. We tell stories every day in one way or another. This introduction is a story of what the research will be and why. Stories make us human and that is why I believe it is important to use storytelling to explore childhood adversity in top athletes and these stories can be used to teach others how to deal with certain situations, how coaches can use specific motivational techniques for individual athletes and how the younger generation can learn that even the strongest individuals have struggled.

As a child my sporting hero was Ricky Henderson. I wanted to play baseball when I grew up. I batted like him. I played the same position as him. I wanted to be just like him. He was my hero. Even now I still use the same number he used when playing baseball. It was not until I was older and read part of his biography did I realise I was more like him than I knew. His father left the family when he was young and his mother moved them across the country to start a new life, much like mine. He started playing baseball and went on to break several records in the major league. I never quite made it that far, but I believe we both used sport to escape from the reality of life. Newman, Howells and Fletcher, in their research of autobiographies of top athletes found that most of them used sport as an escape.[footnoteRef:1] The exception, from the chosen autobiographies was Andre Agassi, who hated playing tennis but continued to play anyway. [1: Newman, Howells and Fletcher p. 6]

This project will show the effects of adversity in top athletes by using interviews and practical based workshops to discuss and explore the past of current and retired top athletes today. Everyone fails, it is a part of life. But what separates us is how we recover from the fall. These are the stories I hope to discover and tell.

Research Question

This project will explore adversity top athletes may have faced through storytelling and allowing the athletes themselves tell their story orally, by creating their own digital story or creatively in a medium they may choose as part of the data collection. By using storytelling and allowing the athlete to tell their story (compared to autobiographies which can be co-written) I can learn how the individual viewed their life by the way they chose to tell their story. It is also important for coaches to understand what the trigger is for each athlete as this will have a major impact on the methods used for coaching to get the best performance from the athlete.

I aim to identify and composite evidence on childhood adversity in top athletes and the impact it had on their sporting career using storytelling in sports science. The questions are as follows: 1) What is known about childhood adversity in top athletes and the extent adversity had on their sporting career? 2) What impact does storytelling have on the research process and the development of athletes and coaches? 3) How can extracted narrative data impact future coaching methods?

Methodology

As this project is part practical and part theoretical, a large portion of the research will involve interviews, surveys and questionnaires; then using the data to create the production of the creative piece along with digital stories that can be shown as evidence. The digital stories will be made up from the interviews and some may be created by the athletes themselves. The practical section of my research will be supported by a creative piece that will be a collection of the stories from the athletes. The theoretical section of my research will be supported by a written analysis of the data I found and reflections of the data and how the data can be used to inform coaching practices.

Background and Significance

John Locke argues in An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, that the mind is like a “white paper, void of all characters.” This means that at birth the human mind is a blank slate and the data is formed by one’s experiences. It is these experiences and how these experiences are processed that make each individual.

According to the World Health Organizations’ website, more than 300 million people are affected with depression worldwide. [footnoteRef:2] A study from the CDC in the late 1990’s by Vincent J. Felitti and Robert F. Anda surveyed over 13,000 adults with over 70 percent responding and found that more than half reported at least one of the seven categories of adverse childhood experiences. One fourth reported exposure to more than two of the categories.[footnoteRef:3] [2: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression] [3: The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study]

And according to Meg Jay, more people are likely to have experienced childhood adversity than not. But how does this transfer to athletes and what effect did adversity have on them? What separated them from the everyday person and pushed them to sporting success?

Very little has been researched in the area of childhood adversity in top athletes. One major study from Bangor University research professor Lew Hardy lead a team of researchers and they interviewed 32 former GB athletes from Olympic sports. 16 were considered Super-Elite and won multiple medals, and 16 were Elite athletes and had not won medals at major championships. What the results showed was all the Super-Elite athletes experienced negative events, and the events occurred closely with positive sporting event. While only four from the Elite group had the same experience. The report also showed that 12 of the Super-Elite athletes reported significant negative events during childhood[footnoteRef:4]. This is significant as the correlation of when the negative experience and the positive experience took place and how sport was used to cope with the negative experience. [4: Hardy et al.’s (2017) ]

Why use storytelling to explore adversity? Storytelling explains change and human beings are storytellers by nature. Storytelling is a way of sharing experiences and allowing others to learn from these experiences. Stories are filled with with protagonists that face adversity, Joseph Campbell calls it the Hero’s Journey. Stories imitate life and vice versa. Origin stories are very popular in the current culture and even more so with superhero stories. Robin Rosenberg discusses that there are three types of life altering experiences, trauma, destiny and chance[footnoteRef:5]. Origin stories inspire and provide examples that even mere mortals can overcome the any type of adversity. I have always been fascinated with the backstory of characters, what made them who they are in the story. I always wanted to what happened to make Darth Vader become evil? Why did his son Luke react differently under similar circumstances. My Favourite Harry Potter book is Harry Potter and the Half Blood-Prince because it is full of back story on the main antagonist in the series. I want to use storytelling to act as a bridge between the scientific research of childhood adversity and use it as a tool in order to show others how childhood adversity affected elite athletes and how as coaches they can use that to maximize performance of their athletes. [5: Robin Rosenberg, Smithsonian Magazine February 2013]

Coaches could learn to man-mange the athletes better and as Howells and Fletcher point out, the mismanagement of athletes was evident in many of the autobiographies and is considered normalised behaviour.[footnoteRef:6] I believe this research could further lead to a better understanding of early life adversity and how it affects the athletes in their training and during competition. [6: Howells and Fletcher p. 42]

Difficulties of the research could be athletes that are unaware of the stressor that triggered the drive to compete and be the best in their sport. It could also be difficult for some athletes to discuss past events as it may be something unconscious or they do not wish to put their name to certain events. In order to overcome these challenges I will expand on previous research of the athletes first and then expand to athletes that have previously discussed childhood adversity in interviews or biographies.

We know childhood adversity has an effect on athletes, what we don’t know is their emotional effect, then and now, and how sport affected the childhood adversity. Using storytelling can help athletes and coaches further understand how negative childhood experiences coinciding with a positive sporting event enhanced their hunger for sporting success.

Scope of and limits to the research

Previously, research had been focused on GB athletes from Olympics sports (Hardy) and autobiographies from retired British, Australian and American athletes from a variety of sports (Newman). My research will be limited geographically to Great Britain as this will allow the research to be manageable for research and interview purposes, but will include a variety of sports. This can range from archery to snooker or triathlon to wrestling. Previous research shows adversity is important in Olympic athletes, but what about other sports? I think it is important to research and collect data from a wide range of sports as it could show if adversity is limited to certain types of sports or if it carries over to wider range of sports.

Looking forward, these results will come from interviews with athletes and coaches and once this research is complete, I would like to continue with trials in which a group of coaches uses the data found from this research to improve on their existing coaching philosophy.

Bibliography

1. Bruner, J. Acts of Meaning. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press, 1990.
2. Campbell, Joseph. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Yogi Impressions, 2017.
3. Felitti, V., Anda, R., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D., Spitz, A., Edwards, V., Koss, M. and Marks, J. (1998). Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14(4), pp.245-258.
4. Gogarty, Paul, and Ian Williamson. Winning at All Costs: Sporting Gods and Their Demons. JR, 2009.
5. Hardy, L., Barlow, M., Evans, L., Rees, T., Woodman, T., Warr, C., 2017. Great British medalists: Psychosocial biographies of Super-Elite and Elite athletes from Olympic sports. Prog. Brain Res. 232, 1–119
6. Howells, Karen, and David Fletcher. “Sink or Swim: Adversity- and Growth-Related Experiences in Olympic Swimming Champions.” Psychology of Sport and Exercise, vol. 16, 2015, pp. 37–48., doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2014.08.004.
7. Jay, Meg. Supernormal: Childhood Adversity and the Amazing Untold Story of Resilience. Canongate Books Ltd, 2018.
8. Newman, Hannah J. H., et al. “The Dark Side of Top Level Sport: An Autobiographic Study of Depressive Experiences in Elite Sport Performers.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 7, July 2016, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00868.
9. Parkin, Beth, et al. Sport and the Brain: the Science of Preparing, Enduring and Winning. Academic Press, an Imprint of Elsevier, 2017.
10. Pennebaker, J. W. & Seagal, J. D. (1999). Forming a story: The Health Benefits of Narrative. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 55(10), 1243-1254.
11. Rosenberg, R. (2019). The Psychology Behind Superhero Origin Stories. [online] Smithsonian. Available at: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-psychology-behind-superhero-origin-stories-4015776/ [Accessed 3 Apr. 2019].
12. Sarkar, Mustafa, and David Fletcher. “Psychological Resilience in Sport Performers: a Review of Stressors and Protective Factors.” Journal of Sports Sciences, Sept. 2014, pp. 1–16., doi:10.1080/02640414.2014.901551.
13. Sarkar, Mustafa, and David Fletcher. “Adversity-Related Experiences Are Essential for Olympic Success: Additional Evidence and Considerations.” Progress in Brain Research
14. Sarkar, Mustafa, et al. “What Doesn’t Kill Me…: Adversity-Related Experiences Are Vital in the Development of Superior Olympic Performance.” Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, vol. 18, no. 4, 2015, pp. 475–479., doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2014.06.010.
15. Sport and the Brain: The Science of Preparing, Enduring and Winning, Part A, 2017, pp. 159–165., doi:10.1016/bs.pbr.2016.11.009.
16. Tamminen, Katherine A., et al. “Exploring Adversity and the Potential for Growth among Elite Female Athletes.” Psychology of Sport and Exercise, vol. 14, no. 1, 2013, pp. 28–36., doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2012.07.002.
17. “Depression.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression.

Abstract

The negative experiences that a child is going through when he is young, such as: beating a lot, insulting and not taking into account his feelings and not giving him enough attention etc. may affect his life very significantly. Some experiences may make the child lose confidence in himself or be an aggressive person or It makes him not to respect social customs and traditions and does not respect the law, and some other negative experiences may lead to addiction, but may lead to suicide.

Therefore, the family and the school must solve these problems and try as much as possible to prevent these negatives from the child. And that would be a lot of observation and giving him enough attention, taking into account his feelings, giving him self-confidence, and keeping him away from bad friends. All of this will be a person who is confident in himself, balanced and fit for himself and his community.

1 – Introduction

An American study found that children who experience bad experiences such as abuse and neglect during their childhood may be more likely to face sleep problems after they reach adulthood.

Bad childhood experiences include seeing parents quarrels, separation with divorce, a parent’s suffering from mental illness or addiction problems, or children’s sexual, physical or emotional abuse. Science links bad childhood experiences with what is known as ‘toxic stress’, resulting in physical and psychological problems that are most often transmitted from one generation to another.

These changes are already observable in childhood years and remain apparent in adult life. ( Danese , 2012 ) .

The study showed that among the types of bad childhood experiences, domestic violence, abuse and rape had the greatest impact on the period of sleep at puberty. Children who have been subjected to abuse and bad experiences experience elevated levels of toxic stress.

Toxic stress damages the body and also affects the child’s brain development, including areas of the brain that regulate sleep. Excessive and prolonged stress causes a vital brain change that affects health, learning, and behavior. These effects can last a lifetime.

Growth trauma or harmful childhood experiences are chronic family trauma, such as a parent suffering from mental illness, loss of a parent due to divorce, desertion, imprisonment or death, or witnessing domestic or school violence or during wars and crises, or a lack of love and emotional absence of parents, Or the lack of feeling that the family is close, or the lack of sufficient food or clean clothes, as well as verbal, physical or sexual abuse. As we explained, harmful childhood experiences lead to life-long illnesses.

2 – Basics & Background

2.1 Negative childhood experiences & brain functions & suicide

The researchers compared the brains of 78 people who committed suicide and preserved their specimens. They discovered a decrease in the thickness of the myelin sheath of nerve fibers than normal in the brains of those who were treated severely in childhood .

In front of the screen of a German channel, a young girl with a pale face, telling her story with ‘family violence’, sat after her father had disappeared from her life, and her mother met a new man. The story of that girl will not be absent from the mind of the viewer, as she is the youngest of 3 sons, two of whom are male. The mother’s husband treated them all very severely, amounting to torture.

The lenses moved from the scene of the beating to another scene between the graves, as her older brother committed suicide in the youth stage, which is the suicide that the girl returns to what he went through in his childhood, and his inability to exceed the torture scenes over the years.

The scene of the girl’s tears narrating about her older brother and the violence he suffered under the mother’s silence, shocking and painful, and is consistent with the findings of a study conducted by a team specialized in suicide studies at the Canadian Institute of Mental Health and McGill University; The results of their research indicated that ‘severe’ violence in childhood leaves a lasting impact on nerve connections in the brain.

The study, published by the American Journal of Psychiatry, ‘American Journal of Psychiatry’ suggests that prolonged exposure to violence, during childhood, causes permanent disruption of the brain’s nerve fibers, which form during the first two decades of a person’s life, which is likely to drive a person To commit suicide.

According to the study, the matter can be clarified in a simplified scientific way, if we imagine that the optimal form of the brain’s work depends on the release of electrical signals that are considered as messages for the organs of the body, then the neurons will be the postman who travels long distances to transmit the message, and in this case deliver it for another hour ‘Another nerve cell,’ and so on until it reaches areas of the body.

The path that connects nerve cells is called a ‘nerve axis’, and to maintain the integrity of the message ‘electrical signal’ the ‘nerve axis’ was isolated and protected by surrounding it with a white fatty substance called ‘myelin’, this substance is formed during childhood, and gradually accumulates in the process It is known as ‘myelination’, referring to the formation of the substance ‘myelin’, and then continues to mature until early adulthood.

2.2 Impacts of adverse childhood experiences on health, mental health, and substance use in early adulthood

Research has shown that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase the risk of poor health-related outcomes in later life. ( Mersky , 2013 )

Often a person who experiences negative experiences or harassment from other people, whether in the family or at school, tends to be aggressive and reject others and not accept their opinions, and with the growth of his physical abilities he begins to rely on his muscles and constant assault on someone who tries to tighten him and follow aggressive behavior towards his schoolmates or even His family members .

2.3 Adverse Childhood Experiences & Social withdrawal

With repeated negative experiences, the child reaches a stage of isolation and social withdrawal, and his feeling of fear, tension and anxiety begins to increase day after day, and the stages of social rejection and internal conflicts begin .

At this time, the child begins social withdrawal and avoids people, in order to avoid exposure to problems caused by them as a result of what he had in his mind due to dealing with them.

2.4 Adverse Childhood Experiences & Lack of respect for the laws

The child’s negative feeling from the family and the refusal of some of its members extends to society’s rejection and underestimation of the rules and laws that control behavior. His underestimation of these laws and the consequences of his violation of them reflect delayed cognitive and emotional development.

It may also be a sign of hyperactivity disorder and attention deficit. Parents should pay early attention to this sign, and seek psychological and educational assistance to avoid child involvement in violence-related problems.

3 – Discussion

There are several reasons that cause lack of confidence in children, including the following :

1. The child is not encouraged.

   The child needs the constant encouragement of a loving adult person to believe in his abilities and skills, and in the absence of encouragement he will not be able to build his self-confidence throughout his childhood, and therefore will not feel the love and appreciation of others .

2. The constant criticism.

   Negative criticism, especially by parents, is one of the most important destroyers of self-confidence in a child, as the child believes at the time that he is not smart, strong, or able to face difficulties and achieve his dreams .

3. Excessive protection.

   Some parents provide protection for their children in an excessive manner, which causes them to lose confidence in their ideas, and deprives them of the opportunity to make their own decisions and try new things. Children may also be affected by excessive stress and anxiety by parents, as this affects their personality and makes them fearful and shy.

4. Comparison.

   Comparing may fulfill the purpose and may give positive effects at times, but it often causes psychological harm to the child, and makes him lose confidence in his abilities, especially when compared to another child, and focus on his mistakes and weaknesses .

5. Unrealistic expectations .

   The unrealistic expectations and goals that parents place for their children are a major obstacle to increasing their self-confidence, as after failing to reach these goals, he feels his weakness and his inability to reach what he aspires to .

6. Negligence.

   One of the behaviors that may harm the child’s confidence and feelings is his neglect, lack of care, and giving him the attention he needs, and taking actions that make him feel his family does not like him, saying prejudicial phrases such as ‘I am sick of you’, or stopping whenever he tries to talk .

7. Feeling unwanted.

   Parents may sometimes issue unintended messages that the child feels unwanted, which negatively affects his self-confidence, such as if the parents say, “If I had no children, I would have bought a new car .

The influence of bad friends

Friends influence the lives of some of them by 75%, which changes their behavior by simply going to school and mixing with many children of the same age, and the impact continues from childhood to adolescence.

The mother always notes gradual changes in the behavior of her child once he goes to kindergarten or school, due to the mixing of children from different cultures and education, and in the case of neglect of the child and her lack of interest in him, the child turns to his friends more to control his mind and they are his first refuge before the family in care and attention, which is What reflects back after a while negatively, it could be bad friends who lead him to drug addiction and vices.

A child’s friend does not blame or abuse him, listens to his problems and tries to solve them as much as he can and tries all the time to make him happy, so the son is attracted to him more than the parents and each of them listens to the other without thinking, they have great confidence in some of them, and this friend or what the parents call. The group of companions ‘works to change each other’s behavior so that it has one trait that distinguishes them from others, and from here the parents must know the traits and characteristics of their children’s friends and try to approach them.

Friends influence 75% of them, which is a high rate, and this percentage varies according to the role of the family in the child’s life itself. There are families that leave their children without interest among their friends, and other families attract their children from the ‘group of friends’ to be among them listening to their advice and be by their side in all Attitudes, both good and bad, so that the child does not belong to his friends more than his family.

The effect of horror films on children

1. Causing the child anxiety and phobia

   Children are more likely than others to be anxious and phobia by following horror and violence films. They do not have a real experience in life that allows them to follow such kind of movies. Some of them cannot distinguish imagination from reality, and it is advised if the child is shy or suffers It is feared that he would not be exposed to such films and put them off for a few years to be of appropriate age.

2. Causing a child to sleep disturbances

   Watching horror movies can cause disturbances and anxiety before bed, not only for children but for adults sometimes, but children remain more vulnerable and affected by such films, some of them imagine frightening shadows or hear terrifying sounds and may dream disturbing dreams, so some of them want to sleep with lights open or With someone remaining next to him, and these symptoms are usually short-lived, but if these disorders persist for several weeks, for example, it is always advisable to reassure him, as sleeping a loved pet with him may help, but some cases require consulting specialists.

3. Causing aggression in a child

   It is dangerous to allow children to watch horror films because of the scenes of killing, violence and chaos that may be attractive to them at times. It is possible that children do not realize the seriousness of these actions and behaviors and may try to imitate them dangerously and aggressively.

4. Causing a child’s loss of emotion

   A social psychologist says that the child’s frequent follow-up of violent scenes and horror films negatively affects his emotional feelings, such as what happens to him similar to the emotional numbness, for example, we may see him tend to laugh instead of helping in a situation where he can provide help, so parents must balance in watching movies In front of their children or stop them altogether.

4 – Conclusions & Recommendations

After all this, we have undoubtedly realized that negative experiences of a child may destroy his life in the future, and may even lead to suicide.

Below we will review how to properly deal with the child:

• Make the tasks and duties of children enjoyable

  Some parents may feel weary as a result of their children neglecting some of their duties from simple household chores or arranging their clothes and rooms, but it is not preferable to force them to do these tasks, but these tasks must be made as a game and a challenge for them they must accomplish, this will create an atmosphere of fun and entertainment for children during Do their homework.

• Paying attention to the behavior before them

  Children usually acquire their behavior and morals from their parents or from their interaction with adults in general, when dealing with children must pay attention to the person being a model of good morals and behaviors in front of them, for example must be committed to honesty and attention to managing anger in front of them and thus people gain respect for children and cultivate good morals and characteristics.

• Caring for the Child and Giving Love to Him

  Providing love and care to the child makes them more connected to their parents and more receptive to them and the values they teach them, and this is done through their physical and emotional care and providing a safe family environment, respect and non-violence, dialogue and showing affection for them and appreciation of their efforts and simple achievements.

  Setting the necessary limits and punishment:It is important in dealing with children to inform them of the rules of the limits that they must follow and not to violate, and to put appropriate punishment in case they violate these rules, but it is important that the punishment be away from any violence or depriving the child of things that he may need, such as food, the only goal is to teach him Adherence to rules and behavior.

• Give options to the child

  It is important that the child’s self-confidence be cultivated from the beginning of his upbringing, so he must be given some authority and freedom to choose in his own affairs without trying to force him to make any choice, as this will reduce his disobedience and anger, for example, he can be consulted with the food he wants to eat, or ask him about the story Which he prefers to hear before bed and other simple things that give him an opportunity to make a decision.

In Joan London’s book ‘The Golden Age’, set in middle of nowhere Perth, the story revolves around Frank Gold’s experiences with polio during his childhood years, and the effects both polio and war have on those around him and their families. Many of Frank’s peers are confronted with significant obstacles through the impacts of polio, war, and their personal relationships, forcing them to draw on any means available if they are to triumph over adversity. Now this is true as far as when a individual within the story is able and willing to fight and overcome adversity but, in some cases, they are not… One of the most eminent promoters of triumphing over adversity throughout the text is the intimacy the characters share between each other despite the almost unbearable events they must face, the characters gather the strength and resilience through their bonds with their peers.

At first in the text, Meyer is depicted as a untouchable figure in Frank’s life however, as the story unfolds, he is shown as an extremely pensive character struggling to come to terms given his separation from his city and his resentment of his failure for not protecting Frank from the polio virus. However, when Meyer visits Frank, witnesses the incomparable “bliss of being loved”, which motivates him and guides him in persisting through the isolation he faces in ‘middle of nowhere’ Perth. Frank’s love for Meyer makes his mind and body relaxed depicting to the reader how the feeling of being loved and cared about has a calming and soothing effect upon Meyer and Frank, permitting him to subsequently forget the guilt he feels about Frank’s contraction of polio. When this is conjoined with Meyer’s initial feelings that he was beyond care and “ultimately on the road of death”, Meyer’s altered perception upon receiving Frank’s affection insinuates how love has motivated him to survive. This is further emphasised by the nearness of Meyer’s personality before and after he spends time at the Golden Age with the other families. Previously, when alone, he seems hopeless and desolate, stating that the “wide streets felt empty”, signifying his dreary outlook on life in Perth. However, after spending time with his family and newfound friends, Meyer begins to understand that the “past seems further away”, even telling Ida that their son’s first Christmas at a polio hospital was great suggesting that although Frank is bound with polio and trapped at the Golden Age, the love they receive there is sufficient to help them clear this test. Thus, Meyer’s change of heart and newfound lightness of spirit indicates that the love he has received has granted him a reason to overcome adversity, allowing him to conquer his feelings about this place of exile and to find hope in not so illustrious times.

The characters in The Golden Age are often challenged to triumph over adversity through the responsibility they think they have towards others, thus giving them a ‘spur’ to withstand the considerable challenges they are faced with. As the characters believe they must overcome for the sake of the others wellbeing, they seem to be left with no other option but to persist, thus allowing them to push themselves beyond what their mind allows them in the race to overcome adversity. In the Isolation Ward, although Elsa believes she is dying, she tries to keep herself alive as she has an underlying thought that if she was to die, her mother would also die, insinuating the extent of the responsibility that Elsa feels towards her mother. Elsa’s aims not to die, not for her own life but so her mother will survive which also depicts her love for her mother, shows her drive towards protecting her family. This commitment pushes her to concentrate on holding on, accentuating the strength Elsa must put towards this one thing triumphing over adversity to stay alive. Enduring the Isolation Ward, which she describes as her worst time, is near impossible for Elsa, and she is only able to come through because of her obligation towards her mother, who is breakable. Conversely, London draws a contrast between Elsa’s responsibility to her family and Frank’s refusal of this responsibility. Frank “refuses to be his parents only light”, and as he shrugs off the responsibility of being his parents’ source of happiness, in complete contrast to Elsa, he loses a motive for beating adversity. Instead of the fear many of the other characters speak of in their origins polio stories, Frank describes the experience as being ‘it was imminent to happen’, indicating his satisfaction and lack of interest towards his survival even though polio threatens him from life, he appears to have no reason to fight anymore and instead choses to have contracted it as it has taught his parents a lesson, showing his resentment towards his parents. In doing so, Joan London’s contrast between Elsa’s strong intent on living and fighting and Frank’s being tentative towards life or death shown when Sullivan mentions that Frank has “come to terms with death” depicts the direct connection established between the intimacy the characters feel they possess for others and their will to overcome adversity. This suggests that an underlying ‘obligation’ towards others can give characters a reason to resist and overcome, as it forces them to stay alive not for themselves but for the sake of others.

Through a perennial amount of origins, the will and desire to defeat adversity can be engendered, often characters are able to channel whatever resources are available to them in order to withstand seemingly unconquerable events showing their ability to be efficient even in times of distress. The love and care of others is a highlighted source of the strength and motivation of many characters, whereas others are obligated to overcome adversity through the responsibility they feel for others. Whereas, the will to survive can often be derived from the characters’ own identities and personalities, and the previously hidden overlooked aspects of them which come to light in times of hardship.

When I was in first grade, I would often go to I used to go to a family friend’s house every week and play with their sons who were a few years younger than me. I found our games fun, but I could tell that the older boy was a bit rowdier and his mother had difficulty handling him. I remember one time when my mom came to pick me up from their house and she brought my dog along. Camillo kept pulling at his fur and jumping on him when I asked him to stop. I began to cry, and I was angry at Camillo for how he acted. While I was walking home that night, I realized that Camillo was different from other children I knew and I had to be mindful of that fact.

A few months ago Kaitlyn asked me to babysit Camillo for a few days. I would come to their apartment every day at 9 a.m. and leave at about 4 p.m. for three days. As I prepared to babysit Camillo, I kept in mind that babysitting Camillo would be a bit more difficult than other babysitting jobs I had been given. I went through and made sure I had all the important contacts and emergency phone numbers. However, I also thought about what activities I would incorporate into the time Camillo and I were spending together. I recall that on my first day, I came into the apartment and received a warm welcome from Camillo’s parents. Unfortunately, despite their efforts, Camillo’s parents were unable to get Camillo to say hello to me or even give me a wave. Throughout those three days, I tried to find ways to connect with Camillo through his love for science and engineering. He loved to draw models of rockets and planes and space stations, but this was not my area of expertise. This was another very difficult part of this job and I didn’t exactly know how to connect with Camillo. Partway through my time babysitting Camillo, I discovered that Camillo’s behavior was a result of his autism. Learning this explained a number of incidents. For example, taking him to a cafe where he constantly banged all the silverware on the table, or how he needed to be explained the appropriate responses to say to sound polite. It explained why he hugged you just a little bit too tight and needed a signal for when it was a good time to let go. Even when I learned this, it was still difficult for me to fully understand Camillo, and for him to fully understand me. I struggled to find him a reasonable lunch because he decided against almost all of my offers that most nine-year-old children would enjoy, and I also struggled to take authority without upsetting him.

This experience has changed me and opened me up to a new kind of responsibility and leadership. I will never forget the challenges I faced and the choices I made to overcome them. As a result, I overcame this adversity. I learned to take charge in an unfamiliar situation and to believe in myself and my capabilities. I managed to connect with Camillo despite how much I didn’t understand him, and I even had fun along the way.

Recent studies show that parents’ attitudes can influence their offsprings’ belief from very early childhood. Just as fatherhood teaches dads various life lessons that can shape them for the rest of their lives, there are invaluable life lessons fathers can pass onto their own children. These include overcoming adversity and resolving conflict. Travelling together may well present lots of opportunities to put these lesson into practice.

The importance of overcoming barriers

When travelling, it is very likely that you and your son or daughter will find yourselves in an unfamiliar or testing situation. Whether it be visiting landmarks with a physical impairment or embarking on a new experience when travelling, the boundaries we set our children – even from infancy – can influence their self-concept: how they perceive themselves and what they can achieve. Rather than making a child feel inhibited or full of self-doubt, trust your child to make certain decisions, find their own solutions to problems and learn from setbacks. In doing so, you are preparing your child for the struggles and challenges they will inevitably face throughout their life.

Resolving conflict doesn’t mean coming to blows

You and your son or daughter might experience conflict when traveling around unfamiliar places. Such conflict might occur between the two of you (hopefully on a small scale), or between you and some locals or other travellers. As a father, this can be a great opportunity for you to lead by example and show that conflict is something that can be resolved peacefully. Model the type of positive behavior needed: focus on polite language, a calm tone and respectful body language. Demonstrating your expectations from early childhood – even to preschoolers – will increase the chance of your offspring learning appropriate behavior and emotional control from a young age. It is, after all, much harder for adults to change long-standing traits and habits.

Life lessons can be learnt right from the start

The influence you have as a father on your child’s sense of self cannot be overstated. This might seem like quite an overwhelming concept, but try to view it instead as a privilege. It is inevitable that your child will encounter difficulties in their life, whether it be personal setbacks or disputes. By leading by example, communicating with your child and trusting them too, you give them the best chance possible of overcoming adversity and handling conflict in a mature and measured manner.

Adversity is an inevitable part of life that tests our resilience, strength, and character. It presents itself in various forms, such as personal setbacks, health issues, financial crises, or societal obstacles. While adversity may seem daunting and overwhelming, it is through facing and conquering these challenges that individuals often find personal growth, learn valuable lessons, and emerge stronger than ever. This essay explores the theme of adversity, highlighting real-life examples of individuals who have triumphed over hardships, demonstrating the indomitable human spirit and the power of perseverance.

The Power of Mindset: Transforming Challenges into Opportunities

Adversity, with all its inherent difficulties and setbacks, can be seen as a formidable foe. However, it is our mindset that ultimately determines how we perceive and respond to these challenges. One remarkable example of the power of mindset can be found in the story of Thomas Edison, the renowned inventor who revolutionized the world with his invention of the light bulb.

Edison’s journey was marked by countless failures and setbacks. In fact, it is said that he failed over a thousand times before finally succeeding in creating a working light bulb. Edison famously stated when asked about his failures, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” This mindset of resilience and determination allowed him to view each setback as an opportunity to learn and improve.

Embracing a growth mindset, as Edison did, is crucial when facing adversity. Rather than being discouraged by failures, individuals with a growth mindset see them as stepping stones on the path to success. They believe their abilities and intelligence can be developed through hard work, perseverance, and learning from mistakes. By reframing adversity as an opportunity for personal growth and learning, they transform challenges into opportunities.

A growth mindset enables individuals to approach adversity with a sense of curiosity and optimism. Instead of viewing obstacles as insurmountable roadblocks, they see them as temporary hurdles that can be overcome with the right mindset and effort. This mindset empowers individuals to push beyond their comfort zones, think creatively, and seek innovative solutions.

Adopting a growth mindset can lead to transformative outcomes in the face of adversity. It helps individuals remain resilient and motivated, even in the face of repeated failures or setbacks. It fosters a belief in one’s ability to learn, adapt, and ultimately succeed.

Resilience: Bouncing Back from Setbacks

Resilience, often described as the ability to bounce back from setbacks, is a critical trait in overcoming adversity. The inner strength and fortitude enables individuals to persevere in the face of challenges and emerge stronger on the other side. One remarkable example of resilience can be found in the life of J.K. Rowling, the renowned author of the Harry Potter series.

Before achieving worldwide success, Rowling faced numerous rejections from publishers. Her manuscript was turned down multiple times, and she experienced financial hardships as a single mother. However, instead of succumbing to despair, Rowling displayed unwavering resilience. She continued to believe in her story and her ability as a writer. Eventually, her perseverance paid off when a small publishing house took a chance on her work, leading to the phenomenon that Harry Potter is today.

Developing resilience is essential when confronted with adversity. It involves cultivating a mindset that acknowledges setbacks as temporary and surmountable. Resilient individuals maintain a positive outlook, even when facing difficult circumstances. They refuse to let failures define or deter them from pursuing their goals.

Furthermore, practicing self-care plays a vital role in resilience. Taking care of one’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being ensures the ability to face challenges with a clear and focused mind. This can involve engaging in activities that bring joy and relaxation, seeking professional help when needed, and prioritizing self-compassion and self-reflection.

Perseverance: The Key to Overcoming Adversity

Perseverance, often the key to overcoming adversity, is a crucial trait that propels individuals forward, even in the face of daunting challenges. It is the unwavering commitment, determination, and resolve to pursue goals despite setbacks and obstacles. One inspiring example of perseverance can be found in the life of Oprah Winfrey, a media mogul and philanthropist.

Winfrey’s journey was marked by numerous adversities, including a difficult and impoverished upbringing. However, she refused to let her circumstances define her future. With a relentless spirit, she pursued her passion for media and storytelling, eventually becoming one of the most influential figures in the industry. Winfrey’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance in turning adversity into triumph.

Perseverance begins with setting clear goals and creating a roadmap toward achieving them. It involves breaking down overwhelming challenges into smaller, manageable steps, allowing progress to be made despite obstacles. Furthermore, perseverance requires an unwavering belief in oneself and one’s abilities. The willingness to push beyond comfort zones and embrace the discomfort and uncertainty often accompanies adversity. It is through this discomfort that personal growth and transformation occur.

In the face of adversity, perseverance is a guiding light, illuminating the path forward. It instills resilience, resilience, and determination, allowing individuals to rise above challenges and setbacks. While it may not guarantee immediate success, perseverance increases the likelihood of achieving desired outcomes.

Conclusion: Rising Above Adversity

In conclusion, adversity is an inherent part of the human experience. Through confronting and overcoming these challenges, individuals tap into their inner strength and resilience. By adopting a growth mindset, developing resilience, demonstrating perseverance, and seeking support from others, individuals can rise above adversity and achieve remarkable accomplishments.

Adversity. Adversity is hardships difficult situations that someone goes through. The kite runner is a novel written by khaled hosseni and published in 2003. The novel revolves around the life of the main character Amir, baba his dad, hassan his best friends/servent. Alki hassan dad/servent, Sorayya his wife.in this essay I am going to discuss the adversity that amir and the other characters go through. For the first paragraph i’m going to talk about violence and rape. And for the second paragraph i’m going to discuss amir and baba relationship(father and son). For the 3 paragraph i am going to discuss amir and hassan’s relationship.through the paragraphs I am going to discuss the adversity that they go through.

Throughout the novel violence and rape is seen rumerous time. After amir won the kite tornament hassan runs to retrieve amir’s blue kite.As he was running he got cornered by assef and his gang(assef is a guy with one eyes and he and his gang bullie and beat up people, assef has a burceknucke that he hit people with. he once almost hit amir but hassan pull out his slingshot to save him). “Hassan lay with his chest pinned to the ground kamal and wali each gripped arm,assef was knelt behind hassan”. This technique is imagery and was quoted in page 71.While this is happening amir is just watching and doing nothing about it.i had one last chance to make a decision. One final opportunity to decide who I was going to be. I could step into that alley,stand up for hassan the way he’s stood up for me all those times in the past and accept what would happen to me or I could run. In the end I ran because I was a coward”. This technique is foreshadowing and it was quoted in page 72.” I woke up to find toasted bread,bread tea a boiled egg already on the kitchen table. My clothes were ironed and folded where hassan usually does his ironing. He used to wait for me to sit before he started ironing that way we can talk “. This was quoted in page 75 chapter eight. The technique is repetition because they used to do this together but now do stuff separately.

Alot of this novel revolves around amir and his father baba. They have a good relationship. In this paragraph I am going to talk about father and son relationship and the adversity that they went through. Amir wants to be just like his father. He has lived with his father his whole life. They live in a lavish house with servents in kabul afghanistan. Sadly amir doesn’t have a mother. Amir lost his mother during birth. “He hates me because I killed my mother ”. This techniques is anecdote and it was quoted in chapter 1. Although they have a good father and son relationship amir’s father baba says that amir is no the son he wanted. If I hadn’t seen the doctor pull him out of my wife with my own eyes I’d never believe he’s my son. This technique is an allusion and it was quoted in chapter 2 or 3. One of the reasons why baba says that amir is not like him how he can’t stand up for himself and always need hassan to stand up for or protect him. Amir’s father baba is a man who stands up for himself and other people but his own son can’t to do that. I boy who can’t stand for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up for himself”. This quote is quoted in chapter 4 and the technique in this is emotive language.when baba was a kid he won the kite tournament so amir wanted to also win one so that his father baba can be proud of him, so when amir won the kite tournament he was very happy and excited when he saw baba on the balcony waving and smiling. Amir knows that if he won the kiite tournament baba can see that they have something in common. All of these statements have adversity in them. Even though they are family there is some adversity in the relationship, amir does a lot of things like baba to solve the adversity and let his father baba be proud of him.

In this paragraph I am going to discuss amir and hassan’s relationship. Amir and hassan grew up together , they were best friends even though hassan is amir servent. Hassan and ali who is hassan’s dad lived in a little house in amir’s backyard which made them even close. They were much more like brother. In the future when amir return to kabul from Carlifornia, usa he finds out that hassan is his half brother and baba has cheated on his wife with his best friend ali wife. The technique for this quote is redemption and can be seen in chapter seventeen. They were so close as kids. We ate mulberries, pelted each other with them, giggling, laughing i can still see perfectly round face”. This technique is called symbol and the text was quoted in page two. When amir and hassan played together hassan always refused to do anything bad and he would always take the blame for amir. One of the things that they have in common is they don’t live with their parents, amir’s mum died and hassan mum left him when he was a baby. They were playmate and they ate together. When we were children, hassan and I used to climb the poplar tree in the driveway of my fathers life and annoy our neighbours “.the techniques seen in this text are flashbacks and motis and it was quoted in page two. They stop being friends and hassan kept hiding from amir. because of many events that happened. One of the most notable events that broke up the friendship is hassan getting raped and amir not doing anything about it. I asked him where hassan was. He went back to sleep ali said, kneeling before the stove. He pulled the little square door open.would hassan be able to play today?.”.The technique in this quote is dialogue and was quoted in chapter eight. These are all the hardship that amir and hassan went through.

This is my conclusion. All these statements, text, techniques and quotes above his how adversity introduces a man to himself and how adversity is portrayed in the novel The Kite Runner by khalid hosseini.

It is no secret that how a person was raised and what they experience shape who they become. However, when we think of childhood experiences shaping a person, we often forget that the experiences they face in childhood can become a factor related to mental health issues they are experiencing as an adult. According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (2018) there is a fifty percent chance of a Canadian experiencing mental health issues by the time they are forty years old. Also, mental health issues are more likely to occur during childhood or adolescence (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 2018) However, in the Indigenous population, mental health issues are more prevalent “First Nations youth die by suicide about 5 to 6 times more often than non-Aboriginal youth. Suicide rates for Inuit youth are among the highest in the world, at 11 times the national average” (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 2018). One factor that could be contributing to why some Indigenous young adults have mental health conditions today is childhood adversity (Northern Public Affairs, 2018). There are programs such as mental health counselling and resources but there should be more programs targeted around detecting early childhood adversity. In this paper I shall argue, using scholarly evidence, that traumatic or adverse childhood experiences have contributed to the mental health conditions in young Indigenous adults. I will make a policy proposal that more holistic interventions should be used to detect early childhood adversity in Indigenous communities. It is important to note that when mentioning Indigenous people in this paper it is about the general Indigenous population in Canada and not a specific group.

History of Childhood adversity in Indigenous communities and mental health

“Childhood adversity is a term used to describe negative experiences in childhood associated with factors such as trauma, physical or sexual abuse and many more adverse situations” (Davis, 2018). Why adversity in youth s are still occurring in the Indigenous population can be linked back generationally (Bombay, Matheson & Anisman, 2014). For example, the treatment of Indigenous youth in residential schools has caused intergenerational trauma in the families of those children once they became parents (Bombay et al., 2014). According to Bombay, Matheson & Anisman (2014) once those children became parents, they pass on trauma (unintentionally) through either physical factors like abuse/neglect or social factors such as living in poor housing conditions. “the 2008–2010 RHS revealed that 31.4% of First Nations youth living on-reserve who had a parent who attended IRS reported symptoms of depression, compared to 20.4% of youth with neither parent who attended” (Bombay, et al., 2014). These factors negatively affected the well-being of the youth which contributed to mental health issues or physical health problems as these children grew up (Bombay et al., 2014). The mental health issues that these youth experienced included depression which caused suicidal thoughts and psychological distress which contributed to anxiety.“The IRS offspring reported greater depressive symptoms as- sociated with stressors, such as childhood adversity, adult trauma and perceived discrimination (…)” (Boksa, Jobber & Kirmayer 2015) Again, this was because of intergenerational trauma that contributed to the youth being more prone to stress and adversity (Boksa, Jobber& Kirmayer 2015). This is not to say that intergenerational trauma is the cause of childhood adversity in Indigenous populations, but there is a correlation (Chachamovich,Kirmayer, Haggarty, Cargo, McCormick & Turecki, 2015) .

A study was conducted by Brockie, Dana-Sacco, Wallen, Wilcox & Campbell (2015) related to Indigenous individuals living on reserves explored why adversity in youth and mental health conditions in Indigenous young adults were so prevalent. The authors investigated factors such as common exposures to adversity which included all forms of abuse and witnessing violence (Brockie, Dana-Sacco, Wallen, Wilcox & Campbell, 2015). As well as some experiences that are more unique to the Indigenous population such as “loss of history” symptoms due to colonization and PTSD caused by intergenerational trauma (Brockie et al., 2015). “We found a high prevalence of adverse experiences, and a significant dose–response relationship between the number of adverse exposures and mental health and risk behavior outcomes. These findings suggest a strong and cumulative impact of the number of types of ACE exposures among this sample of adolescents and young adults“(Brockie et al., 2015). It is expressed in the results that there is a strong relationship between adverse childhood experiences and mental health (Brockie et al., 2015). Although this study involved Indigenous Americans it can still be used to compare their experiences with Indigenous Canadians because their situations may be similar. In a sense that both groups of people experienced colonization, a loss of history and some form of residential schools (Brockie et al.,2015). The results of the study call for an intervention in these communities to detect early childhood adversity so that it does not progress into a mental health issue in the future. (Brockie et al.,2015). There have been various interventions in the Past that the Canadian government implemented (Leeuw, Greenwood & Cameron).

Past interventions

Previously, the types of interventions the governments of various provinces put into place to protect children in Canada, whether Indigenous or not, from adversity were child protection laws (Leeuw et al.,2010). These laws were used to inform the public and professionals to recognize signs of children who may be in an adverse situation (Leeuw et al., 2010). However, the child protection laws had a different meaning when it came to Indigenous youth. The child welfare system was used in the 1950s to 1970s to target Indigenous children (National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health, 2017). “Social workers placed some of these children in Residential Schools, while many others were fostered

or adopted into non-Indigenous homes .(…) the IRS system started to lose its original purpose of educating and “civilizing” Indigenous children. Instead, the schools remained open primarily as centres for child welfare placements“ (National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health, 2017). This meant that the children who had experienced adversity such as abuse, neglect and more were removed from their homes and put into non-Indigenous homes (National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health, 2017). This type of intervention is known as the sixties scoop and did not improve any of the adverse experiences at all National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health, 2017). Instead it created a larger issue by separating Indigenous youth from their communities and culture (National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health, 2017). Carriere (2005) believes that social connectedness can help improve mental health that is caused by adversity in youth. Carriere (2005) conducted a study to investigate whether Indigenous adolesence experienced social connectedness in their new homes after being separated from their families and communities. The results expressed that Indigenous adolescence adopted by non-Indigenous families “felt like they lost their sense of identity” yet still had mental health issues such as anxiety (Carriere, 2005).

“This correlation supports the research on connectedness as a determinant of health and, in particular, how interconnectedness with the child’s tribal family can be a protective factor for First Nations children and youth” (Carriere, 2005). Therefore, an intervention that involves removing an Indigenous child away from their community only harms them because they are also removed from their culture (Carriere, 2005).

Another child welfare intervention made by Indigenous people were self-government child welfare agencies. The agencies services were relevant to their culture and were introduced as a safety net for individuals while still being culturally inclusive (National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health, 2017).“Although there have been some self-government gains with the creation of Native child welfare agencies (…) administrative control over child welfares services to aboriginal authorities does not mean that the practice orientation will change, as it is still guided by the dominant protection paradigm” (Simard, 2009)

However, some of these agencies did not receive enough funding from the government or they ultimately still had westernized approaches (National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health, 2017).

The last intervention is called “Aboriginal Head Start” it is a Canadian Government created intervention to aid at risk toddlers and infants under the ages of five (Libesman, 2004).“research into the effects of early intervention programs indicates many benefits including some linked to child abuse and neglect issues, including: support for families; better relationships between parents and children; improved social and emotional stability in participating children; and enhanced community capacities” (Libesman, 2004). This program is an example of the effectiveness of early childhood interventions that included protection from adversity (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2017). However, there are limited case studies to express if there are long term benefits.

Current interventions

Currently, there are interventions and programs that help all Canadian youth in the population such as improved child protection laws (Leeuw et al., 2010). “when charted into the present day, many of the same interventionist logics appear alive and well in the form of state child “welfare” and child protection legislations” (Leeuw et al., 2010).

In Saskatchewan, there is a child protection law specifically for Indigenous populations. This law recognizes Indigenous culture and the welfare of Indigenous youth (National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health, 2017). Along with the child protection laws that protect both non-Indigenous and Indigenous children in Canada, “there are child welfare home-visits made by social workers or a professional that works with child welfare” (heretohelp,2004). The professional will come in and visit the home to make sure the home environment is safe (heretohelp,2004). MacMillan, Thomas, Jamieson, Walsh, Boyle, Shannon and Gafni (2005) studied one non-Indigenous home visitation intervention. The study involved a public health nurse who specialized in child welfare, and their visits to families that had children who experienced adversity such as abuse (MacMillan, Thomas, Jamieson, Walsh, Boyle, Shannon and Gafni, 2005). The study found that the visits did not have a long term positive effect for the children (MacMillan et al., 2005). “Despite the positive results of home visitation by nurses as an early prevention strategy, this visit-based strategy does not seem to be effective in prevention of recidivism of physical abuse and neglect in families associated with the child protection system” (MacMillian et al., 2005) This study shows that the current home visit interventions are not as effective because these programs are introduced after the adversity has already become a strong part of the children’s lives. “Childhood abuse can cause suicidal behaviours into adulthood, which can be precipitated by certain stressful or tragic events, such as loss.” (Crawford, 2016). Therefore, having an intervention to detect early childhood adversity before the adversity becomes second nature would be beneficial. Also, due to past history of the Indigenous population with the child welfare system removing their children and placing them into non-Indigenous homes, it would be different for families to trust a non-Indigenous professional to come into their homes to aid in the child adversity (Northern Public Affairs, 2018). This could mean that home visitation interventions may not apply to or be beneficial for the Indigenous community.

Mental health issues are prevalent in the Inuit community “the suicide follow-back study conducted in Nunavut found that those who died by suicide were significantly more likely to have experienced childhood abuse, compared with age-matched controls” (Northern Public Affairs, 2018). One Indigenous program that is currently implemented for Inuit youth in Nunavut is the Nunavut Suicide Prevention strategy which focuses on trying to tackle early childhood adversity as well as prevent youth suicides in the community (Northern Public Affairs, 2018). This strategy is beneficial because it is created by the Indigenous communities for the Indigenous communities. They are able to provide mental health resources and understand the perspective of the indigenous youth through a holistic approach (Northern Public Affairs, 2018).

Recommendations

It is important to understand that western programs to child welfare and Indigenous programs are different. In Indigenous communities, child welfare is through a holistic approach which requires a community involvement while western interventions are about the individual causing the individual to seek help. “The conventional individually focused models applied by child and family service agencies and treatment services are often culturally inappropriate for use with Indigenous client groups due to differences in the nature of personal and communal identity (…)” (Libesman, 2004). Furthermore, in order for interventions to detect early childhood adversity in Indigenous communities it is recommended that the approach is holistic.

WEECHI-IT-TE-WIN is an Anishinaabe nation family services agency (Simard, 2009). The agency implements a holistic approach to childhood adversity. The first step to aid with the childhood adversity in the WEECHI-IT-TE-WIN agency is cultural restoration (Simrad, 2009). This involves bringing awareness to cultural identity that the children and community may have lost (Simard, 2009). The second step is to protect the family structure “The Anishinaabe family structure was a resilient mechanism in which the community all had sacred responsibility in raising of a child and the mentoring of a fellow community member” (Simard, 2009). The community is a large part of an Indigenous child’s life everyone in the community work together to raise and care for the child. “The community is aware of a child and family in need, typically the community will work with the family and attempt to mitigate risk of harm for the child. if intervention is needed, it is based on the resources that exist with the family system” (Simard, 2009). The last step is governance by the elders and chiefs in the community, ultimately all the decisions of the community is decided by the elders (Simard, 2009). Once all of these steps are followed there is protection from childhood adversity for children in their community.

it is understood that each indigenous community has their own culture and different sets of rituals and practices, but the WEECH-IT-WIN agency can be used as an example of what a holistic approach to childhood adversity interventions can do to improve the situation for Indigenous children.

Another indigenous community-based approach is the “Pathway to Hope”. A study conducted by Payne, Olson & Parrish (2013) mentions a holistic approach used by an Indigenous community. Due to childhood adversity there was a correlation with mental health issues in the community (Payne, Olson & Parrish, 2013). This intervention is more of an educational tool for the community. It teaches the members of the community how to help heal children from adversity such as sexual abuse (Payne et al.,2013) the program provides various resources for individuals to seek support and introduces a sense of connectedness (Payne et al., 2013). The program ensures that everyone in community is involved because ultimately anything that occurs is a community issue (Payne et al.,2013). “some resulting changes include the establishment of child advocacy centres, Tribal governments legislating ‘‘Children’s Bill of Rights’’ and annual ‘‘Protecting and Honoring Our Children’’ conference” (Payne et al., 2013). Furthermore, this program has become integrated into the community and it is effective. However, the program was implemented in Alaska and it can be used as an example of what could be implemented in Indigenous communities in Canada as it is a holistic approach.

Another program that could be implemented are interventions at schools to prevent childhood adversity. Children attend school majority of the time so teachers should be trained to detect signs of child adverse experiences (Government of Alberta, 2018). Such as physical signs, aggression or anxiety (Udesky, 2018). Although this program is more western there are still holistic approaches to it as well. “When staff understand how trauma affects the brain and the lives of students, they can avoid unknowingly causing a student to feel unsafe or distressed (Government of Alberta, 2018). The overall goal is to join the school as one community to aid students who are experiencing adversity with the support they require (Udesky, 2018). A middle school in the United States integrated a “trauma informed school model” (Udesky, 2018). The school experienced prevalent suspensions and students who seemed to always get into trouble. The school shifted their attention childhood adverse experiences because they found an association between childhood experiences and mental health issues such as anxiety. (Udesky,2018). The teachers at the school were trained through a “Sanctuary Model” which is a model to help teachers use non-judgemental approaches when speaking to the students who may be experiencing adversity (Udesky,2018). “The ability of students and teachers to pay attention to what triggers them and pause and reflect before they react didn’t just happen. It has been made easier by a rich array of new practices” (Udeksy, 2018). This intervention was ultimately effective because it brought the school together as a community. Although this intervention was in the United States this type of intervention can also be brought into Indigenous schools for Indigenous youth in Canada that do not attend non-Indigenous schools. The intervention can involve Indigenous cultures that are relevant to their community. As well as using more holistic approaches to the practices.

Discussion

New policies that involve the holistic approach can aid in detecting early childhood adversity in Indigenous populations so that the adversity does not progress into mental health conditions of young Indigenous adults. Although there are limited case studies available to analyze the effectiveness of the holistic approach to early childhood adversity it can still be taken into consideration. It is still important to note that the holistic approach is practiced in Indigenous communities. Western practices can still be implemented to detect early childhood adversity in Indigenous communities if they involve Indigenous culture and practices.

References

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America in the 1960 – 1970 where the world was built around prejudicial opinions related to race and gender. Even though many years have passes, society has developed and changed but courage in the face of adversity has evolved in the film and illustrated in many lives today. The 2011 version of The Help produced by Tate Taylor compared to the 1962 film adaptation of Harper Lee’s famous ‘’To Kill A Mockingbird’’ are two films that represent Courage in the face of adversity. The two characters Atticus Finch and Aibileen Clark are both portrayed as characters who show couagre in the face of adversity, however the contrast in their actions deliver meanigfulness, however the contrast in their actions deliver meaningful actions and messages about racial prejudice. The Help’ and ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ both demonstrate the power of courage in the face of adversity.

During the 20th century people of a different race experienced brutal recsism and racial segregation became the law in most parts of the American South until the civil rights Movement. The many segregation laws placed throughout America made life extremely difficult and hard for people of a different race. The Jim Crow Laws were established in the late 19th and early 20th century, these laws were put in place to reinforce the senseless idea that black and white lives could be ‘’separated but equal’’ in the state of America. These social matters are often represented throughout the film and present in lives today, specially in ‘’To Kill A Mockingbird’’ and The Help. Both these films are a representation of ‘’courage in the face of adversity’’, which can be defined by countless characters through each film. As Martin Luther King Jr once said, “Courage is the power of the mind to overcome fear’’ (Murry 2017). ‘’To Kill A Mockingbird’’ centers around a white male lawyer who decides to take on the case of defending a black man who was accused of raping a young white women in the town of Maycomb, Alabama. Similar to the film ‘’The Help’’ is a tale of a black women in the town of Jackson, Mississippi who risks her freedom and life to collaberate with a white women about writing an artical about black lives and there perspective of life.

It can be stated that the characters Aibileen Clark and Atticus Finch both share many of the same similarities and beliefs towards racisms and equality when standing up for what is right and what they believe in. In ‘’The Help’’ Aibileen conveys courage in the face of adversity by agreeing to help skeeter write a book about her life as a black woman and the challenges and experiences she has faced been a black maid. In regard to this, Aibileen was asked ‘’Do you think you’d be willing to help me with those ‘’Miss Myrna’’ letter?’’ () When first given the offer to tell her side of the story Aibileen shuts it right down because of the consequences she will receive if caught. Once given time to think the offer over Aibileen decided she wanted to tell her story to the world and explain what is was like been black women/maid in America. Aibileen shows courage when agreeing to help skeeter write her article on black maids because if Aibileen is caught the consequences result in jail time or even the death penalty. Comparatively, in ‘’To Kill A Mockingbird’’ Atticus Finch demonstrates the message of showing courage in the face of adversity, by attempting to save a black mans life after been wrongly accused of raping a young women just because of his race. The judge went by Atticus house to inform him the news of Tom Robinson’s case ‘’Grande jury will get around to charging him tomorrow. I thought I’d let you now it’s your case’’ (page 34). Atticus was quick to reply ‘’Yes, sir’’(page 35). During a conversation with Tom Robinson the man accused of rape, Atticus states ‘’ I’m going to defend him to the best of my ability. Every man has the right to a fair trial. No matter race or color’’ (page 55). This shows that Atticus is emotionally involved in the case against Tom Robinson, and that Atticus genuinely wants to make sure that Tom is treated as equal as any other man to go on trial.

During both films, Aibilieen and Atticus true intentions and courage is revealed, easpecially towards the end, where both characters demonstrate courage in the face of adversity. Aibilieen’s actions towards Hilly when standing up for herself and skeeter when agreeing to help write her book even though there are consiquences. Many of the other characters veiw Aibilieen as courages due to the fact that she stood up to a person of colour. When Aibilieen stood up to Hilly for been accused of stealign because she is of different race. Miss Hilly clearly states ‘’Maybe I can’t send you to jail for what you wrote, but I can send you for being a thief’’. This is all because Miss Hilly did not agree with the book Aibileen contributed to and did not want her name to look bad. It subtly applies that because of Aibileen’s race she is classed as a thief and can the trusted. Even though the statement was confronting and terrifying for Aibileen it still reassured her to stand up for herself and how courage. The white women characters are written to constantly suit and uphold the black maids as courageous woman. On the other hand, Atticus’s actions towards Tom Robinson validate courage in the face of adversity and in the film his children view him as a courageous man, due to the fact that he stands up for people no matter race or gender. Atticus daughter Scout bluntly ask him why he would choose to represent a man of a different race, he responded with, ‘’For a number of reasons. The main one is, if I didn’t, I couldn’t hold up my head in town’’. This clearly shows that Atticus has true intentions and wants to prove that just because Tom Robinson is of a different race, his life is just as equal as any other man or women in town.