Expert Calls Friendship Problems A Source Of Main Stress For Children

Illustration (Yan Krukov/Pexels)

JAKARTA - Friendship issues occupy the top position as a source of child stress. This was revealed by clinical psychologists, as well as anti-bullying activists, as well as authors of the book Why Children Bully, Hanlie Muliani, M.Psi, launching the Parenting page, Friday, November 4.

"This has happened in Generation Z. From the data I got from a seminar organized by psychiatrists at the University of Indonesia, it shows that bullying is the main source of stress that causes psychological problems," he said.

Hanlie also mentioned that the same problem also occurs in our generation of children, generation alpha.

"The data I obtained from the presentation of a Professor who came from the US at a School Psychologist conference in Tokyo 2018, the relationship problem became the main source of stress in school children," he said.

From these findings, it appears that the top four major sources of the child's tres are: relationship issues (covering friendship issues such as not being accepted, removed, or bullying), personal problems, environmental problems, and sociocultural problems.

"Based on experience in the counseling room, children and adolescents, it is indeed more stressful if there are problems in friendship rather than academic problems. It is more unwilling to go to school if there is a friendship problem than if it has to be remedial," said Hanlie.

Hanlie said that both families, schools, and the community must work together to provide character education as well as positive friendship education and consistent anti-bullying.

"Parents and teachers, never shrink children's problems related to the complexity of friendship and bullying," Hanlie hoped.