Born to be Bad Resources and Materials Please read: • “Can You Call a 9-Year-Old

Question

Born to be Bad Resources and Materials Please read: • “Can You Call a 9-Year-Old a Psychopath?” by Jennifer Kahn. (May 11, 2012). The New York Times Magazine. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/13/magazine/can-you-call-a-9-year-old-a-psychopath.html After reading the article please answer the following questions: • How the child and his family are impacted by the disorder (cognitively, relationally, and behaviorally)? • What may contribute to the development of this disorder? How does the social stigma of psychological disorders impact those with the disorder? How do psychological disorders affect family members, particularly siblings? Specifically, what are the benefits and risks of labeling a child with a potential disorder – for other family members? How can parents achieve the delicate balance between protecting and caring for the disordered child without neglecting the non-disordered child?

Explanation / Answer

• What may contribute to the development of this disorder?

As researched, the development of this disorder is mostly genetic because these children have 5-10% reduction in the part of the brain that quotes for any kind of empathy, emotional reactions, remorse or even shame. The development of this disorder is mostly genetic and anatomical but can be altered by warm parenting.

• How does the social stigma of psychological disorders impact those with the disorder?

When a person is called mentally sick, or in this case a psychopath, there is a grown isolation from the society, who see them as potential threat to their close ones, in this case children. If a parent gets to known that someone like Michael is branded as a psychopath, there is immediate withdrawal of any kind of empathy for the child, that would have developed, for say in the case of autism, and such stigmatisation further alienates the child and pushes them away deeper into the pit that they already are in. The child/ person further continuous to become hostile due to lack of warmth from the people surrounding him and thus his condition continues to worsen.

• Specifically, what are the benefits and risks of labeling a child with a potential disorder – for other family members?

Benefits:

- the family is widely aware of their condition

- they behave with the child such that they provide utmost care to the child

- they may be able to teach some cognitive moralities to the child that in turn would be helpful to them

- they would be completely aware of what the child is capable of doing and that he has tendencies of such violent behaviours

- complying with him may eventually help the child in not becoming a far fetched criminal

Risks:

- social stigma of having a mentally disabled child

- isolation from the society

- constant mental and emotional battles as to be warm in from of the child and to mentally bear the pain of the child behaving in such manners

• How can parents achieve the delicate balance between protecting and caring for the disordered child without neglecting the non-disordered child?

One of the major tasks is to not neglect the child who is normal in taking care of someone who needs more care. In doing so the parents can:

- acknowledge every achievement that the other child might be having the schools and colleges

- always give importance to his actions while taking care of the other child

- though making him aware of his siblings condition, never asking him to compromise in his needs.

- most importantly: neglection is the most un called for attitude for the normal people. Even rewarding them on their achievements or presenting them with some chocolates would encourage them to keep performing well in what they have been doing.

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