Children in Adversity: Social Support for School Bullying, Cumulative Risks and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Abstract

This symposium is a multi-institution and cross-disciplinary collaboration between researchers and practitioners working with children and families in Singapore. Drawing upon the ecological model (Bronfenbrenner, 1994), the symposium examines how children are affected by stressors in the mesosystem, exosystem and macrosystem – being exposed to school bullying, growing up in high-risk families and neighborhoods, and living in times of enhanced restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

From the perspectives of children and their families, the symposium discusses how various support systems may help or hinder children’s successful coping. The study on school bullying looked into the forms of support victimized children tapped into, and found that perceived effectiveness of support did not always translate into actual adjustment. Similarly, the study on cumulative risks concluded that not all types of support were effective for children (age 10-15) from low-income families, underscoring the importance of developing evidence-based interventions to maximize benefits for children. The final study examined data from a national befriending chatline for children aged 7-12, and found that more children initiated anonymous chats related to family conflicts and isolation at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore. This highlights how children’s lived experiences are impacted by government policies in the face of a global challenge.

Through these studies that synergize research and practice in an under-studied Asian society, we aim to engage members from the international communities to share best practices for research and social service for children. Implications for advocacy efforts and policy recommendations will be critically evaluated.

Sub Unit

• Social Relationships

Chair

• Hoi Shan Cheung, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University

Individual Presentations

• School Bullying and Effectiveness of Support: Who do Children Talk to About Their Experiences? - Presenting Author: Jerrine Zi Ning Khong, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Non-Presenting Author: Hoi Shan Cheung, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University; Non-Presenting Author: Denise Liu; Non-Presenting Author: Rebecca P Ang, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

• Protective Effects of Social Support Against Stressors: Do Different Types of Social Support Matter? - Presenting Author: Sze Min Toh, Singapore Children’s Society; Non-Presenting Author: Charlene S. L. Fu, Singapore Children’s Society; Non-Presenting Author: Jasmine Wong, Singapore; Non-Presenting Author: Denise Liu; Non-Presenting Author: Saw Han Quah, T.A.P: The Affinity People

• A Friend in Need: Listening to Children's Voices During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Singapore - Presenting Author: Charlene S. L. Fu, Singapore Children’s Society; Non-Presenting Author: Kuo Min Chew, others; Non-Presenting Author: Elysia Poh, Singapore Children’s Society; Non-Presenting Author: Noraini Veragoo, Singapore Children’s Society; Non-Presenting Author: Leela Narayana, Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS); Non-Presenting Author: Yating Xing, Singapore Children’s Society