A recent survey by the Institute of Policy Studies found that Singaporeans with higher incomes had the lowest proportion of people who said they felt "very happy" most of the time. While the inverse relationship between income and happiness among adults has received some attention, what is rarely discussed is the impact of affluence on children and adolescents.
Traditionally, research has shown that youth raised in wealthy families have fewer behavioural problems than those from less affluent households.
However, an emerging body of research conducted in the United States and Norway suggests that despite significant financial and educational advantage, adolescents from upper middle-class families are at comparable or higher risk of depression, anxiety, delinquency and substance use than those from less privileged families.
To read the full article, click here.
Dr Jacqueline Tilley is a research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, National University of Singapore, and a US-licensed clinical psychologist.
Top Photo from Freepik.