Creating conditions that promote trust and participation by young people . . . And why it matters.

Creating conditions that promote trust and participation by young people . . . And why it matters. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2015 Nov;85(6 Suppl):S67-9 Authors: McLeigh JD Abstract This editorial discusses the research of the notion that the well-being of individuals is linked to the well-being of others. For example, Emma Seppala, Science Director at Stanford University's Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education, has reported that people who feel more connected to others have lower rates of anxiety and depression. Further, these individuals tend to have higher self-esteem and are more empathic, trusting, and cooperative. Seppala reports, however, that the opposite is also true. Low levels of social connectedness have been associated with declines in physical and psychological health. On the one hand, the research is encouraging. The simple act of connecting with others can go a long way toward promoting mental health. On the other hand, trends suggest that people are experiencing declining levels of social capital (defined by Robert Putnam of Harvard University as "connections among individuals-social networks and the norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness that arise from them"). Levels of trust, too, are on the decline. According to a June 2015 Gallup poll, fewer than 50% of Americans express quite a lot or a great deal of confidence in the medical system, the presidency, the Supreme Court, public schools, the crimin...
Source: The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Tags: Am J Orthopsychiatry Source Type: research