Emotional-mental-social and ethical development of Thai children Emotional-mental-social intelligence and ethics are key factors of life success.

Intelligence contributes to only 20% of life success. According to a long-term study of children development from early childhood to maturity, results revealed that the level of intelligence of children had small correlations with the achievements of work performance and salary, but the ability to control emotions and conflicts, as well as prosocial peer relations led to a successful life. Emotional and social development, including age-appropriate intellectual development of early childhood, is the important foundation for further development of language, intelligence, and ethics. Therefore, development of Thai children should focus on intelligence, emotional-mentalsocial development, and ethics. Ethics of Thai children during the past decade Results of the research project on Holistic Development of Thai Children in 2001, the national survey of 9,488 children aged 1-18 years, showed that preschool children aged 6-<10 years had the highest average scores of consciousness or Hi Rhi Oh Tap Pa, followed by interpersonal relationships. They had lowest average scores of intention and patience, discipline, intention, gratefulness, kindness, patience, honesty, and thriftiness. Regarding the children aged 10-<13 years, they had high scores of interpersonal relationships, social responsibility, empathy, communication, morality, and ethics, but the low scores of creativity, emotional control, analytical thinking, self-awareness, and problem solving. Results of the study conducted by the Department of Mental Health (comparison of the 2002 and 2007 surveys) to assess the development of intelligence, goodness, and happiness of 4,299 preschool children aged 6-11 years through their parents and teachers, showed that the total score of emotional intelligence was at a normal level even though the score of intelligence declined from 58.4 + 9.5 in 2002 to 52.8 + 1 in 2007. And, the score of goodness declined from 69.8 + 10.9 to 65.9 + 12.5, but the score of happiness increased from 58.3 + 8.1 to 60.9 + 107.

The summary of current survey According to the 4th National Health Examination Survey of Thai People (2008-2009), in comparison with the 2001 survey, results revealed that every age group had increased scores of emotional-mental-social and ethical development. However, there should be the development of compliance and empathy among children aged 1-5 years, kindness and emotional control of both boys and girls aged 6-9 years, discipline of boys aged 6-9 years, and emotional control and management, analytical thinking, self-awareness, empathy, and ethics among children aged 10-14 aged years, including increased behavior of copying exam answer, where necessary among children aged 10-14 aged years. Sample group Research methodology Main findings and developmental issues Results indicated that both boys and girls had higher scores of emotional competence than the scores of children surveyed in 2001 in all components. But, in terms of compliance, more than 10 per cent of boys were ranked below the 10th percentile of boys surveyed in 2001.11

3,031 children aged 1-5 years (1,525 boys and 1,506 girls)

Modified Infant Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment (MITSEA) was used to design research questions to interview mothers regarding their children behaviors observed during the past month, classified into two main areas: emotional competence and social relatedness. Also, emotional competence was classified into six components as follows: 1. compliance 2. attention skills 3. imitation/play 4. mastery motivation 5. empathy 6. prosocial peer relations Emotional Moral Social Assessment (EMSA) was used to design research questions to interview mothers regarding their children behaviors observed during the past month, classified into eight components as follows: 1. discipline 2. consciousness-intention

2,507 children aged 6-9 years (1,241 boys and 1,266 girls)

Compared to the 2001 survey, in terms of kindness and emotional control, more than 10 per cent of children were ranked below the 10th percentile of children surveyed in 2001 while discipline of boys and intention and social development of girls were ranked

Sample group

Research methodology

Main findings and developmental issues below the 10th percentile of children surveyed in 2001 as well.

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

kindness patience honesty thriftiness emotional control social development

3,497 children aged 10-14 years Life Skill 1 (LS1) was used to design (1,734 boys and 1,763 girls) research questions related to ethical behaviors of children aged 10-14 years, through a self-assessment, classified into 14 components as follows: 1. self-awareness 2. self-esteem 3. empathy 4. social responsibility 5. emotional management 6. stress management 7. communication 8. interpersonal relationships 9. creativity 10. analytical thinking 11. decision making 12. problem solving 13. emotional control 14. ethics

When considering the research questions reflecting ethical behaviors, i.e. cheating when having a chance, shoplifting, and copying exam answer where necessary, it was found that the average scores of cheating when having a chance and copying exam answer where necessary increased according to the age. Compared to the 2001 survey, results showed the declined average scores of grabbing money and cheating when having a chance, but increased average score of copying exam answer where necessary.

Note: The sample group consisted of 9,035 children (4,500 boys and 4,535 girls). Of these children, 4,909 resided in municipal areas and 4,126 resided in non-municipal areas throughout Thailand, including Bangkok Metropolis. (Source: The 4th National Health Examination Survey of Thai People (2008-2009))

Figure 1: The average scores of emotional-mental-social and ethical development of children aged 10-12 years, in comparison with the 2001 survey.
The average scores of emotional-mental-social and ethical development of children aged 10-12 years

2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0

Declined scores of ethics

20 20

Figure 2: The average scores of emotional-mental-social and ethical development of children aged 13-14 years, in comparison with the 2001 survey.
The average scores of emotional-mental-social and ethical development of children aged 13-14 years Declined scores of ethics
2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0

200 200

Note: However, compared to the scores of children aged 10-14 years, surveyed during 2008-2009, a few children were ranked below the 10th percentile of children surveyed in 2001.

Figure 3: The average scores of ethical behaviors of children aged 10-14 years, in comparison with the 2001 survey.

2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 10-12 years 13-14 years

2.5

Grabbing money

2 1.5 1 0.5 0 10-12 years 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 13-14 years

Cheating when having a chance

2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0

Shoplifting

Copying exam answer where necessary

10-12 years

13-14 years

10-12 years

13-14 years

------2001

-----/2008-2009

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