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Video Resources

Nature or Nurture: The Role of Epigenetics

Learning Objective: 2.1 Explain how genetic and epigenetic research is used to explore the causes of childhood disorders.
This 30-minute video from the American Psychological Association’s videos for psychology teachers describes the mechanisms involved in epigenetics generally.

Questions to Consider

1. Describe the research on the epigenesis of fear.
2. In the study described, if genes predispose mice to diabetes, why does Dr. Stowell argue that it is both nature and nurture?
3. Epigenetics may help us understand why populations shift over time. Given this, why do you think that we may see more cases of some disorders (for example, ADHD) at sometimes than others?
    

Is Our Society Breaking Children’s Brains?

Learning Objective: 2.5 Analyze the way social and cultural factors can influence child development and affect the emergence of disorders among youths.
This 12-minute TED talk from Great Britain’s former Department of Education mental health champion Natasha Devon talks about how children’s mental health is affected by stresses from school, poverty, and the health system.

Questions to Consider

1. Natasha Devon is very outspoken in her ideas about mental health. Why do you think that her views are controversial?
2. Ms. Devon argues that societal pressures affect children’s mental health on a large scale. How might you begin to address these concerns?
3. One specific concern that she raises is high stakes academic testing. What research or next steps would you recommend to examine this issue?
    

Demi Lovato Kicks Habit on Climb to Stardom

Learning Objective: Analyze the way social and cultural factors can influence child development and affect the emergence of disorders among youths.
Demi Lovato has been very open with her struggles with bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and addiction. This 7-minute video addresses the origin and treatment of her issues.

Questions to Consider

1. Why do you think that Demi Lovato developed mental illness?
2. How does she bring together multiple factors in her recovery?

3. How do you think that a star being this open about recovery influences children?

Audio Resources

Bullying and Psychiatric Illness Linked

Learning Objective: 2.4 Understand the way parents, families, and peers can contribute to childhood problems or protect youths from developing disorders.
This 17-minute program discusses the results of a study on the link between bullying and later psychiatric illness with the study’s lead author, William Coleman of Duke University, and Rosalind Wiseman, an author who writes about bullying.

Questions to Consider

1. Describe some of the long-term results of bullying. Were you surprised by these results? Why or why not?
2. It can be difficult to study bullying because it is intertwined with other issues that children face. What are some of these issues?
3. Given the results of this study, what do you see as appropriate next steps in this area?
    

Map of the Developing Human Brain Shows Where Problems Begin

Learning Objective: 2.2 Describe the structure and function of major brain regions and their relationship to childhood disorders.
This 4-minute clip discusses current research on how the fetal brain is related to the development of later disorders.

Questions to Consider

1. Why did the researchers decide to look at the fetal brain? Why is this research important?
2. How do findings from research on autism in the fetal brain differ from findings from research in the adult brain?
3. What other mental illnesses may benefit from this research?