Research that Benefits Children and Families—Uplifting Stories

I do not know anyone who has personally participated in a research study but I do know people who I believe have personally benefited from the research process. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996. She is currently in remission but I believe if it had not been for scientific research and the people who participated in the medical studies prior to my mother’s diagnoses she may not be here with us now. I believe the research process is critical to the preservation of life and for the betterment of our society but only when it is done is a safe and ethical manner.

I also located an interesting article that relates to my simulation topic of social/emotional development and its influence on a child’s future. In this study 1000 children were followed for 30 years in order to see how their ability or development of self-control as a child affected their health, wealth, and criminal offending. This study suggests that parents should focus on strategies that will encourage their children to develop self control as early as toddlerhood. Children will benefit from the development of self control and may be less likely to suffer from ill health, substance abuse, poor finances or perform criminal acts in the future. The study can be found at: http://www.pnas.org/content/108/7/2693.full.pdf+html

                                                                                                                                      

Reference

"A gradient of childhood self-control predicts health, wealth, and public safety," Moffitt et al., 2011, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, Volume 108, p. 2693 - 2698.