Surely you have already heard of the “one child syndrome” but do you know where it comes from? And above all, is it true?
Popular beliefs about education there are many and around only children all the more so. We often hear that only children are selfish, solitary, egocentric or even unable to integrate into society, and it would be linked to the “one-child syndrome”. Between myth and reality, two psychologists have deciphered this phenomenon on the Scary Mommy site: Francyne Zeltser and Lindsay Popilskis, both certified psychologists.
These recurring remarks can be a burden for parents who have chosen or not to have only one child. If you are in this situation, here are some ways to respond to people who invoke the “one-child syndrome”. Where is he from ? Is it scientifically proven? Is he confirmed in life?
Where does the “one child syndrome” come from?
It all started in the early 1900s when two psychologists published a report that listed 200 children based on their character traits. Doctors G. Stanley Hall and EW Bohannon categorized only children as “spoiled, selfish/egocentric, misfit, bossy, and lonely”. They add that “that children are mentally healthier, overall, when they have siblings”. Just that. Following this report many negative feedback appeared on only children.
false beliefs
When asked by Scary Mommy, Dr. Francyne Zeltser commented on this report, she says it’s “inherently flawed as the only way to draw conclusions” and “Scientific research can include investigations like this, but above all it must be based on factual and scientific data that are not influenced by personal feelings or opinions.” Psychologist Lindsay Popilskis clarifies: “Despite the popularity of ‘one-child syndrome’, this theory has not been reproduced in more recent publications. On the contrary, studies have shown that the absence of a sibling does not does not impede the socio-emotional success of children in life.”
In reality, it is the prejudices about only children which can cause psychological disorders. When the children are labeled or even stigmatized, he develops complexes in adulthood and can therefore be more closed to others. The “one-child syndrome” is therefore indeed a myth.