Overparenting may be one factor, but some observers credit psychotropic
medications for these same effects. The argument goes like this. In the
past, high school students with a propensity for maladjustment never
made it to college. They did poorly in their classes in high school,
showed few extracurricular attributes, and were generally headed in
other directions. With the increasing "sensitivity" to psychological
dysfunction of modern diagnostic techniques which will pick up these
problems at earlier ages, and the increased distribution to children of
psychotropic medications such as methylphenidate and the SSRI's, more
and more psychopathology is headed toward college. The drugs can only
take them so far and the end of the road is now at a later age than it
used to be.
Bill Scott
Annette Taylor, Ph. D. wrote:
At our university we have noted informally amongst some of ourselves (faculty
and staff) that this year's cohort of freshmen really stands out.
Unfortunately, not in the positive ways some previous cohorts have stood out.
We have had more alcohol and drug problems and FAR FAR more attribution of
problems onto others. Also, they are far more dissatisfied with the social
opportunities the university offers them--as evidence by a recent survey of
incoming freshmen. We've all been hearing similar stories, and it's limited
largely to the freshmen, from residence halls to dean's office personnel.
A colleague has suggested that this generation seems to be more 'over-
parented' than previous generations--being overly proactive on their
children's behalves--children with fixed schedules of activities and parents
more involved and invested in their children's school work than the children
themselves. Then they go away to college and.....no more scaffolding to hold
them up.
Is this going on all over, or are we gathering a unique group here?
Annette
Annette Kujawski Taylor, Ph. D.
Department of Psychology
University of San Diego
5998 Alcala Park
San Diego, CA 92110
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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