Challenges of Socialization, Mental Health and Emotional Well-being in Children with Learning Disability

The emotional well-being of a child with a learning disability can alter when there is no emotional support available. This can lead one to become depressed and/or consider suicide. In North America, adolescent suicide has become a major public health problem. Currently, suicide is the third primary cause of adolescent death in both Canada and the United States. Suicide rates in the United States increased 142% between 1960 and 1981 for both boys and girls in the 15 to 19-year old age group. There are a number of factors that put a person's life in jeopardy, such as life events, trauma, and learning disabilities. Adolescents with learning disabilities are uncertain about their future and their personal goals. Depression may manifest when opportunities seem limited while trying to reach their personal and educational goals. They are often haunted by the stigma of having a learning disability. Youths are inclined to develop emotional difficulties and are likely to inflict self-harm. Emotional disorders are common among people with learning disabilities than those who are non-learning disabled. Individuals with learning disabilities are more likely to develop self- harming disorders as a result to being labeled with a learning disability. The definition of self-harm is defined as a non-accidental injury, which produces bleeding of momentary or permanent tissue damage over a repeated amount of time. Self-harming is found to be a physical and emotional outlet to relieve the stressors of school and home life. Another part of self-harm is head banging, cutting, biting, scratching, and hair pulling.