How Working Parents Influence a Child’s Mental Health: Psychologist Aysha Izzah Explains Key Risks and Solutions
In today’s era of high expenses, many families rely on both parents for financial support. As parents become busy with work, children are often left to their own devices — which can lead to emotional and behavioral issues.
In this interview, Ridha Rasheed from MedBound Times speaks with Aysha Izzah, a Psychologist and Child Behavior Analyst, about how parental employment can affect their child’s life and ways to address it. Izzah, who holds a Master’s degree in General Psychology, currently works as a Child Behavior Analyst at Early Autism Ventures in Bangalore.
Hello Izzah, Could you begin by introducing yourself and sharing your academic journey?
Aysha Izzah: Hi, I’m Aysha Izzah. Growing up in a joint family has been a positive influence on my life. It helped shape my values and strengthen my interpersonal skills, which have been valuable in building my career in this field. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from JSS College, Mysore, and a Master’s degree in General Psychology from the University of Calicut. I am currently working as a child behavior analyst at Early Autism Ventures in Bangalore.
In your practice, what are the most common mental health challenges you’ve observed in children?
Aysha Izzah: In my work, I have come across many children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which are quite common conditions. However, in recent times, I have noticed a rise in children showing ASD-like symptoms, even though they were not diagnosed with ASD by birth.
Many of these cases appear to be linked to excessive screen time, limited physical play, and reduced social interaction with family members.
What aspects of child development or particular age groups do you find most fascinating or challenging in your work?
Aysha Izzah: I find the age group of 5–10 years the most interesting, as this is their key learning stage. Children at this age tend to imitate and model the behavior of elders, which allows us to use a variety of strategies to help them understand concepts and values effectively.
In my experience, the more challenging age group is 10 years and above, as they are beyond the stage of basic learning and imitation, making it more difficult to guide them or bring them back on track.
Today, many families have both parents working. From a psychological perspective, how does this dynamic affect children’s emotional and behavioral development?
Aysha Izzah: As both parents are working, children are usually cared for by their grandparents or a nanny. When with grandparents, children may become overly pampered, receiving tablets or other screens for entertainment, along with excessive affection and a lack of discipline. This can make it difficult for them to understand the difference between right and wrong and may lead to increased stubbornness and behavioral issues.
On the other hand, children cared for by a nanny may experience less emotional bonding and attachment, which can also result in various emotional and social difficulties.
In today’s generation, many parents try to show love by focusing on earning more money to provide for their children. However, in doing so, they often miss building an emotional connection with their child, which can unintentionally harm the child’s emotional development.
Do adolescents and teenagers face different psychological challenges compared to younger children or similar ones?
Aysha Izzah: Yes, this is just my point of view. Many teenagers today struggle with issues like anxiety, stress, and, in some cases, depression, especially when they don’t perform as well in exams as others. Unfortunately, this pressure has led to an increase in suicide cases among students.
On the other hand, some teenagers turn to drugs and develop conditions like psychosis. This is another serious concern of our generation, as almost everything has become easily accessible to everyone.
What early signs can indicate that a child is being affected by parental stress or absence?
Aysha Izzah:
Emotional detachment.
Limited social interaction.
Communication difficulties.
Isolation from peer interaction.
Are there any warning signs parents should watch for that suggest their child may need professional help?
Aysha Izzah: Yes, there are several symptoms such as:
Non-cooperation or interaction with other children during play.
Poor attention span.
Getting easily distracted.
Faces difficulty in focusing.
Struggling to understand or express emotions appropriately.
Difficulty distinguishing between right and wrong.
Most importantly, the child’s developmental stages must be assessed to ensure they are on track.
When a child struggles emotionally or behaviorally, how do you typically approach treatment and what therapies or techniques do you find most effective?
Aysha Izzah: There are various methods used to support a child during treatment, such as:
ABA therapy: Here, the child is taught complex tasks by breaking down into smaller, manageable steps to help them achieve the main goal.
Play therapy: The child learns and expresses emotions through play using toys, puppets, or other creative activities.
Token economy: In this method, tokens are used as rewards to reinforce positive behaviors in children. These tokens can later be exchanged for a preferred item or activity..
Group therapy: Here, therapy is conducted with a group of children. It helps to improve social communication, cooperation, and group play skills among children.
However, these approaches are truly effective only when parents are cooperative, willing to accept their child’s condition, and ready to make positive changes for the child’s overall well-being.
In your view, what matters more for children — the quality or the quantity of time parents spend with them?
Aysha Izzah: Both the quantity and quality of time spent with a child are equally important for their overall well-being. For example, if parents spend a long time with their child but one is busy on the phone while the other is reading a newspaper as the child plays alone, there is no meaningful interaction, only time without connection.
Conversely, if the interaction is of good quality but very brief, it can also negatively affect the child. Therefore, both the quality and quantity of time are essential for healthy child development.
Could you share some practical tips for working parents to maintain a healthy and emotionally supportive relationship with their children?
Aysha Izzah: To spend quality time with children effectively:
Families can set aside specific periods with no phone usage in the house.
During this time, everyone can come together to share stories, to talk about their day and engage in simple family activities or play games.
On weekends, parents can take their children outdoors to the park or playground and actively participate in play with them.
This kind of interaction is especially important during the child’s developmental stages, as it strengthens bonding and supports healthy growth.
What misconceptions do people often have about child psychology or therapy for children?
Aysha Izzah: Some parents believe that therapy alone will resolve all the child’s issues and that they don’t need to make any additional effort since they are already paying for the sessions.
There is also a common misconception that enrolling a child in therapy will make them appear “different” or “the odd one out”. Due to such beliefs, many cases that start with mild symptoms often progress to severe conditions by the time they finally reaches therapy.
Since the pandemic, have you noticed greater awareness or openness among parents about their children’s mental health and emotional needs?
Aysha Izzah: Yes, since the pandemic, many changes have taken place. To be honest, people have started to recognize the importance of psychologists for a child’s healthy development. Society has also become more accepting, with a reduction in the stigma around seeking psychological help.
Today, most schools have psychologists on staff to support students emotional and behavioral well-being.
Lastly, what are your career plans ahead? Are there any upcoming initiatives or goals you’re excited about in your work as a child psychologist?
Aysha Izzah: Yes, my current goal is to become a better psychologist and support children’s overall development, with a special focus on autism. I also plan to pursue further training in ABA therapy to enhance my skills in this field.
MedBound Times extends a heartfelt gratitude to Ms. Aysha Izzah for sharing her valuable insights on our platform.
