Children and Their Basic Needs

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Recommended: Summary on the effects of poverty on children

The journal article titled, Children and Their Basic Needs, reveals some of the difficulties facing children raised in impoverishment and particularly long-term poverty. Authors, Debra Prince, and Esther Howard reflect on the personalities of impoverished children, while presenting—to the reader—a look at how these children’s behaviors identify with psychologist Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and the obstructions preventing these children from obtaining those basic needs. This article will demonstrate how Maslow’s theory serves as the axis for each layer of the developmental process while “[highlighting] the obstacles presented by poverty in the attainment of basic needs” (28). In this paper I will recapitulate each of Maslow’s five basic needs and then examine the correlation that Prince and Howard are trying to communicate to their audience. Lastly, I will make my determination as to whether each individual category should or should not be considered as part of society’s basic needs as it relates to the issue of poverty.

At the base of Maslow’s hierarchy is: physiological needs. These needs serve as the building blocks of which all other needs rest upon and must be satisfied before a person can move on to consider other higher-level needs. Aside from life’s essential needs such as food, shelter, and clothing, these physiological needs include the need to sleep, rest, and avoiding pain, to name a few (Boeree 2). Prince and Howard reflect on this theory of physiological as it relates to children of poverty why they say, “There is no doubt that unless these needs are met, the child will perish.” They go on to emphasize just how important proper nutrition is in the life of a child. According to one of their sources (UNICEF.com...

... middle of paper ...

...ee. This quote serves as a good example of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and seems relevant to the issue of children and poverty.

“If you have significant problems along your development—a period of extreme

Insecurity or hunger as a child, or the loss of a family member through death or

divorce, or significant neglect or abuse—you may “fixate” on that set of needs for

the rest of your life” (Boeree 8),

Works Cited

Boeree, Dr. George C. “Personality Theories: Abraham Maslow”. Web 17 Feb. 2001.

http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/maslow.html.

Prince, Debra L., and Esther M. Howard. Children and Their Basic Needs. Rpt. in Early

Childhood Education Journal. 1st ed. Vol. 30. City: Kluwer Academic. 27-31. Ser. 2002.

Academic Premier. Web. 17 Feb. 2011.

UNICEF (1998). The State of the World’s Children [on-line].Available: www.unicef.org.sowc98

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