SINGAPORE: The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) will launch a five-year, S$150 million (US$115.9 million) initiative to study youths aged 10 to 24, covering sleep, early childhood development and digital media use.
Announcing the initiative on Monday (Jul 13), the agency said it would work with the Ministry of Education (MOE) and other partners to study about 5,000 adolescents to generate Singapore-specific evidence on youth development.
Most existing research on adolescence is based on Western populations, limiting its relevance to Asian societies where cultural norms shape youth experiences differently, said researchers from A*STAR’s Institute for Human Development and Potential.
While the first 1,000 days of life are a critical window for development of the body, brain and immune system, adolescence marks a crucial “second window of opportunity”, they said.
The study comes amid growing public concerns over youth mental health, lifestyle and digital habits, A*STAR said on Monday. “It seeks to address the lack of longitudinal evidence in Singapore and Asia to guide policies, programmes and interventions.”
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