29 Oct 2025 | Two weeks of paternity leave linked to improved child development | PsyPost
Professor Jean Yeung, shared with PsyPost that SG-LEADS data found that fathers taking two weeks or more of paternity leave in Singapore were more involved in childcare, had closer bonds with their children, and experienced better family dynamics. These factors were linked to improved academic performance and fewer behavioral problems in children from preschool to early primary school. She emphasized that paternity leave of at least two weeks is important for fathers to build routines and foster family well-being, recommending government policies to support such leave durations.
22 Aug 2025 | 四成儿童：家长不参与屏幕时间 | Channel 8 Frontline 前线追踪
Channel 8’s Frontline programme explored whether restricting children from using technology is effective, amid growing concerns about screen time and reliance on AI tools such as ChatGPT. Professor Jean Yeung shared that SG‑LEADS data revealed that approximately 40% of children aged 7–9 spend over three hours daily on screens, often without parental supervision. She emphasised that meaningful parent–child interaction and guidance are more influential than screen time limits alone, especially as digital platforms increasingly tailor content to children’s preferences, potentially contributing to overuse.
21 Aug 2025 | How not to use AI is a skill Singapore must master | The Straits Times
SG-LEADS Co-PI Professor Lim Sun Sun reflected on Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s National Day Rally, noting artificial intelligence’s (AI) dual role as an opportunity and a challenge. She mentioned SG-LEADS findings that young children from lower-income families are more likely to spend longer unsupervised time on devices and stressed the need to teach children and youth not just how but when to use AI responsibly, with parents and teachers as key guides.
9 Jul 2025 | 陪产假使用显著提升 未来独居老人更多选择 | Channel 8 Hello Singapore
Speaking as one of the expert commentators, Professor Jean Yeung commented that the increase in paternity leave usage from 53% to 56% as reported in the latest Family Trends Report 2025 by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) is very commendable. She shared that this 3% rise is encouraging and would likely continue improving in the future. She also referenced SG-LEADS which found that fathers who took two weeks or more of paternity leave positively influenced the family relationship and their child’s emotional, cognitive, and behavioural development for those aged 3 to 8 years old.
14 Jun 2025 | Kids do better on tests, have fewer behavioural issues when dads take 2-week paternity leave: Study | The Straits Times
SG-LEADS data reveals that children whose fathers take at least two weeks of paternity leave perform better on problem-solving and word-recognition tests and have fewer behavioural issues. Professor Jean Yeung also highlights that this practice strengthens family relationships, increases father-child closeness, and reduces maternal stress, offering long-term benefits for child development and family well-being.
22 Feb 2025 | No tuition or travel, but S’pore family with four children say ‘we have all we need’ | The Straits Times
Professor Jean Yeung mentioned findings from SG-LEADS data, that more than one in three married couples want to have three or more children, in The Straits Times. She also said the Large Families Scheme is a good alternative to the previous policies that encourage marriage and having a child.
12 Jan 2025 | Are longer hours in pre-school better for kids? | The Straits Times
Dr Ding Xiaopan, Dr Bi Yue and Professor Jean Yeung‘s childcare findings from SG-LEADS data, as published in Early Childhood Research Quarterly, were featured in The Straits Times. They found that for kids in childcare below 35 to 40 hours a week, the more hours they attended childcare, the higher their maths and literacy scores. But the longer the kids remained in childcare beyond 40 hours, the lower their test scores.
14 Nov 2024 | MPs debate Bill to strengthen parenthood-related benefits, including doubling of paternity leave | The Straits Times
Findings from SG-LEADS data were mentioned by Minister Sun Xueling, at the second reading of the Child Development Co-Savings (Amendment) Bill. She mentioned our findings about how paternity leave utilisation can increase marital satisfaction, and taking a longer duration of paternity leave also significantly reduces children’s behaviour problems.
8 Oct 2024 | Singapore families show high resilience during pandemic | NUS News
A study by Professor Jean Yeung and Dr Xuejiao Chen analysing the resilience of Singaporean families during the COVID-19 pandemic, using SG-LEADs data, found that most families with young children successfully adapted to the challenges brought by the global crisis.
7 Oct 2024 | 母亲生活工作若失衡 将影响家庭关系 | Lianhe Zaobao & Channel 8 Hello Singapore
Professor Jean Yeung shared with the Chinese community about Dr Xuejiao Chen and her study, showing how family relational resilience is influenced by mother’s work-life balance, using SG-LEADS’ data.
17 Aug 2024 | 1 in 2 dads in Singapore took paternity leave in 2022; work commitments among factors affecting take-up rate | The Straits Times
Professor Jean Yeung shared about SG-LEADS’ data on paternity leave takers in The Straits Times. She shared that men who are at lower occupational levels are least likely to use their paternity leave.
18 Apr 2024 | Waiting for the big reward: Children who are better in delaying gratification more likely to do well academically and have fewer behavioural problems | NUS News
NUS News featured Dr Chen Luxi and Professor Jean Yeung‘s study titled “Delayed Gratification Predicts Behavioural and Academic Outcomes: Examining the Validity of the Delay-of-Gratification Choice Paradigm in Singaporean Young Children”. Using SG-LEADS data, the study sheds light on the development of self-regulation among Asian children to address the gap in research in this area.
27 Feb 2024 | Parents with self-control, who don’t use harsh punishments tend to have emotionally resilient kids: NUS study | TODAY Online
Research Fellow Dr Chen Luxi and Professor Jean Yeung‘s study based on SG-LEADS findings, was reported in TODAY Online. They shared that parents who were better educated, with stronger self-control and had lower economic stress tended to use more functional strategies to interact with their children. They are likely to use more positive methods in their parenting, which effectively fosters children’s self-regulation and allows for children to develop emotional resilience and are less likely to experience emotional symptoms when faced with adversities.
20 Feb 2024 | Smart investment to give lower-income non-working mums more childcare subsidies | The Straits Times
In the Budget 2024 speech on Feb 16, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced a significant policy shift to give non-working mothers from lower-income families higher childcare subsidies. Professor Jean Yeung shared that this is “a smart investment for society to help mothers in low-income families and to have their children attend pre-school because a child’s development in the very early years has important long-lasting consequences for development in adolescence and adulthood”. The Straits Times article also shared several findings from our SG-LEADS study.
15 Feb 2024 | More government help may come for families looking to have children | Channel NewsAsia
In an interview with Channel NewsAsia before the Budget 2024 speech, Professor Jean Yeung, Director for Social Science at A*STAR’s Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS) and Professor in the Department of Paediatrics at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS, shared that daycare help, subsidies, expanding accessibility, reducing cost, and improving the quality of daycare are very important. She noted that it reduces the anxiety or guilt of the parents about leaving their children in the care of someone. Watch from 21:50 – 25:05.
19 Nov 2023 | Kids’ test scores differ widely based on parents’ income, education | The Straits Times
CFPR Founding Director Prof Jean Yeung and Dr Chen Xuejiao‘s study based on SG-LEADS findings, was reported in The Straits Times. They shared about the large disparities in children’s test scores based on their parents’ annual income and educational qualifications, where pre-school children with parents with higher SES, scored better in language and numeracy skills.
29 Sep 2023 | The Big Read: Paternity leave helps but for men to take on fair share of parenting, a rethink of gender roles is needed | Today Online
When Parliament passed an amendment to the Child Development Co-Savings Act on 19 Sept 2023, the issue of paternity leave came back under the spotlight again recently. Today Online‘s The Big Read shared findings from our SG LEADS study that with fathers more involved, family conflict and parenting aggravation are also significantly reduced. At the same time, marital satisfaction and father-child closeness are enhanced.
17 Feb 2023 | Paternity leave has doubled, but do fathers dare take more of it? | The Straits Times
With the new announcement of increased paternity leave in Singapore, CFPR Founding Director Prof Jean Yeung shared with The Straits Times about the benefits of having fathers spend more time with their children, and groups of fathers who may have a more difficult time taking paternity leave. Findings were based on the SG LEADS study.
13 Oct 2021 | Young Children’s Digital Device Use | Channel NewsAsia 938 Money Mind
SUTD’s Head of HASS Prof Lim Sun Sun went on to CNA’s Money Mind to discuss her recent op-ed with CFPR Founding Director Prof Jean Yeung on trends in device use by families of different socioeconomic profiles. She also discussed the effect of Covid-19 on device use in families and what all parents should note in managing their kids’ screentime. Findings shared were from the SG LEADS study.
17 Sep 2021 | Mind the Gap – Income Divide in Children’s Use of Digital Devices | The Straits Times
CFPR Founding Director Prof Jean Yeung and SUTD’s Head of HASS Prof Lim Sun Sun shared findings from the Singapore Longitudinal Early Development Study (SG LEADS). Young children from lower-income families are spending more unsupervised time than higher-income ones on digital devices, and parents need more help to bridge this gap.
20 June 2021 | Better outcomes in family when dads take paternity leave: Study | The Straits Times
CFPR Founding Director Prof Jean Yeung shared findings from the study done with PhD student Li Nanxun showing the positive impact of paternity leave on family relations and children’s behaviour. Data from the Singapore Longitudinal Early Development Study (SG LEADS) were used in this study.
3 June 2021 | Kids with Foreign-born Mums Show More Behavioural Problems Due to More Stressors at Home: Study | The Straits Times
With stressors like lower family income, economic hardships, higher emotional distress and conflicts, primary caregivers are “more likely to use less warm parenting behaviour, which in turn is associated with children having more externalising behaviour problems.” CFPR Founding Director Prof Jean Yeung shared findings from the study done with PhD student Lu Shuya on behavioural problems in children from cross-national families. Findings from the study were also shared on Money 89.3FM, 3 June 2021. This study is also part of the Singapore Longitudinal Early Development Study (SG LEADS).
22 March 2021 | ‘I felt so alone in Singapore’ | The Straits Times
Findings from the study done by CFPR Founding Director Prof Jean Yeung and PhD student Lu Shuya on how cross-national families with young children are functioning in Singapore were featured in The Straits Times article. This study is also part of the Singapore Longitudinal Early Development Study (SG LEADS).
18 February 2021 | Kids’ Dietary Habits and Behaviour Linked | The Straits Times
CFPR Founding Director Prof Jean Yeung shared findings from the MOE-funded Singapore Longitudinal Early Development Study (SG LEADS). Children aged two to six from low socio-economic backgrounds did not eat as much nutritious food and ate more unhealthy food than their peers from more well-to-do backgrounds. The study also identified that food insecurity had a effect on children’s behavioural problems, which may have long lasting implications on children’s learning.
18 January 2021 | New Study Sheds Light on Cross-national Families in Singapore | The Straits Times
Cross-national families with a Singapore-born husband and a wife born overseas have the lowest per capita family income and highest level of family conflict, as compared to other family types. CFPR Founding Director Prof Jean Yeung shares findings from the study done together with PhD student Lu Shuya, on how cross-national families with young children are functioning in Singapore. This study is also part of the Singapore Longitudinal Early Development Study (SG LEADS).
27 October 2020 | Singaporean Fathers Taking Paternity Leave | Channel 8 Hello Singapore
CFPR Founding Director Prof Jean Yeung was interviewed on Channel 8’s “Hello Singapore” about Singaporean fathers taking paternity leave. Sharing results from the Singapore Longitudinal Early Development Study (SG LEADS), she pointed out that 66.4% of fathers in families with a child under 7 took paid paternity leave when their child was born, and fathers with higher education and occupational status were more likely to take paternity leave.
22 June 2020 | Women Take on More Childcare, even when in Full-time Work | The Straits Times
While 72% of Singaporean mothers with young children are working full time, they are still taking on a lion’s share of the childcare duties than men. CFPR Founding Director Prof Jean Yeung shares new research findings from the Singapore Longitudinal Early Development Study (SG LEADS) on women taking on a “second shift” at home after work, and encourages more fathers to be involved in childcare activities.
30 May 2020 | Children’s Time Use | Capital 958 FM 城市频道
CFPR Founding Director Prof Jean Yeung went on Capital 958 FM 城市频道 to share various findings from the Singapore Longitudinal EArly Development Study (SG LEADS), with radio host, 一莎, notably on how children spend their time on weekdays and weekends.
28 May 2020 | Impact of Covid-19 on Children’s Development | CNA 938
CFPR Founding Director Prof Jean Yeung joined Channel NewsAsia 938’s Singapore Today to share her insights with radio hosts, Melanie Oliveiro and Lance Alexander, on how Covid-19 impacts children’s educational and emotional development and how we can reach out to help families facing tough situations.
21 May 2020 | Covid-19 Can Widen Gaps in Children’s Development | The Straits Times
Insights from the Singapore Longitudinal EArly Development Study (SG LEADS) suggest that Covid-19 can exacerbate socio-economic inequalities, widening gaps in children’s health, socio-emotional and cognitive development. CFPR Founding Director Prof Jean Yeung sheds light on this and suggests interventions to contain and mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on widening development gaps among Singaporean children.
17 October 2018 | Reducing Inequality with Early Childhood Development | The Straits Times
Experiences early in life have profound and enduring influences on an individual’s developing brain, social behaviour and health. A family’s economic resources shape the nature of many of these experiences – yet, the extent to which they affect children’s development remains debated among scholars. CFPR Founding Director Prof Jean Yeung talks about the study titled Singapore Longitudinal EArly Development Study (SG LEADS) housed at CFPR, NUS which aims to shed more light on this matter.
7 October 2018 | Understanding Singapore Children’s Early Development | Lianhe Zaobao
For this Children’s Day weekend, CFPR Founding Director Prof Jean Yeung shares with us the need to gain better understanding of the multifaceted issues affecting children’s early development, especially in the face of low fertility and an aging population. She also shares about the Singapore Longitudinal EArly Development Study (SG LEADS); her current research project focused on young children.
Singapore Longitudinal Early Development Study (SG-LEADS) 
