These increased odds were not explained by other factors family circumstances or pre-existing emotional problems. The team looked at data from 6,043 children in the Children of the 90s study at the University of Bristol to assess bullying between four and 10 years and the prevalence of suicidal thoughts at 11-12 years old. The study used information collected from parents and teachers, as well as the child, to see how common bullying or victim behaviour was. They found that, compared to children who were never bullied, ‘bully-victims’ were three times as likely to have suicidal thoughts, and that those who were bullied over a long period of time were six times more likely to consider suicide. Those who bully others but never become victims (pure bullies) were also at increased risk for suicide thoughts and suicidal or self-harming behaviour but the findings were not as consistent. One of the study’s authors Professor Dieter Wolke is based in the Department of Psychology and Warwick Medical School at the University of Warwick. He said: “Our study findings suggest that suicide-related behaviour is a serious problem for pre-adolescent youth: 4.8% of this community population reported suicidal thoughts and 4.6% reported suicidal or self-injurious behaviour. Health practitioners should be aware of the relationship between bullying and suicide, and should recognise the very real risks that may be evident earlier in development than commonly thought. “Targeting intervention schemes from primary school onward is paramount, and could help to prevent chronic exposure to bullying, which is especially harmful.” More information: ‘Involvement in Bullying and Suicide-related Behaviour at 11 Years: A Prospective Birth Cohort Study’, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Read more at: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-bullies-victims-suicidal-thoughts-age.html#jCp

via Research finds bullies and victims three times more likely to have suicidal thoughts by age 11.

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via Father absence in early childhood linked to depression in adolescent girls.

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Up to 20 percent of children in the United States suffer from a mental disorder, and the number of kids diagnosed with one has been rising for more than a decade, according to a report released on Thursday by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the agency’s first-ever study of mental disorders among children aged 3 to 17, researchers found childhood mental illnesses affect up to one in five kids and cost $247 billion per year in medical bills, special education and juvenile justice.

Children with mental disorders – defined as “serious deviations from expected cognitive, social, and emotional development” – often have trouble learning in school, making friends, and building relationships later in life, the report said.

They are more likely to have other chronic health problems, such as asthma and diabetes, and are at risk for developing mental illnesses as adults.

“This is a deliberate effort by CDC to show mental health is a health issue. As with any health concern, the more attention we give to it, the better. It’s parents becoming aware of the facts and talking to a healthcare provider about how their child is learning, behaving, and playing with other kids,” Dr. Ruth Perou, the lead author of the study, said in an interview.

“What’s concerning is the number of families affected by these issues. But we can do something about this. Mental health problems are diagnosable, treatable and people can recover and lead full healthy lives,” Perou added.

The study cited data collected between 1994 and 2011 that showed the number of kids with mental disorders is growing. The study stopped short of concluding why, but suggested improvements in diagnoses as one possible explanation

“Changes in estimated prevalence over time might be associated with an actual change in prevalence, changes in case definition, changes in the public perception of mental disorders, or improvements in diagnosis, which might be associated with changes in policies and access to health care,” the study said.

Perou said more research was needed to determine the specific causes of mental disorders, and that greater awareness could lead to an uptick in diagnoses. A host of environmental factors, including chemical exposure and poverty, can also affect a child’s mental health, she said.

Lead, for example, is known to be “one of the biggest toxins to impact behavior and learning,” Perou said. Poor children are at a higher risk for developing certain conditions, according to the study.

The most prevalent mental health diagnosis, as reported by parents, was Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which affects 6.8 percent of children. Also common were behavioral conduct problems (3.5 percent), anxiety, which consists mostly of fears and phobias (3 percent), depression (2.1 percent) and autism spectrum disorders (1.1 percent). Many of these disorders occur together, the report said.

Boys were found more likely to have most of the listed disorders except for depression and alcohol abuse, which affect more girls.

The study also noted that suicide, which can be precipitated by an untreated mental illness, was the second leading cause of death (after accidents) among children 12 to 17 years old.

The CDC report was based on multiple other studies that collected data and interviewed children and their guardians about their diagnoses, habits, behaviors and other factors.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/17/up-to-1-in-5-children-suffer-from-mental-disorder-cdc-says/#ixzz2Tj4rhdC0

via Up to 1 in 5 children suffer from a mental disorder, CDC says | Fox News.

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via The backlash against 24/7 connectivity.

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“It has been thought that frontal lobe expansion was particularly crucial to the development of modern human behavior, thought and language, and that it is our bulging frontal lobes that truly make us human,” he said. “We show that this is untrue: Human frontal lobes are exactly the size expected for a non-human brain scaled up to human size.”

via Size of Frontal Lobes May Not Matter for Brain Power: Study –Doctors Lounge.

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Teens who reported texting while driving were more likely to engage in other risky driving behaviors such as driving under the influence of alcohol or not wearing a seat belt, the study also found.

The research was published online May 13 and in the June print issue of the journal Pediatrics.

via Nearly Half of High Schoolers Text While Driving: Survey –Doctors Lounge.

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Yes I know this is the Generation Next not the Generation Was Blog, but I think it is essential to appreciate that if we want our kids to flourish, then it is essential that the adults in their lives are doing likewise.

A great deal of time is spent addressing student wellbeing at conferences and in school policy documents, but other than a cursory nod in the Workplace Occupational Health and Safety policy, teacher wellbeing is something that seems to be over-looked.

Maybe it’s because many workplaces seem to neglect their staff wellbeing to focus on their clients. Why would schools be any different? After all, school is mostly about kids.

However, did you know that research indicates that approximately 40-50% of new teachers leave the profession within their first five years in the job?

Did you know that research also shows that this is rarely due to classroom pressures, but more to do with the politics, or lack of support in the staffroom.

Did you know that according to Safe Work Australia 2013 report into Workers Compensation Claims for Mental Stress, the education sector is second on the list for mental health claims across all industries?

It’s clear that teacher wellbeing is something that needs to be addressed.

How is it addressed in your school?

Why not comment below, as perhaps your ideas could help others.

Author: Dan Haesler, he is a teacher, consultant, and speaker at the Mental Health & Wellbeing of Young People seminars He writes for the Sydney Morning Herald and blogs at http://danhaesler.com/ and tweets at @danhaesler

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The advance of technology means that young people who read on a screen have weaker literacy skills and fewer children now enjoy reading, experts have said.

A survey, conducted by The National Literacy Trust, found that 52 per cent of children preferred to read on an electronic device – including e-readers, computers and smartphones – while only 32 per cent said they would rather read a physical book.

Worryingly, only 12 per cent of those who read using new technology said they really enjoyed reading, compared with 51 per cent of those who favoured books.

Pupils who get free school meals, generally a sign they are from poorer backgrounds, are the least likely group to pick up a traditional book, the research found.

The poll of 34,910 young people aged between eight and 16 across the UK found that those who read printed texts were almost twice as likely to have above-average reading skills as those who read on screens every day.

via Children who read on iPads or Kindles have weaker literacy skills, charity warns | Mail Online.

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In the kingdom of Bhutan, there’s a national index to measure happiness. But what if searching for happiness actually prevents us from finding it? There’s reason to believe that the quest for happiness might be a recipe for misery. In a series of new studies led by the psychologist Iris Mauss, the more value people placed on happiness, the less happy they became.

via The Pursuit Of Happiness May Be A Recipe For Misery | Business Insider Australia.

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Researchers found a sharp rise in the deaths from dementia and other neurological disease in under-74s, and believe that the figures cannot be explained away by the fact we live longer.

via Modern life causing dementia earlier, study finds – Telegraph.

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