A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
It's fairly settled by now that too much screen time isn't good for kids, but for specifics we have to turn to science. A new study from researchers at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center may have filled in some of the blanks, finding that preschool-aged children had lower levels of white matter in their [...]
Therapies given to infants before they receive a diagnosis of autism may lead to important improvements in their language abilities, according to our new research published today in the journal Lancet Child and Adolescent Health. Children with autism typically begin therapy after receiving a diagnosis, which usually doesn’t occur until at least two years of [...]
Feeling lonely? A dog may help. Our research out today confirms what many dog owners already know: dogs are great companions that can help you to feel less lonely. Cuddles and slobbery kisses, meeting other dog owners in the park and a general lift in mood all likely help. But our study, published today in [...]
This talk is a rare thing in the discussion around teen pornography use: a measured, balanced take that doesn't shy away from the harms, but also avoids unhelpful moralising. This is unsurprising given the speaker's stance and background. As a trained social scientist with a sex-positive mindset, Prof Rothman is both trained to be objective [...]
When we think about support for anxiety, as with most mental health conditions, we're most likely to think of therapy and other fairly cerebral measures. But when someone is in the midst of an anxious situation, their ability to think and reason is severely impaired because their brain is being flooded with adrenaline. This is [...]
More than 12% of students with disability are being refused school enrolment, and over 40% are being excluded from school events and activities. These are some of the findings from a survey published today by the national organisation Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA). More than 500 young people with disability, and families [...]
We often remember childhood as a time when life seemed infinite and adventures in our backyard felt expansive, as if we were exploring other worlds. Climbing a tree was its own adventure. You could discover what you were capable of, while also getting the chance to see the world from a different vantage point. Of [...]
A new study into emotional and behavioural problems in Australian schoolboys aged eight to nine years old has found new and concerning trends in both the incidence and the impact of these problems, but no definitive cause. The Murdoch Children's Research Institute's Childhood to Adolescents Transition Study (CATS) found that one in five boys in [...]
The argument has raged back and forth in recent years on the presence and nature of a link between youth social media use and mental health outcomes. In an eight-year longitudinal study recently conducted by Brigham Young University, one finding stood out: the sheer amount of time spent using social media did not correlate to [...]
My friends are taking ecstasy at raves and music festivals. Is it safe? — Anonymous Key points no drug use, including ecstasy, is 100% safe festivals can present unique risks look out for friends, know the risks and where to get help. What is ecstasy or MDMA? Ecstasy is a slang term for drugs meant [...]
