Generation Next Blog

March 2014

For infants, stress may be caught, not taught

By |2014-03-24T10:13:56+11:00March 24th, 2014|Categories: Mental Health & Wellbeing|Tags: , , , , , , |

New research shows that babies not only pick up on their mother's stress, they also show corresponding physiological changes. "Our research shows that infants 'catch' and embody the physiological residue of their mothers' stressful experiences," says lead researcher Sara Waters, postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, San Francisco. - from universities, journals, and other [...]

Neknomination: French attempt to outlaw social media binge drinking craze

By |2014-03-24T10:09:48+11:00March 20th, 2014|Categories: Drugs & Alcohol, Society & Culture|Tags: , , , , , , |

Young people in France who share videos as part of the Neknomination online drinking craze could face up to two years in jail if a charity succeeds in a legal complaint. The game, which is reported to have started in Australia and spread around the world, involves people filming themselves downing a drink before nominating [...]

Suicide voyeur has case overturned

By |2014-03-23T23:50:59+11:00March 20th, 2014|Categories: Cybersafety, Mental Health & Wellbeing|Tags: , , , , , |

The conviction of an American ‘‘suicide voyeur’’ who encouraged a British man and Canadian woman to take their own lives in an internet chat room has been overturned on free speech grounds. - Philip Sherwell via Suicide voyeur William Melchert-Dinkel, who posed as a female nurse and went by the name 'Falcon Girl', has case overturned.

Are selfies sparking more plastic surgery?

By |2014-03-23T23:17:16+11:00March 19th, 2014|Categories: Society & Culture|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

After being crowned word of the year in 2013, it was only a matter of time until ‘selfie’ became a business opportunity. According to a survey conducted by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, selfies are behind a boom in young people (well, young people in the United States anyway) seeking plastic [...]

Frequent childhood nightmares may indicate an increased risk of psychotic traits

By |2014-03-17T10:04:03+11:00March 17th, 2014|Categories: Mental Health & Wellbeing|Tags: , , , , , , , |

Children who suffer from frequent nightmares or bouts of night terrors may be at an increased risk of psychotic experiences in adolescence, according to new research that shows that children reporting frequent nightmares before the age of 12 were three and a half times more likely to suffer from psychotic experiences in early adolescence. Similarly, [...]

Brain development in the first three years of life- Radio New Zealand interview

By |2014-03-17T10:01:52+11:00March 17th, 2014|Categories: Mental Health & Wellbeing|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Nathan Mikaere Wallis is part of the Brain Wave Trust, and X Factor Education, Christchurch. He has been a lecturer at the Christchurch College of Education, lecturing in human development, brain development, language and communication and risk and resilience. Nathan has a background of working with children in counselling settings relating to domestic violence, sexual [...]

ADHD: Diagnosis may be a distraction from the truth

By |2014-03-24T00:13:06+11:00March 17th, 2014|Categories: Drugs & Alcohol, Mental Health & Wellbeing|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Chicago doctor Richard Saul argues in his deliberately controversial book ADHD Does Not Exist, which has just been published in Australia. ''Not a single individual - not even the person who finds it close to impossible to pay attention or sit still - is afflicted by the disorder called ADHD,'' Saul says. Yet he sees [...]

Your child’s lunchbox rating may be written in the stars

By |2014-03-17T09:54:30+11:00March 17th, 2014|Categories: Mental Health & Wellbeing, Society & Culture|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

A ham and cheese sandwich, muesli bar and milk popper might seem the typical combo for a school lunch box. But the differences in the overall nutritional value can be huge, depending on the brands. Consumer group Choice has applied the algorithm for the healthy food star rating system - controversially removed by Assistant Health [...]

‘Intelligent people are more likely to trust others’

By |2014-03-17T09:45:56+11:00March 17th, 2014|Categories: Mental Health & Wellbeing, Science & Research|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Intelligent people are more likely to trust others, while those who score lower on measures of intelligence are less likely to do so, says a new study. Oxford University researchers based their finding on an analysis of the General Social Survey, a nationally representative public opinion survey carried out in the United States every one [...]

Help With Teen Alcohol Use

By |2014-03-17T09:31:37+11:00March 17th, 2014|Categories: Drugs & Alcohol, Society & Culture|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Last week an article on the Generation Next Blog discussed how schools are struggling to deal with the perceived rise in teenage “binge drinking.”   Having been a high school teacher my whole professional life I have seen first hand how schools are expected to take an increasing responsibility in teaching students about these kids [...]

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