A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
This longer read relates how Sesame Street is tackling tough issues that impact kids, such as foster care and family homelessness. Some are aware that the show has been starting to cover difficult real-world issues recently, but not many realise just how much research and consultation goes into making these topics kid-friendly while still conveying [...]
The concept of schizophrenia is dying. Harried for decades by psychology, it now appears to have been fatally wounded by psychiatry, the very profession that once sustained it. Its passing will not be mourned. Today, having a diagnosis of schizophrenia is associated with a life-expectancy reduction of nearly two decades. By some criteria, only one [...]
As the global climate crisis accelerates, early childhood teachers and researchers are considering whether and how to approach the issue with children. Should we talk openly about the crisis and encourage children to change their daily practices? Or is there a risk that in doing so, we are inflicting anxiety on young minds, still in [...]
A recent study has found that over one quarter of regular practitioners of meditation have experienced unpleasant psychological experiences as a result, indicating a need for further research into the potential negative effects of meditation. The study, led by University College of London researchers and published in PLOS One, asked participants if they had experienced [...]
Many parents have difficulty when their kids hit preadolescence, as this is a major period of physical and cognitive change. In particular, a child's increased independence and need for distance from their parents can be a real struggle to adapt to. This is also a time when children need a good relationship with their parents [...]
This article features advice from Emma Goodall on how parents can ensure their autistic child has the best possible experience at school. As a person with autism as well as a teacher who specialises in teaching autistic children, Emma's experience is invaluable in this area. The basis of Emma's message is to be constructive rather [...]
School bullying can have serious consequences for victims including depression, psychosis, self-harm and suicide. With increasing evidence of harm, a groundswell of school anti-bullying programs and campaigns in Australia and internationally have vowed to stamp out bullying. The schools’ intentions are good, but often these programs have not been properly evaluated for effectiveness, and studies [...]
The more we persevere and sticks to life goals, the lower our risk of mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression in the decades that follow, a new study suggests. In the study, which was published recently in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, researchers focused on three things in particular: goal persistence, self-mastery, and [...]
The Age newspaper recently highlighted the issue of so-called “helicopter parenting” at universities. The report talked of parents contacting lecturers to ask about their adult children’s grades, sitting in on meetings with course coordinators and repeatedly phoning academics to inquire about students’ progress. Over-parenting involves parents using developmentally inappropriate tactics that far exceed the actual [...]
When high-schoolers are completing their senior years, it can feel as if the whole family is doing Year 11 or Year 12, according to clinical psychologist Andrew Fuller. Parents have a vital role in helping their teens - and that includes helping them to manage their time, energy, and stress - and to get everything [...]
