A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
“Diagnostic delay” is a major concern for children and young people with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) – and also for their loved ones. The “delay” is the gap between first concerns about a child’s development, and their eventual diagnosis. In some cases this can be more than five years. Monash PhD candidate [...]
Join Andrew Fuller as he chats with guest Dr Rachael Sharman on virtual autism and the effects of technology on the human brain in the developing minds of young people. Adolescents and young children in a technology dependent world Is there a link between mental illness and technology? Effects of over-exposure to screen time in [...]
Nigel Howard, Flinders University and Andrew Bills, Flinders University Earlier this month, the ABC reported an alarming national poll about school refusal. Of the 1,000 parents surveyed by the Greens-commissioned poll, 39% agreed or strongly agreed their child had experienced school refusal in the past year. School refusal is already on the radar for policymakers. [...]
Josh Ambrosy, Federation University Australia Each year in Victoria, thousands of students disengage from school between the start of Year 9 and the end of Year 12. Many are expelled or suspended. Others simply switch off in class, skip lessons, or quit school to seek out different educational and training pathways. Whatever the reason, many [...]
Deborah Pino Pasternak, University of Canberra Many of us remember vividly being yelled at or feeling threatened by a family member, a teacher, or a boss. Terrifying experiences often get imprinted in our memory; remembering frightening events is essential to avoid them in future. It is a normal reaction that promotes our survival. This strong [...]
Ben Bullock, Swinburne University of Technology This article is the next in The Conversation’s six-part series on insomnia, which charts the rise of insomnia during industrialisation to sleep apps today. Read other articles in the series here. The 2004 movie The Machinist gives us a striking depiction, albeit a fictional one, of the psychological effects [...]
Lauren Ball, The University of Queensland; Emily Burch, Southern Cross University, and Pui Ting Wong, The University of Queensland Painful periods are common. More than half of people who menstruate have some pain for up to three days a month, typically throbbing or cramping in the lower abdomen. Digestive changes – such as vomiting, gas, [...]
Emma Beckett, University of Newcastle Do you hate salad? It’s OK if you do, there are plenty of foods in the world, and lots of different ways to prepare them. But given almost all of us don’t eat enough vegetables, even though most of us (81%) know eating more vegetables is a simple way to [...]
Clare Dix, The University of Queensland and Stella Boyd-Ford, The University of Queensland Heading back to school is a time of great anticipation for many families, but it is not without challenges. One of the big challenges is preparing healthy, easy, affordable and appealing lunchboxes. Lunchboxes are vital for supporting children’s energy levels throughout the [...]
Kristina Sincock, University of Newcastle; Felicia Jaremus, University of Newcastle, and Sally Patfield, University of Newcastle Australian school students feel immense pressure to go to university, often at the exclusion of all other pathways, which can lead to devastating mental health effects. That’s among the headline findings of our decade-long program of research on the [...]
