A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
Can you answer this question? Which of the following four activities is most popular with children - watching TV, going online, playing sport or reading books? According to Ofcom research carried out last year, ‘going online’ is the correct answer. But perhaps this comes as no surprise at all for many parents coming out of [...]
Australian researchers have contributed to a 7 nation study of the impacts of media violence on youth. The study, just published online in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, used the same research methodology in each of Australia, China, Croatia, Germany, Japan, Romania, and the US. It found that: violent media use was positively and [...]
Toddlers who spend time playing on smartphones and tablets seem to get slightly less sleep than those who do not, say researchers. The study in Scientific Reports suggests every hour spent using a touchscreen each day was linked to 15 minutes less sleep. However, those playing with touchscreens do develop their fine motor skills more [...]
Sleep deprivation is a growing problem in schools, with pupils struggling to concentrate in lessons due to lack of sleep, MPs have been told. Edward Timpson, minister for children and families, highlighted the issue while being questioned by MPs who are investigating the role of education in preventing mental health problems in children and young [...]
Weight loss can be a challenge no matter who you are. However, there’s an overwhelming amount of technology to help make it easier. But where to begin? A quick search for “weight loss apps” on a smartphone turns up hundreds of results. That’s a lot of information, and potentially, a lot of wasted money figuring [...]
Most parents know what it's like to have to drag their child kicking and screaming – sometimes literally – away from a screen. Almost 70 per cent of parents have seen tantrums after taking their child's device away, according to a new survey, while about 40 per cent said using technology made their children more [...]
For young adults, social media may not be so social after all. Among people in that age group, heavy use of platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram was associated with feelings of social isolation, a study finds. The results surprised study co-author Brian Primack. "It's social media, so aren't people going to be socially [...]
Fitness trackers and mental health apps could be doing more harm than good because they are not based on sound science, researchers have warned, comparing some health app developers to “snake oil salesmen of the 1860s”. Greg Hager, professor of computer science at Johns Hopkins University, said that in the absence of trials or scientific [...]
Children now spend more time on the internet than watching television, according to a survey of young Australians aged six to 13. In 2016 kids spent an average of 12 hours a week online compared to 10.5 hours spent in front of the TV. The online figure is nearly double the time reported in 2008 [...]
Scene One: It’s December 2015, in Melbourne, and the Royal Melbourne Children’s Hospital releases the results of its first Australian Child Health Poll. Excessive screen time has emerged as the top ‘big problem’ for the health of Australian children and teenagers ahead of obesity; not enough physical activity; unhealthy diet; bullying; illegal drug use; family [...]
