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Kids who attend playgroup do better at schoolNew research by The Kids Research Institute Australia has found children who attend playgroups achieve better early primary school outcomes.
People
Associate Professor Yasmin Harman-SmithHead, Early Years Systems Evidence; Head, Tenders Support Unit
Research
Powerful promotions: An investigation of the teen-directed marketing power of outdoor food advertisements located near schools in AustraliaAdolescents are heavily exposed to unhealthy outdoor food advertisements near schools, however, the marketing power of these advertisements among adolescents has not yet been explored. This study aimed to investigate the teen-directed marketing features present and quantify the overall marketing power of outdoor food advertisements located near schools to explore any differences by content (ie, alcohol, discretionary, core and miscellaneous foods) school type (ie, primary, secondary, K-12) and area-level socio-economic status (SES; ie, low vs high).
Research
Associations between School Readiness and Student Wellbeing: A Six-Year Follow Up StudyIt is well established that children’s school readiness is associated with their later academic achievement, but less is known about whether school readiness is also associated with other measures of school success, such as students’ social and emotional wellbeing. While some previous research has shown a link between early social and emotional development and student wellbeing, results are mixed and the strength of these relationships vary depending on whether data is based on child, teachers or parents ratings and which specific student wellbeing outcomes are measured.
Research
Consumption of energy drinks is associated with depression, anxiety, and stress in young adult males: Evidence from a longitudinal cohort studyEnergy drinks (EDs) claim to boost mental performance, however, few studies have examined the prospective effects of EDs on mental health. This study examined longitudinal associations between ED use and mental health symptoms in young adults aged 20 years over a 2-year period.
Research
Inside the black box of youth participation and engagement: Development and implementation of an organization-wide strategy for Orygen, a national youth mental health organization in AustraliaThe involvement of young people in the development, implementation and evaluation of youth mental health services, policy and research programs is essential to ensure they are appropriate and responsive to the needs of young people. Despite the increasingly central role that youth engagement and participation plays internationally, such activities are rarely described in detail.
Research
The role of social support in differentiating trajectories of adolescent depressed moodThis study explored the extent to which disaggregated support from family, peers, close friendships, teachers, and schools predicted membership into identified, sex-specific trajectories of depressed mood in 3210 Australian adolescents (49% females) based on self-report data collected at four annual time points from school Grade 6 to 9 (ages 10–16).
Research
Trainee therapist personality and the rating of cognitive behavioural and dynamic interpersonal therapy processesTherapist factors are generally thought to be important predictors of the capacity to understand and respond to clinical material. The current study aims to identify which features of personality and clinical symptomatology predict a trainee therapist's rating of cognitive behavioural and psychodynamic interpersonal processes in video recordings of these therapies.
Research
Exploring the mental health of circus artists: Circus factors, psychological resilience, and demographics predict disordered eating and exercise addictionsThere are similarities in the performance demands of circus and other performance domains such as leanness sports and dance, yet little is known about the mental health of circus artists. We explored self-reported disordered eating and exercise addictions in a sample of 500 circus artists.
Research
Prevalence of electronic device use before bed among Australian children and adolescents: a cross-sectional population level studyTo understand the prevalence of children and adolescents’ electronic device use (EDU) in the hour before bed and identify sociodemographic groups that are at increased risk of problematic use.