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Research
ORIGINS of Neurodevelopmental Risk and ResilienceThis project aims to better understand the early genetic and environmental factors that the developing brain during a child’s first five years of life.

The Early Neurodevelopment and Mental Health team is focused on preventing childhood mental illness and optimising children’s development and wellbeing in the first years of their life. We are interested in understanding and identifying the factors that contribute to difficulties in mental health and development, as well as developing cost-effective prevention and early intervention approaches for addressing developmental needs and promoting resilience.

Years May January October April View the infographics that we have published in 2023 including building a secure attachment with your child, back to

View the infographics that we have published in 2022, including shyness in young children, early diagnosis of mental health disorders in children, nightmares & night terrors, and more.
Research
Caregiver-mediated interventions to support self-regulation among infants and young children (0-5 years): A protocol for a realist reviewSelf-regulation is a modifiable protective factor for lifespan mental and physical health outcomes. Early caregiver-mediated interventions to promote infant and child regulatory outcomes prevent long-term developmental, emotional and behavioural difficulties and improve outcomes such as school readiness, educational achievement and economic success. To harness the population health promise of these programmes, there is a need for more nuanced understanding of the impact of these interventions.
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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.
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Priority setting for children and young people with chronic conditions and disabilitiesThe aim of this project was to identify the top 10 priorities for childhood chronic conditions and disability (CCD) research from the perspectives of children and young people with lived experience, their parents and caregivers and the professionals who work with them.
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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
Lived experiences of the diagnostic assessment process for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: A systematic review of qualitative evidenceEarly assessment and diagnosis of FASD are crucial in providing therapeutic interventions that aim to enhance meaningful participation and quality of life for individuals and their families, while reducing psychosocial difficulties that may arise during adolescence and adulthood. Individuals with lived experience of FASD have expertise based on their own lives and family needs. Their insights into the assessment and diagnostic process are valuable for improving service delivery and informing the provision of meaningful, person- and family-centered care. To date, reviews have focused broadly on the experiences of living with FASD.
