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Bigiswun Kid Project: a longitudinal study of adolescents living with high rates of prenatal alcohol exposure, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and early life trauma in remote Australian Aboriginal communities

The Lililwan Project was the first Australian population-based prevalence study of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) using active case ascertainment. Conducted in 2010-2011, the study included 95% of all eligible children aged 7-9 years living in the very remote Aboriginal communities of the Fitzroy Valley, Western Australia.

Impact of covid-19 restrictions on western Australian children’s physical activity and screen time

Physical activity is essential for children’s healthy development, yet COVID-19 physical distancing restrictions such as school closures and staying at home, playground closures, and the cancelling of organised community sport have dramatically altered children’s opportunities to be physically active. This study describes changes in levels of physical activity and screen time from February 2020 (i.e., before COVID-19 restrictions were introduced in Western Australia) to May 2020 (i.e., when COVID-19 restrictions were in place). Parents of children aged 5 to 9 years from Western Australia were eligible to participate and recruited through convenience sampling.

Pets Are Associated with Fewer Peer Problems and Emotional Symptoms, and Better Prosocial Behavior: Findings from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children

Pets may protect children from developing social-emotional problems and should be taken into account when assessing child development and school readiness

The influence of the early childhood education and care environment on young children’s physical activity

The PLAYCE Study instruments provide reliable measures of early childhood education and care physical activity environments

Living liveable? RESIDE's evaluation of the “Liveable Neighborhoods” planning policy on the health supportive behaviors and wellbeing of residents in Perth

New suburban communities built in accordance with the “Liveable Neighbourhoods” policy have the potential to encourage health supportive behaviors

The effect of upgrades to childcare outdoor spaces on preschoolers’ physical activity: Findings from a natural experiment

This natural experiment investigated the influence of early childhood education and care outdoor physical environment upgrade on preschoolers' physical activity

Not just "A walking the dog": Dog walking and pet play and their association with recommended physical activity among adolescents

To examine the role of pet play and dog walking in children's and adolescents' leisure time, and the relationship between these activities and physical activity

The community food environment and its association with diet, health or weight status in Australia: A systematic review with recommendations for future research

This study systematically reviewed Australian literature to determine if an association exists between geospatial exposure to food outlets and diet, health or weight status. Recommendations for future research are provided.

Neighborhood Places for Preschool Children's Physical Activity: A Mixed-Methods Study Using Global Positioning System, Geographic Information Systems, and Accelerometry Data

This study adds to the current literature by using a novel device-based method to explore where preschool children are physically active outside of home and childcare settings. This study combined accelerometry with geospatial data to explore the influence of the environment on preschool children's physical activity by objectively identifying the locations where preschool children engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) within and outside of their neighborhood.

The impact of weather on time allocation to physical activity and sleep of child-parent dyads

Previous studies showed that unfavourable weather conditions discourage physical activity. However, it remains unclear whether unfavourable weather conditions have a differential impact on physical activity in children compared with adults.

Within- and between-person relationships between spontaneous self-affirmations, coping style, and wellbeing

Self-affirmations—responding to self-threatening information by reflecting on positive values or strengths—help to realign working self-concept and may support adaptive coping and wellbeing. Little research has been undertaken on spontaneous self-affirmations in response to everyday threats, and less has been undertaken on the relationships between spontaneous self-affirmations, coping, and wellbeing.

Understanding Current Staff Experiences, Practices and Needs in Supporting Young People with Neurodevelopmental Disorders in the Queensland Youth Justice System

Young people with neurodevelopmental disorders are overrepresented in the youth justice system and face many disadvantages due to their impairments. The current study investigated what factors predict and contribute to the behavior of youth justice professionals working in the Queensland (QLD) youth justice system, utilizing a behavior change wheel framework.

Cannabidiol for at risk for psychosis youth: A randomized controlled trial

No biological treatment has been firmly established for the at-risk stage of psychotic disorder. In this study we aim to test if subthreshold psychotic symptoms can be effectively treated with cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive compound of the plant Cannabis sativa.

Associations Between Developmental Risk Profiles, Mental Disorders, and Student Absences Among Primary and Secondary Students in Australia

This study assessed if the association between mental disorders and higher student absences varies across different profiles of risk factors, and estimated the proportion of student absences associated with mental disorders. Data included responses from a nationally representative Australian survey of child and adolescent mental health.

Justice capital: A model for reconciling structural and agentic determinants of desistance

The emerging literature on desistance (and recovery from addictions) has focused on key life-course transitions that can be characterised as the need for jobs (meaningful activities), friends (transitioning to pro-social) and houses (a home free from threat). The term ‘recovery capital’ is used to characterise personal, social and community resources an individual can draw upon to support their recovery, partly bridging agentic (personal) and structural (community) factors.

Risk of conduct and oppositional defiant disorder symptoms in offspring of parents with mental health problems: Findings from the Raine Study

Epidemiological data indicate that paternal and maternal mental health difficulties are predictors of conduct disorder (CD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) in offspring. We tested the association between maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms and paternal emotional problems with CD and ODD symptoms in adolescent offspring aged 17.

Lurasidone for Adolescents With Complex Mental Disorders: A Case Series

Lurasidone is a new second generation (atypical) antipsychotic agent with unique receptor affinity and side-effect profiles, but limited literature is available on its use in adolescent populations. Contrasting with research treatment trials which typically recruit patients by stringent selection criteria, this case series examined the effects and tolerability of using lurasidone in adolescents within real-life clinical settings in treating complex cases who had not responded to other therapy options. We conducted a retrospective case-note audit of 6 adolescents aged 14 to 17 years old attending community child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) who were prescribed lurasidone.

Parent of a year 7 student? NOW is the best time to talk to your child about drinking alcohol

Senior Research Officer from The Kids Research Institute Australia’s Human Development and Community Wellbeing team, Robyn Johnston, says now is actually a good time to start talking to them about alcohol - before they transition to the teenage years.

Award for Sun Safe app developed with teens

The Kids Research Institute Australia researchers who worked with young people to develop an app designed to help teenagers stay safe in the sun have been named joint winners of a new award for ‘Best Practice in Children’s Consultation’.