Bridging the gap between research and real life
When trying to convince someone to take action, our words matter – even more so when talking to a young person.
If you have ever parented a child or worked with youth, you have likely witnessed that lectures rarely lead to whole-hearted behavior change, even when the lecturer has the best intentions. So, what’s the best way to encourage behavior change in young people, especially when there is a serious health problem at hand? [Read more…]
Approximately one in six youth ages six to seventeen in the U.S. have a mental illness; depression, anxiety and behavior disorders are among the most common. Data suggest that youth today are five times more likely to experience mental health problems compared to decades past. Today, the uncertainty that comes along with the COVID-19 pandemic is certainly detracting from students’ mental health and well-being. [Read more…]
Children are heading back to school this month in many states across the nation. In most school districts, this is the first time that kids have been inside school buildings since COVID-19 spread across the U.S. in March. [Read more…]
Kids in the U.S. are well into the lazy days of summer.
Summer vacation – and in some cases, distance learning that felt like summer vacation! – started early this year for many youths when schools closed to slow the spread of the corona virus. For most kids, summer vacation marks a time when they are less engaged in educational pursuits like reading, math and problem solving. And with camps and day cares closed in many parts of the country, more kids than ever are spending extra time at home, and likely in front of screens. [Read more…]
Schools across the nation have been closed for weeks, and many are attempting to teach students staying at home as the nation works to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. [Read more…]
More than 80 percent of teenagers now have smartphones in the U.S. In fact, half of all U.S. youth get their own personal phone by age 11 – up nearly 20 percentage points from four years ago, according to a national survey.
The medical conditions we now call “autism spectrum disorders” were first identified and labeled in the late 1930s. This group of disorders result in communication difficulties, repetitive behaviors, sensory issues, and problems with social interaction. The medical community’s understanding of these disorders and the best ways to treat them is constantly evolving. [Read more…]
Somewhere between 1 and 1.7 million youth under the age of 18 are homeless in the United States, with often destructive consequences. Young people who experience homelessness are at high risk for a variety of physical and mental health problems, violence and early death. [Read more…]
We’ve written previously about how racism affects the health and well-being of millions of Americans. The evidence demonstrates that people who experience racial discrimination are more likely to have a range of health problems, including poorer mental health and a lower quality of life.
Reading is an essential life skill that predicts success on many levels later in life. There is clear evidence demonstrating that young people who do not learn to read proficiently are more likely to live in poverty, achieve a lower educational level, and become involved with the criminal justice system. [Read more…]
Research shows that approximately 17 percent of youth intentionally injure themselves at some point – not in an effort to take their own lives, but as a cry for help or an emotional release. Self-injury is most common among teenagers, and more common among sexual minorities and youth with mental health disorders. [Read more…]
When you think of sex education, the first thing that comes to mind may be a classroom full of giggling and blushing middle school students. But there is clear evidence that the foundations for sex education – and much of what determines adolescents’ knowledge, attitudes and behavior – comes from parents and guardians at home. [Read more…]
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