Stephen Zubrick

WA Aboriginal Child Health Survey (WAACHS) Data Linkage Study

This study is a partnership between researchers, the Aboriginal community and government to provide evidence for policy and practice addressing high priority health and wellbeing issues for Aboriginal children and families.

Ngulluk Koolunga Ngulluk Koort (Our Children, Our Heart) Program

Brings the Aboriginal community(s) of Perth together with service providers & policy makers to improve outcomes for Aboriginal kids and their families.

DETECT Schools

The DETECT-Schools Study was launched in May 2020 as a partnership between the WA Government Departments of Education and Health with The Kids Research Institute Australia. 

Developmental Pathways in WA Children Project (Developmental Pathways Project)

PLAYCE PAWS: The health and developmental benefits of companion animals for young children

Young Minds Matter

Tassie Kids: Pathways

Developing a protocol for a national study of bullying prevalance in school-aged children

Understanding the reasons behind student absences

Time investment and child development

The effectiveness of a Consumer Centred Tobacco Management (CCTM) approach in enabling mental health consumers to reduce or quit smoking

Pathways between racial discrimination and the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people

NEET in Australia: Characteristics of Social Security Payment Recipients who are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET)

Multigenerational disadvantage in Australia

Data for policy

Bilingualism, Parental English Skills and Child and Adolescent Development

A data infrastructure for improving Aboriginal life pathways: the influence of health, education, child protection and justice systems over time and across generations

The ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course

The ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course (Life Course Centre or LCC)

The Life Course Centre is a national centre funded by the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence Scheme and hosted through the University of Queensland with collaborating nodes at the University of Western Australia, Sydney University and University of Melbourne.

The effects of sleep duration on child health and development

Children and adolescents spend more than one-third of their time sleeping. Yet, we know little about the causal impact of sleeping on their development. This paper is the first to exploit variation in local daily daylight duration measured on pre-determined diary dates across the same individuals through time as an instrument in an individual fixed effects regression model to draw causal estimates of sleep duration on a comprehensive set of child development indicators. 

Retirement, housing mobility, downsizing and neighbourhood quality - A causal investigation

This paper provides the first causal evidence on the impact of retirement on housing choices. Our empirical strategy exploits the discontinuity in the eligibility ages for state pension as an instrument for the endogenous retirement decision and controls for time-invariant individual characteristics. The results show that retirement leads to a statistically significant and sizable increase in the probability of making a residential move or the likelihood of becoming outright homeowners.

Feasibility of a Consumer Centred Tobacco Management intervention in Community Mental Health Services in Australia

This study tested a new program for helping smokers with severe mental illness to reduce their tobacco use, together with determining the feasibility of such research in community mental health settings in Australia.

The causal impact of mental health on tobacco and alcohol consumption: An instrumental variables approach

The reciprocal relationship between psychiatric and substance use disorders is well-known, yet it remains largely unknown whether mental health morbidity causally leads to addictive behaviours. This paper utilises a fixed effects instrumental variables model, which is identified by time-varying sources of plausibly exogenous variations in mental health, and a nationally representative panel dataset from Australia to present robust evidence on the causal impact of mental distress on cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking behaviours.

“It helps and it doesn’t help”: maternal perspectives on how the use of smartphones and tablet computers influences parent-infant attachment

As families increase their use of mobile touch screen devices (smartphones and tablet computers), there is potential for this use to influence parent-child interactions required to form a secure attachment during infancy, and thus future child developmental outcomes. Thirty families of infants (aged 9-15 months) were interviewed to explore how parents and infants use these devices, and how device use influenced parents' thoughts, feelings and behaviours towards their infant and other family interactions.

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.

Causal Impact of Physical Activity on Child Health and Development

The relationship between physical activity and child health and development is well-documented, yet the extant literature provides limited causal insight into the amount of physical activity considered optimal for improving any given health or developmental outcome.

‘Stranger danger’, ‘abduction risks’ and ‘fear’: Media coverage of children's independent mobility and parental attitudes

The media plays a powerful role in shaping health-related attitudes and behaviours. We investigated media reports about children's independent mobility (CIM) and associations with parental attitudes towards CIM. CIM-related media reports (newspaper, online, television) during a 3-month period were extracted from two databases.

A study protocol for community implementation of a new mental health monitoring system spanning early childhood to young adulthood

Findings from longitudinal research, globally, repeatedly emphasise the importance of a taking an early life course approach to mental health promotion; one that invests in the formative years of development, from early childhood to young adulthood, just prior to the transition to parenthood for most. While population monitoring systems have been developed for this period, they are typically designed for use within discrete stages.

Creating Equitable Opportunities for Language and Literacy Development in Childhood and Adolescence

The majority of children acquire language effortlessly but approximately 10% of all children find it difficult especially in the early or preschool years with consequences for many aspects of their subsequent development and experience: literacy, social skills, educational qualifications, mental health and employment.

Life Course Research and Social Policies

In this chapter we present the research questions motivating the book and outline key themes and issues guiding the chapters. We provide a broad overview of the Australian social, political and economic context to give readers an understanding of some of the key features of Australian society.

Families, Life Courses and the Intergenerational Transmission of Social Disadvantage in Australia

In this chapter, we describe the life course approach and explain key concepts and principles. We also review variations in life course theory across disciplines including differences in terminology and understanding of core elements of life course theory.

Emerging Directions and New Challenges

In this chapter we provide a brief summary of the key themes of the book, identify emerging directions and challenges in life course theory and data designs and highlight some policy challenges for researchers going forward. © 2022, The Author(s).

Early Years and Disadvantage: Matching Developmental Circumstances in Populations to Prevention and Intervention Opportunities

In this chapter we use rich longitudinal data to examine the typical growth of vocabulary in children as they age from 4 years onwards.

Transfers of disadvantage across three generations using latent class associations within families

There is a large volume of research on the persistence of advantage and disadvantage across generations. Intergenerational studies typically address family resources as independent factors, which ignores how risks cluster together and accumulate over time.

Gender differences in time allocation contribute to differences in developmental outcomes in children and adolescents

Using over 50 thousand time-use diaries from two cohorts of children, we document significant gender differences in time allocation in the first 16 years in life. Relative to males, females spend more time on personal care, chores and educational activities and less time on physical and media related activities. These gender gaps in time allocation appear at very young ages and widen overtime.

The impact of weather on time allocation to physical activity and sleep of child-parent dyads - Life Course Centre Working Paper Series 2021

This study explores the differential impact of weather on time allocation to physical activity and sleep by children and their parents. We use nationally representative data with time use indicators objectively measured on multiple occasions for more than 1,100 child-parent pairs, coupled with daily meteorological data.

School readiness is more than the child: a latent class analysis of child, family, school and community aspects of school readiness

In this paper, we aim to contribute to the understanding of the multidimensional nature of school readiness. In a sample of over 4,000 Australian children in their first year of school, we used latent class analysis to examine patterns of school readiness based on child, family, school and community characteristics, and examine the relationship between these patterns of school readiness and subsequent outcomes (reading comprehension, school absence and emotional and behavioural difficulties).

Use of administrative record linkage to examine patterns of universal early childhood health and education service use from birth to Kindergarten (age 4 years) and developmental vulnerability in the Preparatory Year (age 5 years) in Tasmania, Australia

In Australia, the health and education sectors provide universal early childhood services for the same population of children. Therefore, there is a strong imperative to view service use and outcomes through a cross-sectoral lens to better understand and address the service needs of young children and their families.

The relationship between dog ownership, dog play, family dog walking, and pre-schooler social-emotional development: findings from the PLAYCE observational study

Regular physical activity provides children with health and developmental benefits. This study investigated if active play and walking with the family dog was associated with better social-emotional development in young children.

‘There’s good and bad’: parent perspectives on the influence of mobile touch screen device use on prenatal attachment

The potential for human-computer interaction to have a substantial impact on adults is well documented. However, its potential importance prior to birth has rarely been reported. Parental use of smartphones and tablet computers could influence the relationship between parent and baby during pregnancy (prenatal attachment) and thus child development.

Parental Perspectives on Children’s School Readiness: An Ethnographic Study

School readiness is a construct used by educators and policy makers to describe a range of abilities that are beneficial for children transitioning to school. The association of socioeconomic disadvantage with developmental vulnerability when children start school is well established. Parents play a crucial role in supporting children’s transition to school and are acknowledged as their child’s first and foremost teacher.

Correlates of Help-Seeking Behaviour in Adolescents Who Experience Bullying Victimisation

A commonly suggested strategy for addressing bullying is for victims to seek help from a trusted person. Despite this recommendation, there are a group of adolescent victims who choose not to seek help. This study aimed to identify factors associated with not seeking help among adolescents who experienced bullying victimisation.

Anxiety Trajectories in Adolescents and the Impact of Social Support and Peer Victimization

This paper examines whether adolescents can be reliably categorized into subgroups based on their patterns of anxiety levels over time and whether low levels of social support from parents, peers, and their school, and high levels of peer victimization, predict a pattern of increasing anxiety.

Western Australian adolescent emotional wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been vast and are not limited to physical health. Many adolescents have experienced disruptions to daily life, including changes in their school routine and family’s financial or emotional security, potentially impacting their emotional wellbeing.

“Coronavirus Changed the Rules on Everything”: Parent Perspectives on How the COVID‐19 Pandemic Influenced Family Routines, Relationships and Technology Use in Families with Infants

This study explores how the first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic influenced family routines, relationships and technology use (smartphones and tablet computers) among families with infants. Infancy is known to be an important period for attachment security and future child development, and a time of being susceptible to changes within and outside of the family unit.

“Coronavirus Changed the Rules on Everything”: Parent Perspectives on How the COVID‐19 Pandemic Influenced Family Routines, Relationships and Technology Use in Families with Infants

This study explores how the first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic influenced family routines, relationships and technology use (smartphones and tablet computers) among families with infants. Infancy is known to be an important period for attachment security and future child development, and a time of being susceptible to changes within and outside of the family unit.

Clustering of psychosocial symptoms in overweight children

The aims of the present study were to (i) examine the relationship between children's degree of adiposity and psychosocial functioning; and (ii) compare patterns of clustering of psychosocial measures between healthy weight and overweight/obese children.

The role of family and maternal factors in childhood obesity

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between a child's weight and a broad range of family and maternal factors.

Not in employment, education or training (NEET); more than a youth policy issue

Australians who are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) and receive income support span a wide spectrum of working ages. Australian research has concentrated on NEETs aged 15-29 years, in line with international standards. This paper investigates extending the NEET concept to include all working age persons 15-64 years and the value added to welfare policy through analysis of a new linked dataset.

Never Let a Crisis Go to Waste: Opportunities to Reduce Social Disadvantage from COVID‐19

This article identifies and examines a range of policy reform opportunities in Australia arising from COVID-19. The authors demonstrate how COVID-19 presents unique opportunities for rethinking and redesigning long-standing rules and regulations covering how people live and work in Australia.

Universal child health and early education service use from birth through Kindergarten and developmental vulnerability in the Preparatory Year (age 5 years) in Tasmania, Australia

This study investigated patterns of universal health and education service use from birth through Kindergarten (age 4 years) and estimated associations between cumulative risk and service use patterns, and between service use patterns and children's developmental vulnerability in the Preparatory Year (age 5 years).

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.

The impact on service collaboration of co-location of early childhood services in tasmanian child and family centres: An ethnographic study

There is a global trend towards place-based initiatives (PBIs) to break the cycle of disadvantage and promote positive child development. Co-location is a common element of these initiatives and is intended to deliver more coordinated services for families of young children. This paper examines how co-locating early childhood services (ECS) from health and education in Child and Family Centres (CFCs) has impacted collaboration between services.

DETECT Schools Study Protocol: A Prospective Observational Cohort Surveillance Study Investigating the Impact of COVID-19 in Western Australian Schools

Amidst the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, understanding the transmission dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is key to providing peace of mind for the community and informing policy-making decisions. While available data suggest that school-aged children are not significant spreaders of SARS-CoV-2, the possibility of transmission in schools remains an ongoing concern, especially among an aging teaching workforce. Even in low-prevalence settings, communities must balance the potential risk of transmission with the need for students' ongoing education.

Maternal prenatal stress exposure and sex-specific risk of severe infection in offspring

Maternal stressful life events during pregnancy have been associated with immune dysregulation and increased risk for asthma and atopy in offspring. Few studies have investigated whether prenatal stress is associated with increased overall or specific infectious diseases in childhood, nor explored sex differences. We sought to examine the relationship between the nature and timing of maternal stress in pregnancy and hospitalisation with infection in offspring.

Racial discrimination and allostatic load among First Nations Australians: a nationally representative cross-sectional study

Increased allostatic load is linked with racial discrimination exposure, providing a mechanism for the biological embedding of racism as a psychosocial stressor. We undertook an examination of how racial discrimination interacts with socioecological, environmental, and health conditions to affect multisystem dysregulation in a First Nations population.

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

Associations between clusters of early life risk factors and developmental vulnerability at age 5

This study investigated the associations between clusters of early life risk factors and developmental vulnerability in children's first year of full-time school at age 5

Heritability of Specific Language Impairment and Nonspecific Language Impairment at Ages 4 and 6 Years Across Phenotypes of Speech, Language, and Nonverbal Cognition

Nonverbal IQ is not on the same causal pathway as language impairments

Children's neighbourhood physical environment and early development: an individual child level linked data study

The neighbourhood physical environment has a weak but significant association with early childhood development

Racial discrimination and child and adolescent health in longitudinal studies: A systematic review

This review emphasises the need to gain evidence for the mechanisms linking early racism exposure to adverse health outcomes in later life

Maternal Alcohol-Use Disorder and Child Outcomes

The effects of maternal alcohol-use disorder are experienced by the majority of exposed children rather than a vulnerable subgroup of this population

Caregiver-perceived racial discrimination is associated with diverse mental health outcomes in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 7-12 years

Exposure to racial discrimination in Aboriginal children increased the risk for a spectrum of interrelated factors linked to negative mental health

Does Child Care in the First Year of Life Pose a Risk for Concurrent and Future Ear Infections?

The longitudinal analyses found no evidence of increased (or decreased) long-term risk of ear infections in subsequent waves associated with attending a child care centre

Poverty, Parental Mental Health and Child/Adolescent Mental Disorders: Findings from a National Australian Survey

The purpose of this study is to examine the association between poverty and child mental disorders

Multiple risk exposures for reading achievement in childhood and adolescence

Across 6 years of school, multiple risk-exposed children lagged behind low risk-exposed children in the order of years of lost gains in reading achievement

Childcare Use and Its Role in Indigenous Child Development: Evidence from the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children in Australia

Relatively disadvantaged children might benefit more from attending childcare, as indicated by the positive estimated effects found for those who never attended childcare

Association between psychotic experiences and non-accidental self-injury: results from a nationally representative survey of adolescents

Adolescents reporting any sychotic experiences in the past 12 months reported increased likelihood of non-accidental self-injury in the same time period

The Great Recession and Children’s Mental Health in Australia

This paper analyzes the effects of “shocks” to community-level unemployment expectations, induced by the Great Recession, on children’s mental well-being

Prevalence of Racial Discrimination in a Cohort of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children

This study looked at the frequency of racism experiences over time in a population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children

How body composition influences hearing status by mid-childhood and mid-life: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children

Concurrent adiposity and decade-long BMI trajectories showed small, but clear, associations with poor hearing in mid-life women

Prevalence and correlates of psychotic experiences in a nationally representative sample of Australian adolescents

Hallucinatory and delusional experiences are common in Australian adolescents

Prevalence of Mental Disorders Among Children and Adolescents of Parents with Self-Reported Mental Health Problems

This paper provides Australian population-level estimates of the prevalence of parental self-reported lifetime mental disorders and past 12 month mental disorders in their children

Development and Assessment of Cumulative Risk Measures of Family Environment and Parental Investments in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children

This study aimed to derive and assess summary indices of three domains of the family environment, including a Family Stress Index, Home Education Index and Parenting Index

A profile of social, separation and generalized anxiety disorders in an Australian nationally representative sample of children and adolescents

Social, separation and generalized anxiety disorders in young people are relatively common and impairing, with a high level of comorbidity

Psychosocial resilience and vulnerability in Western Australian Aboriginal youth

We review findings from our previous studies which show the application of a person-based resilience framework of analysis in the context of WA aboriginal youth

What Influences Parents’ Fear about Children’s Independent Mobility? Evidence from a State-Wide Survey of Australian Parents

To identify factors associated with generalized and stranger-specific PF about CIM, a critical aspect of physical activity.

Educational inequality across three generations in Australia

Using a dataset of Australian children, we have the opportunity to not only investigate the transfer of educational resources across 3 generations in Australia.

Efficacy of the Aussie Optimism Program: Promoting Pro-social Behavior and Preventing Suicidality in Primary School Students. A Randomised-Controlled Trial

Aussie Optimism Program with teacher training along with coaching may have the potential to positively impact on suicidality and pro-social behavior in the pre-adolescent years

The Diverse Risk Profiles of Persistently Absent Primary Students: Implications for Attendance Policies in Australia

Understanding variations in risk profiles among persistently non-attending children will inform the development of absence interventions.

Mental disorders in Australian 4- to 17- year olds: Parent-reported need for help

To describe the extent to which parents report that 4- to 17-year-olds with symptoms meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

Prenatal and perinatal risks for late language emergence in a population-level sample of twins at age 2

This study investigated the extent to which prenatal and perinatal risk factors were associated with LLE in a population-level sample of twins at age 2 without overt disability.

Does the reason matter? How student-reported reasons for school absence contribute to differences in achievement outcomes among 14–15 year olds

We used data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children to examine the reasons for 14-15 year old absences and how they relate to outcomes in year 9.

Longitudinal study of language and speech of twins at 4 and 6 years: Twinning effects decrease, zygosity effects disappear, and heritability increases

This study investigates the heritability of language, speech, and nonverbal cognitive development of twins at 4 and 6 years of age.

Relationship between the neighbourhood built environment and early child development

The relationship between features of the neighbourhood built environment and early child development was investigated

Maternal alcohol use disorder and subsequent child protection contact: A record-linkage population cohort study

We examined the relationship between a maternal alcohol-use diagnosis, and the timing of diagnosis, and child protection outcomes in a Western Australian population cohort.

The continuity and duration of depression and its relationship to non-suicidal self-harm and suicidal ideation and behavior in adolescents 12–17

Overlap between non-suicidal self-harm and suicidal ideation and behavior in young people with both symptom continuity and symptom duration implicated in this association

Prevalence and correlates of bullying victimisation and perpetration in a nationally representative sample of Australian youth

The current findings showed that involvement in any bullying behaviour was associated with increased risk of concurrent mental health problems

Maternal Alcohol Use Disorder and Risk of Child Contact with the Justice System in Western Australia: A Population Cohort Record Linkage Study

Children who were exposed to a maternal alcohol use disorder had significantly increased odds of contact with the justice system.

Maternal alcohol use disorder and subsequent child protection contact: A record-linkage population cohort study

We examined the relationship between a maternal alcohol-use diagnosis, and the timing of diagnosis, and child protection outcomes in a WA population cohort.

Maternal alcohol use disorder and child school attendance outcomes for non-Indigenous and Indigenous children in Western Australia: A population cohort record linkage study.

Maternal alcohol use disorder was associated with a significantly increased odds of poor school attendance for non-Indigenous and Indigenous children.

The psychosocial burden of childhood overweight and obesity: evidence for persisting difficulties in boys and girls

Overweight and obese children reported greater psychosocial distress than healthy weight children, and these differences were more pronounced for girls than boys.

Properties of the DASS-21 in an Australian Community Adolescent Population

This study evaluated for a multifactor structure in the DASS-21 teenagers and the specifics of the 3 subscales for teenagers in general at different stages.

Maternal alcohol disorders and school achievement: a population cohort record linkage study in Western Australia

Children of mothers with alcohol use disorders are at risk of not meeting minimum educational benchmarks in numeracy and literacy, with the risk highest among Indigenous children.

The collective impact of rare diseases in Western Australia: An estimate using a population-based cohort

This cohort study provides new evidence of a disparity between the proportion of the population with rare diseases and their combined health-system costs

Worries, 'weirdos', neighborhoods and knowing people: a qualitative study with children and parents regarding children's independent mobility

This study involved focus groups with 132 children and 12 parents in primary and secondary school in Victoria to explore children's independent mobility.

Mental disorders in Australian 4- to 17- year olds: Parent-reported need for help

Many children and adolescents meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition criteria for mental disorders have a completely unmet need for help, especially those with conduct disorders.

Family structure and childhood mental disorders: new findings from Australia

This report provides new evidence of the relationships between family structure and childhood mental disorders in an under-researched context, Australia

Associations between school absence and academic achievement: Do socioeconomics matter?

School attendance should therefore be a priority for all schools, and not just those with high rates of absence or low average achievement.

The Prevalence of Stimulant and Antidepressant Use by Australian Children and Adolescents

A minority of 4- to 17-year-olds with ADHD and major depressive disorder were being treated with stimulant or antidepressant medication

Patterns of multiple risk exposures for low receptive vocabulary growth 4-8 years in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children

Our results demonstrate a range of multiple risk profiles in a population-representative sample of Australian children and highlight the mix of risk factors faced by children

Nowhere to Go and Nothing to Do but Sit? Youth Screen Time and the Association With Access to Neighborhood Destinations

With not much to do in their neighborhood, youth may spend more time in the home engaged in screen-based activities

Influence of the day care, home and neighbourhood environment on young children's physical activity and health: protocol for the PLAYCE observational study

The PLAYCE study will empirically investigate the relative and cumulative influence of the day care, and home environment on preschoolers’ physical activity

Introducing ‘Young Minds Matter’

This article describes the survey, the response rates achieved and the representativeness of the sample for the Young Minds Matter survey

Childhood Overweight and Obesity: Maternal and Family Factors

The need to target prevention and intervention efforts for childhood overweight and obesity towards families with overweight parents

Barriers to Parent–Child Book Reading in Early Childhood

Parent–child book reading interventions alone are unlikely to meet needs of children and families for whom the absence of reading is psychosocial risk factor

Methodology of Young Minds Matter: The second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing

Aims, sample design, development of survey content, field procedures and final questionnaires of the Young Minds Matter study

Service use by Australian children for emotional and behavioural problems: Findings from the second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing

The proportion of children and adolescents in Australia with mental disorders who used services for emotional and behavioural problems

Key findings from the second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing

The prevalence of mental disorders in children and adolescents in Australia, and the severity and impact of those mental disorders

Self-harm: Prevalence estimates from the second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing

The demonstrated higher risks in young people for continued harm or possible death support the need for ongoing initiatives to reduce self-harm

Suicidal behaviours: Prevalence estimates from the second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing

Mental disorders should be a leading intervention point for suicide prevention both in the primary health sector and in the mental health sector specifically

Study protocol for screening and diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) among young people sentenced to detention in Western Australia

This study aims to establish FASD prevalence among sentenced young people in detention in Western Australia (WA)

Maternal Work–Family Conflict and Psychological Distress: Reciprocal Relationships Over 8 Years

Employed mothers may benefit from policies and workplace practices that promote maternal well-being and reduce conflicts between employment and raising children

Internet use and electronic gaming by children and adolescents with emotional and behavioural problems in Australia

There are links between problem behaviours associated with Internet use and electronic gaming, and mental disorders and risk-taking behaviour in young people

Testing for Response Shift Bias in Evaluations of School Antibullying Programs

Researchers conducting program evaluations in other contexts are advised to consider testing for this potential source of bias in their studies

Longitudinal research: Applications for the design, conduct and dissemination of early childhood research

The conduct of longitudinal research in early childhood is the focus of this chap­ter

Relationships between Psychosocial Resilience and Physical Health Status of Western Australian Urban Aboriginal Youth

The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which factors previously documented as buffering the impact of high-risk family environments on...

Children and young people at risk of disengagement from school

The review examines the international literature to determine how disengagement can be defined & understood, & then examines student disengagement in Australia.

Patterns and Predictors of Language and Literacy Abilities 4-10 Years in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children

This research focuses on three questions 1) What are the patterns of stability & change; 2) what are the predictors of this progression, and; 3) what is the...

Impact of adolescent peer aggression on later educational and employment outcomes in an Australian cohort

This study used prospective birth cohort data to analyse the relationship between peer aggression at 14 years of age and educational and employment outcomes...

Playgroup participation and social support outcomes for mothers of young children: A longitudinal cohort study.

This study aimed to examine friendship networks and social support outcomes for mothers according to patterns of playgroup participation.

Two methods for engaging with the community in setting priorities for child health research: Who engages?

The Western Australian Telethon Kids Institute Participation Program employs a range of methods for fostering active involvement of community members in its...

Measuring Severity of Mental Disorders with the Young Minds Matter: Parent/Carer-Reported Impact Items

This document describes the calibration of the parent/carer reported impact items developed for use in the Second Australian Child & Adolescent Survey of...

The influence of the neighborhood physical environment on early child health and development: A review and call for research

This review examines evidence of the association between the neighborhood built environment, green spaces and outdoor home area, and early (0-7 years) child...

The effect of the social and physical environment on children's independent mobility to neighborhood destinations

Relationships between context-specific measures of the physical and social environment and children's independent mobility to neighborhood destination types...

Development and validation of the Australian Aboriginal racial identity and self-esteem survey for 8-12 year old children (IRISE-C)

In Australia, there is little empirical research of the racial identity of Indigenous children and youth as the majority of the current literature focuses on...

The Mental Health of Children and Adolescents. Report on the second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing

This report regards the health & wellbeing of Australian children & adolescents. Based on a survey conducted in the homes of over 6,300 families with...

Reliability and Validity of a Short Version of the General Functioning Subscale of the McMaster Family Assessment Device

The findings of this study support the use of a GF6+ subscale from the FAD, as a quick and effective tool to assess the overall functioning of families

Dog walking is associated with more outdoor play and independent mobility for children

It is plausible that dog-facilitated activity rather than dog ownership per se encourages children's physical activity behaviors.

Time spent in different types of childcare and children's development at school entry: an Australian longitudinal study

Compared with children who did not attend any type of childcare, children in centre-based care had higher parent-reported and teacher-reported externalising...

Resilience amongst Australian Aboriginal youth: An ecological analysis of factors associated with psychosocial functioning

We investigate whether the profile of factors protecting psychosocial functioning of high risk exposed Australian Aboriginal youth are the same as those...

Risk factors for low receptive vocabulary abilities in the preschool and early school years in the longitudinal study of Australian children

Receptive vocabulary development is a component of the human language system that emerges in the first year of life and is characterised by onward expansion...

Child care quality and children's cognitive and socio-emotional development: an Australian longitudinal study

There is growing evidence that high-quality non-parental child care can contribute to children's learning, development and successful transition to school.

Quality of Childcare Influences Children's Attentiveness and Emotional Regulation at School Entry

Among children using formal childcare, those who experienced higher-quality relationships were better able to regulate their attention and emotions as they...

Higher maternal protectiveness is associated with higher odds of child overweight and obesity: A longitudinal Australian study

Using data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, this study aimed to examine the longitudinal relationships between maternal protectiveness and...

Late language emergence in 24-month-old twins: Heritable and increased risk for late language emergence in twins

This study investigated the etiology of late language emergence (LLE) in 24-month-old twins, considering possible twinning, zygosity, gender, and...

Bias in student survey findings from active parental consent procedures

This study assessed the potential bias present in a sample of actively consented students, and in the estimates of associations between variables obtained...

Gaps in Indigenous disadvantage not closing: A census cohort study of social determinants of health in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand from 1981-2006

Australia, Canada, and New Zealand are all developed nations that are home to Indigenous populations which have historically faced poorer outcomes than their...

Evidence for the use of an algorithm in resolving inconsistent and missing Indigenous status in administrative data collections

We found that algorithms reduced the amount of missing data and improved within‑individual consistency.

The Forms of Bullying Scale (FBS): Validity and Reliability Estimates for a Measure of Bullying Victimization and Perpetration in Adolescence

The study of bullying behavior and its consequences for young people depends on valid and reliable measurement of bullying victimization and perpetration.

A three generation study of the mental health relationships between grandparents, parents and children

It is well known that children of parents with mental illness are at greater risk of mental illness themselves.

The Differential Influence of Contextual Risks on Psychosocial Functioning and Participation of Australian Aboriginal Youth

Methodological issues and implications for interventions to support young Aboriginal people's adaptation are discussed.

Factors for Children's Receptive Vocabulary Development from Four to Eight Years in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children

Variation in receptive vocabulary ability is associated with variation in children's school achievement, and low receptive vocabulary ability is a risk...

Childhood obesity: what we have learnt from our failure to engage mothers in our intervention

With more than one in four Australian children overweight or obese, and the significant risks this poses for health problems like asthma, depression,...

Prenatal alcohol exposure and educational achievement in children aged 8-9 years

This study examines the relationships between the dose, pattern, and timing of prenatal alcohol exposure and achievement in reading, writing, spelling,...

Trends in sugar supply and consumption in Australia: is there an Australian Paradox?

High consumption of refined carbohydrate, in particular sugar, has been identified as a possible contributory factor in greater risk of excess weight gain.

Smoking, mental illness and socioeconomic disadvantage: Analysis of the Australian National survey of mental health and Wellbeing

There are strong socioeconomic and psychosocial gradients in both current smoking and smoking cessation.

Hypertensive diseases of pregnancy predict parent-reported difficult temperament in infancy

These data suggest that the link between maternal hypertensive diseases of pregnancy and child behavioral development begins in the first year of life.

Delivery at 37 weeks' gestation is associated with a higher risk for child behavioural problems

We suggest that 37 weeks' gestation may not be the optimal cutoff for defining perinatal risk as it applies to behavioural development.

"Through the Kids... We Connected With Our Community": Children as Catalysts of Social Capital

This article investigates whether having dependent children living at home play a role in forging adult connections, community involvement, and social...

Tackling overweight and obesity: does the public health message match the science?

Public health weight-loss interventions seem to be based on an outdated understanding of the science.

Adolescent peer aggression and its association with mental health and substance use in an Australian cohort

Prospective longitudinal birth cohort data was used to examine the association between peer aggression at 14yrs and mental health and substance use at 17yrs...

Pre-pregnancy maternal overweight and obesity increase the risk for affective disorders in offspring

Maternal pre-pregnancy obesity has been linked with an increased risk for negative emotionality and inattentiveness in offspring in early childhood.

Echoes of disadvantage across generations? The influence of unemployment and separation of grandparents on their grandchildren

This is a rare examination of joblessness over 3 succeeding generations and its onward effects upon children, and is one of the few in the research literature.

Parent–child book reading across early childhood and child vocabulary in the early school years

The current study investigated the extent to which low levels of joint attention in infancy and parent-child book reading across early childhood increase the...

Gender, Culture and Intervention: Exploring Differences between Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal Children's Responses to an Early Intervention Programme

Evaluation of a group parenting programme in the Northern Territory of Australia showed significant differences in benefits for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal...

Population and Public Health Perspectives on Late Language Emergence at 24 Months as a Risk Indicator for Language Impairment at 7 Years

The emergence of language during the toddler period is one of the most striking accomplishments in young children's development.

Breastfeeding Duration and Residential Isolation amid Aboriginal Children in Western Australia

The objective of this study was to examine the factors that impact on breastfeeding duration among Western Australia Aboriginal children. We hypothesised...

The potential impact of smoke-free facilities on smoking cessation in people with mental illness

The aim of this paper was to estimate the degree to which smoke-free facilities may facilitate smoking cessation in smokers with mental illness by estimating...

Socioeconomic disparities in the mental health of Indigenous children in Western Australia

The burden of mental health problems among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children is a major public health problem in Australia.

Jurisdictional, socioeconomic and gender inequalities in child health and development:

Early child development may have important consequences for inequalities in health and well-being. This paper explores population level patterns of child...

Associations between aggressive behaviour scores and cardiovascular risk factors in childhood

The objective of this study was to examine the influence of aggressive behaviour scores on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors throughout childhood.

Adjusting for under-identification of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander births in time series produced from birth records

Statistical time series derived from administrative data sets form key indicators in measuring progress.

Early mental health morbidity and later smoking at age 17 years

We examined the relationship between the onset and pattern of childhood mental health disorders and subsequent current smoking status at age 17 years.

Associations between anxious-depressed symptoms and cardiovascular risk factors in a longitudinal childhood study

The objective of the study was to examine the influence of anxious/depressed scores on cardiovascular risk factors throughout childhood.

Premature to conclude no genetic basis to the association between smoking and major depressive disorder

We analyzed two large-scale surveys, and found high rates of smoking in people with mood disorders and both with and without substance dependence disorders.

Intellectual disability and other neuropsychiatric outcomes in high-risk children of mothers with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and unipolar major depression

We examined risk of intellectual disability and other neuropsychiatric outcomes in children of mothers with and without schizophrenia, bipolar or depression.

Fetal head circumference growth in children with specific language impairment

The aim was to characterise fetal brain growth in children with specific language impairment (SLI). A nested case-control study was set in Perth, WA.

Severity and persistence of asthma and mental health: a birth cohort study

The goal of the current study was to investigate asthma and mental health among youth in the community.

Socioeconomic disparities in physical health among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Western Australia

We sought to provide insights by examining socio-economic disparities in physical health outcomes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in WA.

Social gradients in the health of indigenous australians

We begin to bridge this knowledge gap by assessing evidence on social gradients in indigenous health in Australia.

The association between playgroup participation, learning competence and social-emotional wellbeing for children aged four-five years in Australia

This study provides evidence that continued participation in playgroups is associated with better outcomes for children from disadvantaged families.

Sugar sweetened beverage consumption by Australian children: Implications for public health strategy

High consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) has been linked to unhealthy weight gain and nutrition related chronic disease.

Through the kids ... we connected with our community: Children as catalysts of social capital

Both children and adults benefit from living in communities and neighborhoods that are rich in social capital.

Early mental health morbidity and later smoking at 17 years of age

We examined the relationship between the onset and pattern of childhood mental health disorders and subsequent current smoking status at age 17 years.

Social Gradients in Indigenous Health

The pattern of association between socioeconomic factors and health outcomes has primarily depicted better health for those who are higher in the social...

Early vocabulary development: The importance of joint attention and parent-child book reading

The current study brought a bioecological approach to children’s early vocabulary development using data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children...

Maternal death and the onward psychosocial circumstances of Australian Aboriginal children and young people

This study sought to determine the social and emotional impact of maternal loss on Aboriginal children and young people using data from the Western...

Late-talking and risk for behavioral and emotional problems during childhood and adolescence

Although many toddlers with expressive vocabulary delay ("late talkers") present with age-appropriate language skills by the time they are of school age,...

Late-talking and risk for behavioural and emotional problems during childhood and adolescence

Although many toddlers with expressive vocabulary delay ("late talkers") present with age-appropriate language skills by the time they are of school age...

Breastfeeding and early child development: A prospective cohort study

Breastfeeding has been associated with multiple developmental advantages for the infant; however, there have also been a number of studies that find...

The science of prevention for children and youth

The high prevalence of social, emotional and behavioural health problems in children and young people in Australia

International comparisons of behavioral and emotional problems in preschool children: Parents' reports from 24 societies

International comparisons were conducted of preschool children's behavioral and emotional problems as reported on the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages...

Dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids and risk of depressive symptoms in adolescents

Previous randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) are beneficial in reducing symptoms of depression.

Non-specific psychological distress, smoking status and smoking cessation: United States National Health Interview Survey 2005

It is well established that smoking rates in people with common mental disorders such as anxiety or depressive disorders are much higher than in people...

Global research neglect of population-based approaches to smoking cessation

It has been argued that the preponderance of studies into individual smoking cessation therapies seems grossly out of proportion to the number of people...

Lifestyle and demographic correlates of poor mental health in early adolescence

To determine the constellation of lifestyle and demographic factors that are associated with poor mental health in an adolescent population.

Children's language development 0-9 years. In Growing up in Australia:

Language development is one of the most important developmental accomplishments of early childhood and is the foundation for literacy, educational...

Prenatal stress and risk of behavioral morbidity from age 2 to 14 years:

The maternal experience of stressful events during pregnancy has been associated with a number of adverse consequences for behavioral development offspring...

Breastfeeding duration and academic achievement at ten years

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between duration of breastfeeding and educational outcomes.

Identification and genetic determination of an early life risk disposition for depressive disorder:

Progress in psychiatric genetics has been slow despite evidence of high heritability for most mental disorders

Preschool psychopathology reported by parents in 23 societies: testing the seven-syndrome model of the child behavior checklist for ages 1.5-5.

To test the fit of a seven-syndrome model to ratings of preschoolers' problems by parents in very diverse societies.

Mental health problems among young people on remand: has anything changed since 1989?

To determine whether the prevalence of mental health problems among adolescents on court ordered remand in South Australia has changed since 1989

Antecedents of hospital admission for deliberate self-harm from a 14-year follow-up study using data-linkage

A prior episode of deliberate self-harm (DSH) is one of the strongest predictors of future completed suicide. Identifying antecedents of DSH may inform strategi

Low-moderate prenatal alcohol exposure and risk to child behavioural development: a prospective cohort study

To examine the association of fetal alcohol exposure during pregnancy with child and adolescent behavioural development.

Maternal life events during pregnancy and offspring language ability in middle childhood

There is accumulating evidence for a link between maternal stress during pregnancy and later behavioural and emotional problems in children.

Smoking cessation in pregnancy and the risk of child behavioural problems: a longitudinal prospective cohort study

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of smoking in pregnancy on child and adolescent behavioural development, in comparison with mothers who cease

Anxiety disorders and cigarette smoking: Results from the Australian Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing

The aim of this study was to describe current and daily smoking rates, and smoking cessation rates in adults with anxiety disorders

The mental health and wellbeing of adolescents on remand in Australia

To compare the nature & prevalence of mental health problems, prevalence of suicidal ideation & behaviour, & health-related quality of life of 13-17-year-olds..

The long-term effects of breastfeeding on child and adolescent mental health: A Pregnancy Cohort Study followed for 14 years

To determine whether there was an independent effect of breastfeeding on child and adolescent mental health

Association between socioeconomic status and the development of asthma: analyses of income trajectories

Using data on 2868 children born in the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study, we examined the association between changes in family...

Antecedents of teenage pregnancy from a 14-year follow-up study using data linkage

This study identified possible antecedents of teenage pregnancy using linked data from administrative sources to create a 14-year follow-up from a cross-sect...

Evidence of a complex association between dose, pattern and timing of prenatal alcohol exposure and child behaviour problems

There is a lack of evidence regarding the effect of dose, pattern and timing of prenatal alcohol exposure and behaviour problems in children aged 2 years.

Child behaviour following low to moderate maternal drinking in pregnancy

Child behaviour following low to moderate maternal drinking in pregnancy

Adolescent dietary patterns are associated with lifestyle and family psychosocial factors

Few studies have examined the dietary patterns of adolescents and the social and environmental factors that may affect them during this life stage.

Hypertensive diseases of pregnancy and the development of behavioural problems in childhood and adolescence: The Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort Study

To examine whether maternal gestational hypertension and preeclampsia are associated with behavioral problems in offspring

Language outcomes of 7-year-old children with or without a history of late language emergence at 24 months

The aim of this study was to investigate the language outcomes of 7-year-old children with and without a history of late language emergence at 24 months.

Late language emergence at 24 months: an epidemiological study of prevalence, predictors, and covariates

The primary objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of late language emergence (LLE) and to investigate the predictive status of maternal...