Flinders University Institute for Mental Health and Wellbeing

More than half of Aussie teenagers aren’t getting enough sleep for optimal health and wellbeing and with most schools around the country starting between 8:30 and 9, experts reckon one solution is to push back high school start times. Institute member Jessica Paterson explores the biological reasons behind adolescents' sleep rhythm and needs and the consequences of not getting enough sleep. Is starting school late the best solution? Watch the whole interview below.

Bowing to community pressure, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced his government will this year introduce age limit legislation for social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok and Snapchat. Studies conducted by Institute member Dr Simon Wilksch have shown that social media usage can lead to poor mental health in pre-teens and teens, particularly eating disorders and body image problems. In addition, experts advice there are sound reasons why the age should be set at 16, and no earlier. Read the full article below.

The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide has delivered its final report with 122 recommendations, certainly a welcome outcome, but the true breakthrough would be a cultural reform within The Department of Veterans’ Affairs and The Australian Defence Force.

Congratulations on Institute member Helen McLaren and team for this important recognition for your hard work on the Mockingbird Family program to help build stronger relationships between siblings, improving support for foster carers and reducing social isolation amongst foster families.

More and more people across South Australia are dealing with financial hardship, and research has found that 100,000 people across the state are experiencing homelessness. As we hear more and more about couch surfing and camping across country SA to aid the work councils do in supporting communities, a new homelessness toolkit has been developed by the centre for Social Impact at Flinders Uni. Open Door Initiative member Professor Selina Tully is a deputy director with the centre for Social Impact and explains to Tom Mann quite a simple idea in some respects. Listen to the whole interview from minute 45.

Is doomscrolling on social media changing how we view the world and humanity? Institute member Professor Emma Thomas talks about how doomscrolling can lead to existential anxiety and how to deal with too much upsetting news online.

We’re very excited to announce that a project led by Professor Tim Windsor called “Talking Mental Health”, a partnership with Uniting AgeWell and the National Ageing Research Institute funded by ARIIA, won the Research Award as part of the 2024 Future of Ageing Awards. These awards recognise suppliers, aged care providers and individuals leading progressive change within the sector. Well done to the whole team! [Pictured with Tim are Anita Goh (NARI) and Nina Bowes (Uniting AgeWell)]

Dr Annabelle Neall, Director of the Workplace Wellbeing Research Lab, Institute Member and expert in workplace bullying participated in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) episode on workplace bullying. Awareness of psychosocial safety is growing and we know how destructive bullying can be. Yet incidents continue to occur, with performance management and generational differences creating flashpoints. Despite decades of research and tighter regulations, many organisations struggle to prevent workplace bullying. This episode focuses on a prevention program that is making a difference.

It's our pleasure to invite you to the Open Door Initiative Symposium, which will be held on 26 November 2024. It's a free hybrid event, offering an excellent opportunity for networking, sharing ideas, and engaging with others in the field. If you are a postgraduate, Master's, HDR, or PhD student conducting research related to veterans, or if you know anyone who is, this symposium may be of particular interest. Read below for all details regarding abstracts submission and registration.

With war, terrorism, death and destruction filling news and social media, a study published in the peer-reviewed journal ScienceDirect says negative news can be a source of vicarious trauma and that media coverage of mass traumatic events can trigger acute stress, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. One of the study's authors is Institute member Professor Emma Thomas, says the study suggests all this doom and gloom can trigger existential anxiety. Read the full article below ⬇