Koy Roberts, Ph.D.

Researchers and clinicians at 2 leading universities are helping parents learn the most effective behavioral management methods.  It focuses on the the antecedents or what sets the stage for undesirable behavior, the behavior itself or how parents can help a child learn new behavior and consequences, reinforcing positive behaviors or discouraging negative ones.  

Researchers in Australia report eight percent of 14-19 year olds deliberately injure themselves. Girls more than boys. Thankfully, these numbers decline as they age and 90% of cases resolve on their own. But teenagers often engage in this behavior to block out painful emotions unable to find healthy ways of coping or get support.

There is few that would argue the high burden a mother’s depression and anxiety places upon her children and teenagers because it is associated with a host of behavioral and emotional problems. However, the situation is considerably worse if dad is also depressed.  Just 6% of kids with two mentally healthy parents have psychological problems.  That number rises to 11% if dad is depressed and 19% if mom is depressed.  If both parents have Depression it means one fourth of these children will have significant emotional and behavioral problems.  So while we understandably worry about our kids’ mental health we would best serve them by taking care of ourselves first. 

Gretchen Reynolds’ New York Times article shares new research behind the process of how exercise improves cognition while Denene Miller encourages parents to fight for the fourth “R” because among other things 42% of kids get most of their exercise from recess.

Some children diagnosed as ADHD may have another problem: a sleep disorder, according to researchers. Children who lose as little as one-half hour of sleep can display symptoms of ADHD.  It’s critical that parents and doctors rule out sleep problems initially.  Evidently, most parents are uninformed because fewer than 10 percent of parents can answer correctly questions about healthy sleep habits.

Two girls traveled across the country to expose the truth about girl against girl bullying.  If you missed one of their screenings you can still catch their documentary on March 30th at Harpool Middle School in Lantana.

Social media has a more negative impact on self-esteem, distorted body images, eating disorders and insecurities than traditional media.  The heaviest users tend to have the most distorted beliefs about society says Dina Borzekowski, professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who specializes in children, media and health.  “Messages and images are more targeted; if the message comes from a ‘friend,’ it is perceived as more credible and meaningful.”  

Whitney Houston “could not or had not repaired her damaged self.”  This is a good editorial with a very important message that the most important relationship we will ever have is our relationship with ourselves.

Reports of a shortage of stimulant medications across the country.

What happens when children reach puberty earlier and adulthood later? Teenage weirdness. Alison Gopnik in The Wall Street Journal writes how developmental psychologists and neuroscientists are starting to explain the foundations of that weirdness & readjust adolescence. Clue. It might just mean requiring our children to apprentice and have real responsibilities so we can actually shape and change the teenage brain for the better.