Mothers and other caregivers helped infant development, while fathers showed no link in Northern Ghana
More early stimulation activities were tied to better child development scores, but the pattern depended on who did the stimulating. In Northern Ghana, more early stimulation by mothers and other household caregivers was linked with better infant development scores, while fathers’ stimulation was not linked. The journal article Caregivers’ early stimulation behaviors on early child […]
Girls report higher body dissatisfaction than boys across countries, and links to lower well-being are stronger
Across two international surveys, the gender gap holds across body size and background, and it widens in some higher-status groups and more developed countries. Girls report significantly higher body dissatisfaction than boys across two large international adolescent surveys. This gap persists regardless of Body Mass Index, socioeconomic background, age, or country, and body dissatisfaction connects […]
Complex chronic illness in older sexual and gender minority adults tied to higher Medicare spending and use
Linked Medicare and survey data show chronic condition complexity is a major cost driver, with discrimination patterns that complicate access. Older sexual and gender minority Medicare beneficiaries with more severe and complex chronic conditions had higher Medicare spending, higher physician spending, and higher odds of being high-cost and using healthcare. Disability and dual eligibility were […]
Indian adolescents spent almost nine hours a day sedentary, with private school students sitting much more
A time-use survey in a South Indian city found most sedentary time came from class and studying, not just leisure. Adolescents in a mid-sized South Indian city averaged 528 minutes a day in sedentary activities, across 7.3 bouts. Most of that time was school and studying, not leisure. Private school students spent far more time […]
Heat exposure in older adults in India linked to worse health and more depressive symptoms
Health insurance appeared to reduce several heat-related harms, while women and some homeowners showed steeper declines in self-rated health. Severe heat exposure in the same month was associated with poorer self-reported health and more frequent depressive feelings, fatigue, and fear among older adults in India. Heat exposure was also linked to a higher likelihood of […]
Parents of autistic children reported heavy strain and relied on coping rituals
A small Nepal-based qualitative study maps the emotional, social, and financial load—and how parents try to stay afloat. Parents raising children with autism in Nepal described intense psychological strain, physical exhaustion, social isolation, career disruption, and financial pressure. They also reported coping through crying, religious music (bhajans), meditation, and positive thinking, with some reframing their […]
When Teachers Become the Front Line for Child Mental Health
When a child’s feelings start affecting their learning In many primary classrooms, “mental health” is not a distant, specialist topic—it shows up as a child who cannot settle, a child who melts down over small changes, or a usually engaged pupil who suddenly stops trying. For teachers, these moments arrive alongside spelling tests, playground disputes, […]
Screening in a Single PE Class: FUNMOVES Brings Early Motor-Skills Checks to Spanish Schools
Spotting Struggles Early: Why a Simple School Test Can Change a Child’s Day Some children avoid playground games, dread team sports, or stumble over simple tasks like catching a ball or hopping on one foot. These are not just quirks. For many, they reflect real challenges with movement known as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). DCD […]
The Quiet Signals of the Body That Shape Teenagers’ Inner Worlds
Why Sensations and Self-Talk Collide in the Teen Years Teenagers often describe feeling “on edge,” hyperaware of every rustle in a crowded hallway or every flutter in their stomach before meeting new people. These are not just growing pains. They are clues to how the body’s sensory systems connect to the mind’s voice. The research […]
Loneliness, Anxiety, and Emptiness: What Real-Time Mood Data Reveal About Teens’ Self-Injury Thoughts
When everyday feelings become early warning signals Ask any school counselor: the moments that push a teenager toward harming themselves rarely look dramatic from the outside. They are often quiet, private, and tied to the emotions that ebb and flow throughout the day. The research paper The impact of negative emotions on adolescents’ nonsuicidal self-injury […]