tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/australian-teenagers-59661/articlesAustralian teenagers – The Conversation2022-09-26T20:02:29Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1906692022-09-26T20:02:29Z2022-09-26T20:02:29ZWe asked over 700 teens where they bought their vapes. Here’s what they said<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/486212/original/file-20220923-49066-sikp9n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C1917%2C1276&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-man-young-man-sitting-on-a-chair-with-a-vape-on-hand-10951435/">Mushtaq Hussain/Pexels</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Teen vaping has been in the news, with reports of <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/number-of-young-people-vaping-doubles-in-a-year-as-smoking-rates-drop-20220531-p5apur.html">rapidly increasing use</a> and <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/from-bootcamps-in-china-to-australian-schools-how-vapes-hook-children-on-nicotine-20210830-p58n6w.html">illegal sales</a> of e-cigarettes.</p>
<p>As a Four Corners <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/4corners/vape-haze:-the-new-addiction-of-vaping/13948226">documentary</a> on ABC TV earlier this year showed, parents and schools are struggling to manage this swift rise in vaping, with fears children are addicted and harming their health.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1539762788876181505"}"></div></p>
<p>In contrast, very limited research about Australian teen vaping has been published, until today.</p>
<p>We have <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1753-6405.13316">published</a> in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health the first results from the <a href="https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/cancer-prevention/smoking/electronic-cigarettes/generation-vape/">Generation Vape</a> study. The study aims to to track teenagers’ knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours about using vapes (e-cigarettes). </p>
<p>Here’s what we found about where teenagers were accessing vapes and what types of products they use.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-damning-review-of-e-cigarettes-shows-vaping-leads-to-smoking-the-opposite-of-what-supporters-claim-180675">A damning review of e-cigarettes shows vaping leads to smoking, the opposite of what supporters claim</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Vaping common, especially in non-smokers</h2>
<p>We surveyed more than 700 teenagers 14-17 years old from New South Wales. The sample was closely representative of the population, with key characteristics such as age, gender, location and education monitored throughout data collection.</p>
<p>We found teenagers are readily accessing and using illegal, flavoured, disposable vaping products that contain nicotine. </p>
<p>Among the teens surveyed, 32% had ever vaped, at least a few puffs. Of these, more than half (54%) had never previously smoked.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-parents-guide-to-why-teens-make-bad-decisions-88246">A parent's guide to why teens make bad decisions</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Where are teens getting vapes from?</h2>
<p>We found most teens (70%) didn’t directly buy the last vape they used. The vast majority (80%) of these got it from their friends. </p>
<p>However, for the 30% who did buy their own vape, close to half (49%) bought it from a friend or another individual, and 31% bought it from a retailer such as a petrol station, tobacconist or convenience store.</p>
<p>Teens also said they bought vapes through social media, at vape stores and via websites.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-can-we-reverse-the-vaping-crisis-among-young-australians-enforce-the-rules-185867">How can we reverse the vaping crisis among young Australians? Enforce the rules</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What products are teens using, and why?</h2>
<p>Of the teens who had ever vaped and reported the type of device they used, 86% had used a disposable vape. This confirms anecdotal reports.</p>
<p>These devices appeal to young people and are easy to use. They do not require refilling (unlike tank-style vaping products) and are activated by inhaling on the mouthpiece. </p>
<p>Disposable vapes can contain hundreds, or even thousands of puffs, and are inexpensive, with illicit vapes from retail stores costing between <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/from-bootcamps-in-china-to-australian-schools-how-vapes-hook-children-on-nicotine-20210830-p58n6w.html">$20-$30, or as little as $5 online</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/485511/original/file-20220920-3640-p8l88p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/485511/original/file-20220920-3640-p8l88p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=968&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485511/original/file-20220920-3640-p8l88p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=968&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485511/original/file-20220920-3640-p8l88p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=968&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485511/original/file-20220920-3640-p8l88p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1217&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485511/original/file-20220920-3640-p8l88p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1217&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485511/original/file-20220920-3640-p8l88p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1217&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">This ‘Juicy Fruity’ disposable vape resembles Juicy Fruit chewing gum.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>There is an enormous range of vape flavours likely to appeal to children – from chewing gum to fruit and soft drink, even desserts. So it is unsurprising teens rated “flavourings and taste” as the most important characteristic of vapes they used.</p>
<p>Disposable vapes often contain very <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/tobacco/Pages/vaping-evidence-summary.aspx#nicotine">high concentrations of nicotine</a>, even those claiming to be nicotine-free. The way these products <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/pdfs/ecigarette-or-vaping-products-visual-dictionary-508.pdf">are made</a> (using nicotine salts rather than the free-base nicotine you’d find in cigarettes) allows manufacturers to increase the nicotine concentration without causing throat irritation. </p>
<p>In our study, over half (53%) of the teens who had ever vaped said they had used a vape containing nicotine. Many, however, were unsure whether they had used a vape containing nicotine (27%). </p>
<p>All vaping products, irrespective of nicotine content, <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/smoking-and-tobacco/about-smoking-and-tobacco/smoking-and-tobacco-laws-in-australia#ecigarette-laws">are illegal</a> to sell to under 18s in Australia.</p>
<p>Today, disposable vapes containing nicotine can only be legally sold in Australia by pharmacies to adult users with a valid prescription.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/many-e-cigarette-vaping-liquids-contain-toxic-chemicals-new-australian-research-169615">Many e-cigarette vaping liquids contain toxic chemicals: new Australian research</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>We need to end illegal imports and sales</h2>
<p>Our results emphasise that teen vaping is increasingly normalised, and the most popular devices are designed to be highly appealing to young people. This is despite product manufacturers and proponents claiming they are <a href="https://theconversation.com/twelve-myths-about-e-cigarettes-that-failed-to-impress-the-tga-72408">smoking cessation aids</a> only for adult smokers who are struggling to quit. </p>
<p>Turning the tide on teen vaping requires strong and immediate policy action, including ending the illicit importation and sale of vaping products.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/486211/original/file-20220923-23143-107ras.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Hand reach for vape and vape products on store shelf" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/486211/original/file-20220923-23143-107ras.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/486211/original/file-20220923-23143-107ras.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486211/original/file-20220923-23143-107ras.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486211/original/file-20220923-23143-107ras.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486211/original/file-20220923-23143-107ras.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486211/original/file-20220923-23143-107ras.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486211/original/file-20220923-23143-107ras.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">We need to clamp down on the illegal sale of e-cigarettes.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/8RN9UZeL-fo">E-Liquids UK/Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
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<p><a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/vaping">Education</a> is often the default first action to address unhealthy behaviours in young people. However, unless this is coupled with strong, supportive policy action, this approach is unlikely to have any measurable impact. Education campaigns cannot protect young people from an industry that so freely disregards laws meant to protect health.</p>
<p>We have <a href="https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/262914/1/Electronic%20cigarettes%20health%20outcomes%20review_2022_WCAG.pdf">strong evidence</a> that vaping leads to harms such as poisoning, injuries, burns, toxicity, addiction and lung injury. The odds of becoming a smoker is more than three times higher for never-smokers who vape than for never-smokers who don’t vape.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/making-it-harder-to-import-e-cigarettes-is-good-news-for-our-health-especially-young-peoples-141986">Making it harder to import e-cigarettes is good news for our health, especially young people's</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What’s next?</h2>
<p>This study uses data from the first wave of the Generation Vape research project, a three-year study with Australian teenagers, young adults, parents and guardians of teenagers, and secondary school teachers. </p>
<p>It is funded by the Cancer Council NSW, federal Department of Health and Ageing, NSW Ministry of Health, Cancer Institute NSW and the Minderoo Foundation.</p>
<p>Future waves of this repeat cross-sectional study, coupled with in-depth interviews, will allow us to track and monitor changes to adolescent, young adult, teacher, and parent attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge of vaping over time. </p>
<p>Vaping is a rapidly evolving public health crisis in Australia. Our research provides evidence for concerted policy action to prevent young people from accessing harmful and addictive products. </p>
<p>Failure to act will see a whole new generation of Australians addicted to dangerous products.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/190669/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christina Watts has received funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, NSW Ministry of Health, Cancer Council NSW, Cancer Institute NSW and the Minderoo Foundation.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Becky Freeman has received funding from Healthway WA, NSW Health, Australian Government of Health, Cancer Institute NSW, Ian Potter Foundation, Mindaroo Foundation, NHMRC, WHO, Cancer Council, Cancer Council NSW, Cancer Council WA, and Heart Foundation NSW. She was an expert member of the NHMRC Electronic Cigarettes Working Committee (2020-2022). She is an expert advisor to the National Tobacco Issues Committee. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sam Egger has received funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, NSW Ministry of Health, Cancer Council NSW, Cancer Institute NSW and the Minderoo Foundation.</span></em></p>Most teens got their vape from their friends. But of those who bought their own, one-third bought it at the servo, tobacconist or convenience store.Christina Watts, Research fellow, tobacco control, University of SydneyBecky Freeman, Associate Professor, School of Public Health, University of SydneySam Egger, Biostatistician, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1902342022-09-23T01:34:20Z2022-09-23T01:34:20ZShould I give my teen alcohol? Just a sip, the whole can, or none at all?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/484784/original/file-20220915-7253-tne7uf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C2%2C1916%2C1074&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/group-of-friends-clinking-beer-bottles-7148673/">Kindel Media/Pexels</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>You’re at a barbecue and the adults are enjoying a few drinks. Everyone is relaxed and having a great time. One of your friends has just given their teen a beer. Next thing you know, your 15-year-old is asking for one too.</p>
<p>You don’t really want them drinking alcohol yet, but they’ll probably try it sooner or later. You’d rather they get it from you than somewhere else. But you’re also worried about what trying alcohol now might lead to in the future.</p>
<p>What do you do? </p>
<p>The results of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109533">our study</a> show that not offering your teen alcohol is best. But if you do, a sip is less risky down the track than giving your teen a whole bottle or can.</p>
<h2>Parents play a key role</h2>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckaa193">Fewer teens are drinking alcohol</a> than in previous generations. Nevertheless, alcohol is still one of the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(16)00648-6">biggest contributors</a> to death and illness in young people, including via injuries, accidents and suicide.</p>
<p>Parents play a key role in providing teens with the tools to make healthy life choices. They’re also one of the main sources of alcohol for teenagers. </p>
<p>In fact, many parents give their teens alcohol thinking it’s the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-491">safest way</a> to introduce it.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-young-people-drinking-less-than-their-parents-generation-did-172225">Why are young people drinking less than their parents’ generation did?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<h2>No alcohol is best. But is that realistic?</h2>
<p>We set out to understand common patterns of alcohol supply from parents and peers, and whether some patterns increased the chance of binge drinking, alcohol-related harms, and problem drinking as young adults. </p>
<p>So we <a href="https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/project/can-parents-teach-their-children-drink-alcohol-responsibly-or-one-drop-drop-too-many">surveyed</a> the same group of young Australians every year from when they were 13 to 19 years old.</p>
<p>We <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109533">found</a> not providing adolescents any alcohol is the least-risky option in terms of preventing later binge drinking, alcohol-related harms (for example, accidents, blackouts, fights) and problem drinking. </p>
<p>Young people who were not supplied alcohol, or only supplied minimal amounts under the age of 18, had the lowest risk of binge drinking, experiencing alcohol-related harms, and reporting symptoms of alcohol abuse, dependence and alcohol use disorder in early adulthood. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/485043/original/file-20220916-18-q3bp3k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Three teenagers (two female, one male) standing chatting" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/485043/original/file-20220916-18-q3bp3k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/485043/original/file-20220916-18-q3bp3k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485043/original/file-20220916-18-q3bp3k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485043/original/file-20220916-18-q3bp3k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485043/original/file-20220916-18-q3bp3k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485043/original/file-20220916-18-q3bp3k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485043/original/file-20220916-18-q3bp3k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Adolescence can be a time of experimentation.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/-Xv7k95vOFA">Alexis Brown/Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This aligns with <a href="https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.2014.75.590">previous research</a> that not allowing any alcohol before the age of 18 is the best way to reduce the chance adolescents will <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.13525">binge drink</a> and develop <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16036">physical, psychological, or social problems</a> due to alcohol. It also aligns with
the current <a href="https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/australian-guidelines-reduce-health-risks-drinking-alcohol">Australian alcohol guidelines</a>.</p>
<p>However, this is sometimes unrealistic as adolescence can be a time of experimentation. Parents can also feel <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-491">pressure</a> to supply alcohol to their teen if other parents they know are doing so.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-parents-guide-to-why-teens-make-bad-decisions-88246">A parent's guide to why teens make bad decisions</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What other options are there?</h2>
<p>We found young people who received whole drinks from their parents earlier in adolescence (aged 14-16) and/or were mainly supplied by their peers drank more heavily during adolescence. They were also much more likely to binge drink, report symptoms of problem drinking and experience alcohol-related harms in early adulthood.</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15005">Earlier parental supply</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20649775/">supply from peers</a> have previously been linked with greater alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems (with the risk increasing for each year earlier supply occurs). Earlier escalation of heavy drinking comes with an increased risk of a range of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2018.1517172">negative outcomes</a>, including those related to physical and mental health, school or work, and social problems.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/484979/original/file-20220915-47124-hyzs32.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Table of food and alcohol, outside" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/484979/original/file-20220915-47124-hyzs32.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/484979/original/file-20220915-47124-hyzs32.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/484979/original/file-20220915-47124-hyzs32.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/484979/original/file-20220915-47124-hyzs32.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/484979/original/file-20220915-47124-hyzs32.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/484979/original/file-20220915-47124-hyzs32.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/484979/original/file-20220915-47124-hyzs32.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">OK then. Just a sip.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/y1XXWct5rBo">Lee Myungseong/Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
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</figure>
<p>Sitting in the middle of the risk continuum were young people who received sips only from their parents in early to mid-adolescence (14-16 years), and were then supplied whole drinks from around age 17 by their parents, and to a lesser extent, their peers. </p>
<p>These young people were more likely to binge drink or experience alcohol-related harms compared to those not supplied alcohol at all. But they were less likely than teens who received whole drinks during early-mid adolescence and/or who were mostly supplied by peers.</p>
<p>Regardless of the intent, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.07.030">any supply</a> may normalise and signify approval or permissiveness of alcohol use to adolescents. </p>
<p>While it is safest to not supply alcohol in adolescence, if parents do, providing sips only in early to mid-adolescence, and delaying supply of whole drinks for as long as possible is likely to result in less harm than earlier supply of whole drinks, or allowing supply from peers.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/three-ways-to-help-your-teenage-kids-develop-a-healthier-relationship-with-alcohol-80892">Three ways to help your teenage kids develop a healthier relationship with alcohol</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Tips for parents</h2>
<p>Here are some tips for parents of teens to help their child make healthy life choices about alcohol:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>ideally, <a href="https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/australian-guidelines-reduce-health-risks-drinking-alcohol#block-views-block-file-attachments-content-block-1">do not supply</a> alcohol to anyone under 18; waiting as long as possible to start drinking alcohol is safer</p></li>
<li><p>if you are providing sips, do so <a href="https://adf.org.au/talking-about-drugs/parenting/preventing-aod-uptake/evidence-interventions/family-domain/">under supervision</a>, for example, at home </p></li>
<li><p>know who your teen’s friends are; if they go out make sure you know where they will be and who they will be with; if they will be home late, they should check in with a parent or caregiver. This monitoring reduces the chance of your teen being in an unsafe environment and their friends supplying them with alcohol</p></li>
<li><p>establish some <a href="https://parents.au.reachout.com/common-concerns/everyday-issues/things-to-try-alcohol/set-expectations-with-your-teenager-about-alcohol">alcohol-specific rules</a> (for instance, no alcohol from friends, only allowed to drink if a parent or caregiver is there to supervise)</p></li>
<li><p>limit access to alcohol at home (for instance, keep alcohol in locked cupboards, don’t keep too many drinks in the fridge)</p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://parents.au.reachout.com/common-concerns/everyday-issues/things-to-try-alcohol/make-healthy-choices-about-alcohol">model positive alcohol behaviours</a> (for instance, eating before and while drinking, and sticking to the <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/news/australian-alcohol-guidelines-revised">recommended number</a> of drinks per day or week)</p></li>
<li><p>understand the alcohol <a href="https://adf.org.au/insights/understanding-secondary-supply/">secondary supply laws</a> in your state or territory. These relate to the laws about supplying alcohol for people under 18.</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p><em>If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s use of alcohol or other drugs call the National Alcohol and other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015, free from anywhere in Australia.</em></p>
<p><em>Evidence-based online resources and services for parents and teenagers include: <a href="https://positivechoices.org.au/parents/should-i-give-my-teenager-alcohol">Positive Choices</a>, <a href="https://parents.au.reachout.com/common-concerns/everyday-issues/alcohol-and-teenagers">ReachOut</a>, <a href="https://adf.org.au/talking-about-drugs/parenting/talking-young-people/">Alcohol and Drug Foundation</a>, <a href="https://kidshelpline.com.au/">Kids Helpline</a> and <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/get-help/information-and-support/substance-misuse-and-addiction/">Lifeline</a>.</em></p>
<hr><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/190234/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alexandra Aiken is an Adjunct Associate Lecturer at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre. The Australian Parental Supply of Alcohol Longitudinal Study (APSALS) was funded by a 2010–2014 Australian Research Council Discovery Project Grant (DP:1096668), two Australian Rotary Health Mental Health Research Grants, a Research Innovation Grant from the Australian Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, a 2018-2022 National Health and Medical Research Council project grant (APP1146634), and the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales Sydney,
Australia, which is supported by funding from the Australian Government under the Drug and Alcohol Program.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amy Peacock receives funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, the National Health and Medical Research Council, the National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs, and ACT Health. She has previously received untied educational funding from Mundipharma and Seqirus for post-marketing surveillance of pharmaceutical opioids; these organisations had no involvement in study design, conduct and reporting, and funding was for work unrelated to that presented here. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Philip Clare receives funding from the Medical Research Future Fund, and previously received funding from the Australian Government under the Research Training Program. These organisations had no role in the conduct of any studies, and funding was not directly for work presented here.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Wing See Yuen received funding from the Australian Government under the Research Training Program and the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre. She works for the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at UNSW Sydney. </span></em></p>Should teens drink alcohol? Ideally, no. But in the real world, here are some tips on how to minimise harm.Alexandra Aiken, Adjunct Associate Lecturer, UNSW SydneyAmy Peacock, Senior Research Fellow, UNSW SydneyPhilip Clare, Biostatistician, University of SydneyWing See Yuen, Research fellow, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1837262022-06-08T00:54:42Z2022-06-08T00:54:42ZAnything & Everything gives us a glance into the lives teenagers are constructing online<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467368/original/file-20220607-16-camqgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4249%2C2816&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Rising/Sarah Walker</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>Review: Anything & Everything, Platform Arts, infinity ensemble for Rising.</em></p>
<p>Anything & Everything reminds me of a rite of passage we have all sailed through, in one way or another. That question we all ask: who am I?</p>
<p>The passage is quite different for the new generation. Anything & Everything, directed by Jackson Castiglione, is about the young people who navigate this question with social media embedded in their compass. </p>
<p>We are in a TV studio. Six amazing teenagers converse about how they look, who they are and what is expected of them while collaborating to film short videos of each other, constructing how they want to be seen by the world.</p>
<p>We see them throughout the hour simultaneously on stage and on a variety of screens. A production within a production. A play about identity construction, in which people learn to navigate the different layers of themselves. </p>
<p>You could ask how “real” these layers are. </p>
<p>Are the images on screen less real than what we see in real life (IRL)? </p>
<p>Does this reflection mean anything at all? </p>
<p>Or has it come to mean everything? </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467371/original/file-20220607-22-achvs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Production image" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467371/original/file-20220607-22-achvs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467371/original/file-20220607-22-achvs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467371/original/file-20220607-22-achvs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467371/original/file-20220607-22-achvs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467371/original/file-20220607-22-achvs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467371/original/file-20220607-22-achvs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467371/original/file-20220607-22-achvs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Are the selves we construct on screen more or less real than the selves we construct in real life?</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Rising/Sarah Walker</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/teenagers-need-our-support-not-criticism-as-they-navigate-life-online-116988">Teenagers need our support, not criticism, as they navigate life online</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What if you could see all angles of yourself?</h2>
<p>A metaphor repeatedly invoked throughout the show is the idea of having <a href="https://buffalobayou.org/blog/butterfly-eyes/">butterfly eyes</a> – compound eyes of up to 17,000 lenses which, our cast says, could let them see everything all at once. </p>
<p>The performers ask each other what they would see if they could see themselves from all angles. One thinks about what it would mean to see herself from the back, rather than the front. Another speaks about how she could spy on everyone, knowing what they love and hate about themselves. </p>
<p>There is also an analogy between butterfly eyes and the digital technology we have today. One the one hand, technology gives us unprecedented power to see ourselves and others from many different perspectives, all at the same time. On the other, this power can be too much to handle – as one performer describes, it can be intimidating.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467372/original/file-20220607-12-ml3pkt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Production image" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467372/original/file-20220607-12-ml3pkt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467372/original/file-20220607-12-ml3pkt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467372/original/file-20220607-12-ml3pkt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467372/original/file-20220607-12-ml3pkt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467372/original/file-20220607-12-ml3pkt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467372/original/file-20220607-12-ml3pkt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467372/original/file-20220607-12-ml3pkt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The pressure to perform online can sometimes be too much.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Rising/Sarah Walker</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>At the heart of Anything & Everything is the question of how young people find themselves in multiple realities, rather than a single overarching personality.</p>
<p>None of our teen protagonists say they would like to label themselves with <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2003-04869-003">a coherent and unified identity</a>. As Richard Jenkins, a professor of sociology, writes in his book about <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Social-Identity/Jenkins/p/book/9780415706926">social identity</a>, identity is not a thing, but a process.</p>
<p>It is fascinating to listen to these young people’s stories about how they navigate this process.</p>
<p>For older audiences, it might be a little surreal to realise how much social media channels such as TikTok and Instagram are now an essential part of these journeys.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/snapchat-has-its-risks-but-its-a-powerful-tool-for-youth-creativity-and-socialisation-59457">Snapchat has its risks but it's a powerful tool for youth creativity and socialisation</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What is real?</h2>
<p>Images on screen have often been perceived as a less authentic version of reality, with the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/nobody-knows-youre-a-dog-as-iconic-internet-cartoon-turns-20-creator-peter-steiner-knows-the-joke-rings-as-relevant-as-ever/2013/07/31/73372600-f98d-11e2-8e84-c56731a202fb_blog.html">potential for deception</a>. </p>
<p>As screens become more ubiquitous, this perception is <a href="https://www.wellbeing.com.au/wild/the-reality-of-in-real-life">changing</a>. </p>
<p>Throughout the show, the performers repeatedly discuss how they look and what they see, especially under the influence of digital technology. It is all about seeing. <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Visual-Culture/Jenks/p/book/9780415106238">Visual culture</a> has come to dominate our lives. The screens are all around us. </p>
<p>For these teenagers, the online/offline binary or hierarchy seems to no longer matter. They think of their images on screen as real as their physical bodies. </p>
<p>The screens are not lying to them. </p>
<p>The kids learn to negotiate when certain elements among these multiple realities appear contradictory.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467376/original/file-20220607-26-5op3ky.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Production image" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467376/original/file-20220607-26-5op3ky.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467376/original/file-20220607-26-5op3ky.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467376/original/file-20220607-26-5op3ky.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467376/original/file-20220607-26-5op3ky.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467376/original/file-20220607-26-5op3ky.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467376/original/file-20220607-26-5op3ky.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467376/original/file-20220607-26-5op3ky.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">There are touching moments when the cast reflect on the big issues in their lives.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Rising/Sarah Walker</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Am I different?</h2>
<p>There are touching moments when the performers discuss how gender, racism and living with disabilities influence their sense of identity. Kids are not often expected to have a voice on these issues, and it might surprise some in the audience how much these young people can take in and reflect on. </p>
<p>Each story in the show speaks to the struggles we adults have been dealing with – often without talking to kids. We tend to think children should be protected from such problems.</p>
<p>It turns out they have their own stories: moving stories about fear, frustration, hope and courage. As the beautiful background music of the show says, “you don’t need to be afraid.” The kids are trying to be strong too, even without adults’ recognition.</p>
<p>Anything & Everything ends with an inspiring reflection from one of the ensemble members about <a href="https://2ser.com/online-vs-irl-identity-the-representation-of-self-in-the-digital-age/">identity as performance</a>. Interestingly, they say the idea came to them from an infographic on Instagram. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467375/original/file-20220607-18-h2ywie.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Production image" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467375/original/file-20220607-18-h2ywie.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467375/original/file-20220607-18-h2ywie.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467375/original/file-20220607-18-h2ywie.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467375/original/file-20220607-18-h2ywie.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467375/original/file-20220607-18-h2ywie.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467375/original/file-20220607-18-h2ywie.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467375/original/file-20220607-18-h2ywie.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Adults don’t always listen to teenagers – but it turns out they have a lot to say.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Rising/Sarah Walker</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Identifying as non-binary, they reveal how realising that everyone’s gender identity is a performance gave them the courage to choose their gender – rather than fit into a box.</p>
<p>But the show is about more than individual agency. It asks if social discourses can be changed, such as the way we raise our girls with certain unconscious assumptions and expectations. </p>
<p>In that sense, Anything & Everything leaves us rethinking about young people’s identities, as well as the technological and social forces that influence the process of discovering who we are.</p>
<p><em>Anything & Everything is at ACMI until June 12.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/183726/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Thuy Tran does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>In this new work at Melbourne’s Rising Festival, Anything & Everything lets kids tell us how they see themselves and the world around them.Thuy Tran, PhD Candidate, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1656602021-08-15T19:52:39Z2021-08-15T19:52:39Z1 in 2 primary-aged kids have strong connections to nature, but this drops off in teenage years. Here’s how to reverse the trend<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/415985/original/file-20210813-23-1tn2x9v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C1250%2C832&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption"></span> <span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Parents and researchers have <a href="https://theconversation.com/off-the-couch-and-out-the-door-getting-your-kids-into-nature-4284">long</a> <a href="https://theconversation.com/being-in-nature-is-good-for-learning-heres-how-to-get-kids-off-screens-and-outside-104935">suspected</a> city kids are disconnecting from nature due to technological distractions, indoor lifestyles and increased urban density. Limited access to nature during COVID-19 lockdowns has <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/23/parenting/nature-health-benefits-coronavirus-outdoors.html">heightened</a> such fears.</p>
<p>In fact, “<a href="http://richardlouv.com/blog/what-is-nature-deficit-disorder">nature-deficit disorder</a>” has become a buzzword, driving concerns about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102296">children’s well-being</a> and their ability to <a href="https://theconversation.com/does-your-child-know-more-about-dinosaurs-than-dugongs-perhaps-theyre-reading-the-wrong-books-126841">understand</a> and <a href="http://theconversation.com/time-to-make-nature-studies-a-compulsory-school-subject-before-its-too-late-157491">care for</a> the natural world.</p>
<p>Yet, there’s been surprisingly little investigation to directly test whether a disconnect exists between children and nature – and if it does, how this might affect their environmental behaviours. Our recent <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0255421">research</a>, focused on Australian children in urban areas, sought to address this knowledge gap.</p>
<p>We found most younger children, especially girls, reported strong connections to nature and commitment to pro-environmental behaviours. But by their teenage years, many children have fallen out of love with nature. Understanding and reversing this trend is vital to tackling climate change, species loss and other grave environmental problems.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A phalanx of chanting students march toward the camera flanked by placards and flags." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/415251/original/file-20210809-13-1jdo7nt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/415251/original/file-20210809-13-1jdo7nt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415251/original/file-20210809-13-1jdo7nt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415251/original/file-20210809-13-1jdo7nt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415251/original/file-20210809-13-1jdo7nt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415251/original/file-20210809-13-1jdo7nt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415251/original/file-20210809-13-1jdo7nt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Young people are key to addressing environmental problems.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Henry Lydecker</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What we did</h2>
<p>Our research involved more than 1,000 students aged 8-14 years, attending 16 public schools across Sydney. </p>
<p>We measured the students’ connections to nature using a questionnaire which asked about their:</p>
<ul>
<li>enjoyment of nature</li>
<li>empathy for creatures</li>
<li>sense of oneness with nature</li>
<li>sense of responsibility towards nature.</li>
</ul>
<p>The survey also canvassed students’ current environmental behaviours, such as whether they recycled waste and conserved water and energy, as well as their willingness to:</p>
<ul>
<li>volunteer to help protect nature</li>
<li>donate money to nature charities</li>
<li>talk to friends and family about protecting nature.</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/being-in-nature-is-good-for-learning-heres-how-to-get-kids-off-screens-and-outside-104935">Being in nature is good for learning, here's how to get kids off screens and outside</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Children sitting in a circle on the grass, having a discussion." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/415247/original/file-20210809-25-1kfdl2z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/415247/original/file-20210809-25-1kfdl2z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415247/original/file-20210809-25-1kfdl2z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415247/original/file-20210809-25-1kfdl2z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415247/original/file-20210809-25-1kfdl2z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415247/original/file-20210809-25-1kfdl2z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415247/original/file-20210809-25-1kfdl2z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A girl volunteers her opinion in a group discussion at Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Ryan Keith</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What we found</h2>
<p>Contrary to the conventional wisdom about nature-deficit disorder, we found one in two children aged 8 to 11 felt <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2018.07.004">strongly connected</a> to nature, despite living in the city. However, only one in five teens reported strong nature connections.</p>
<p>Children in the younger age group were also more likely to engage in pro-environmental behaviours. For example, one in two were committed to saving water and energy on a daily basis, and two in three recycled each day.</p>
<p>Girls generally formed closer emotional connections to nature than boys did – a difference especially apparent in the final stage of primary school.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/415992/original/file-20210813-25-13lhcle.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/415992/original/file-20210813-25-13lhcle.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/415992/original/file-20210813-25-13lhcle.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=689&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415992/original/file-20210813-25-13lhcle.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=689&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415992/original/file-20210813-25-13lhcle.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=689&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415992/original/file-20210813-25-13lhcle.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=866&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415992/original/file-20210813-25-13lhcle.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=866&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415992/original/file-20210813-25-13lhcle.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=866&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Connection to nature by age and gender. CNI = Connection to Nature Index.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Importantly, girls differed from boys in their responses to questions about sensory stimulation. Girls particularly liked to see wildflowers, hear nature sounds and touch animals and plants. This finding echoes <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/eco.2010.0025">previous research</a> which found motivation for sensory pleasure is greater in women than men. </p>
<p>Girls also felt greater empathy for nonhuman animals than did boys, even after accounting for differences in sensory experience.</p>
<p>Children with strong nature connections were much more likely to demonstrate pro-environmental behaviours. This helps explain why girls were more willing than boys to volunteer for nature conservation. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/nature-doesnt-judge-you-how-young-people-in-cities-feel-about-the-natural-world-148848">'Nature doesn't judge you': how young people in cities feel about the natural world</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Butterfly on a girl's hand." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/415273/original/file-20210809-23-13hkk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/415273/original/file-20210809-23-13hkk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415273/original/file-20210809-23-13hkk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415273/original/file-20210809-23-13hkk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415273/original/file-20210809-23-13hkk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415273/original/file-20210809-23-13hkk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415273/original/file-20210809-23-13hkk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Girls felt greater empathy for nonhuman animals than boys did.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">www.pisquels.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What does all this mean?</h2>
<p>These findings suggest parents, educators, and <a href="https://www.nwf.org/Home/Kids-and-Family/Connecting-Kids-and-Nature/Kids-and-Nature-Policy">others</a> seeking to “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2019.126573">reconnect</a>” youth with nature should focus on the transition between childhood and the teenage years.</p>
<p>Adolescence is a period of great change. Children move from primary to high school, switching <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-011-9152-0">peer groups</a> and struggling through <a href="https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315124841">puberty</a>. They gain <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/s1138741600001487">independence</a> and must adapt to a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-64123-6.00003%E2%80%935">maturing brain</a>. </p>
<p>Relationships with nature easily fall by the wayside when teens <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2017.1415195">prioritise</a> other aspects of their busy lives. In fact, evidence of the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2015.1075464">adolescent dip</a> in nature connection is emerging across <a href="https://findingnature.org.uk/2019/06/12/teenage-dip/">different</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.14349/rlp.v45i3.1477">cultures</a>.</p>
<p>Educators and parents hoping to engage girls with nature might give them activities focused on <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2016.1250149">sensory stimuli</a>. </p>
<p>Girls’ greater empathy for nonhuman animals may result from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/0022-4537.00177">societal norms</a> that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0038-4941.2004.00239.x">socialise</a> girls to be more caring, cooperative, and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2018.12.003">empathetic</a> than boys. Boys can be encouraged to have more empathy for nonhuman animals through <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02568543.2016.1178198">activities</a> focused on perspective-taking and role-playing. </p>
<p>Even when locked down at home, both girls and boys can cultivate empathy for animals and nourish their connections to nature by taking <a href="https://www.urbanfieldnaturalist.org/resources/a-few-simple-steps">mindful note</a> of their surroundings. Though cities can appear to be concrete jungles, they still contain urban wildlife, parks and other green elements.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/look-up-a-powerful-owl-could-be-sleeping-in-your-backyard-after-a-night-surveying-kilometres-of-territory-155479">Look up! A powerful owl could be sleeping in your backyard after a night surveying kilometres of territory</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="girl rides bike through park" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/415988/original/file-20210813-21-1yqxfx8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/415988/original/file-20210813-21-1yqxfx8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415988/original/file-20210813-21-1yqxfx8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415988/original/file-20210813-21-1yqxfx8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415988/original/file-20210813-21-1yqxfx8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415988/original/file-20210813-21-1yqxfx8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/415988/original/file-20210813-21-1yqxfx8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Children mindful of their surroundings can foster connections to nature in urban areas.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Children are the future</h2>
<p>Recent research has demonstrated that stronger nature connections are associated with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10128">improved health and wellbeing</a> in children. </p>
<p>The benefits of connecting to nature should be distributed among youth in a <a href="https://theconversation.com/6-ways-to-approach-urban-green-spaces-in-the-push-for-racial-justice-and-health-equity-160227">just</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-equity-got-to-do-with-health-in-a-higher-density-city-82071">equitable</a> way. That means working with groups <a href="https://theconversation.com/nature-doesnt-judge-you-how-young-people-in-cities-feel-about-the-natural-world-148848">often marginalised</a> in discussions about nature, such as ethnic minorities.</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2006.00533.x">Conservation</a> is increasingly reliant on young citizens forming meaningful connections with urban nature. Many environmental leaders, such as Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, are <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/09/24/teen-girls-are-leading-climate-strikes-helping-change-face-environmentalism/">teenage girls</a>. </p>
<p>Ensuring urban children maintain nature connections through adolescence is crucial to tackling Earth’s serious environmental problems. But it will also require more young people to confront the difficult realisation that the world’s climate is <a href="https://theconversation.com/this-is-the-most-sobering-report-card-yet-on-climate-change-and-earths-future-heres-what-you-need-to-know-165395">in crisis</a>. For this, we need to develop better ways to help them <a href="https://theconversation.com/connecting-to-nature-is-good-for-kids-but-they-may-need-help-coping-with-a-planet-in-peril-148162">cope</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-covid-19-has-affected-overnight-school-trips-and-why-this-matters-159300">How COVID-19 has affected overnight school trips, and why this matters</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/165660/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ryan Keith does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond his academic appointment.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dieter Hochuli receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the City of Sydney and the Inner West Council.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>John M. Martin receives funding from the Australian Research Council.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lisa M. Given receives funding from the Australian Research Council.</span></em></p>New research found girls particularly liked to see wildflowers, hear nature sounds and touch animals and plants.Ryan Keith, PhD Candidate, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of SydneyDieter Hochuli, Professor, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of SydneyJohn Martin, Research Scientist, Taronga Conservation Society Australia & Adjunct lecturer, University of SydneyLisa M. Given, Professor of Information Science, Centre for Design Innovation, Swinburne University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1169882019-05-21T03:54:32Z2019-05-21T03:54:32ZTeenagers need our support, not criticism, as they navigate life online<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275339/original/file-20190520-69204-1ty0p7k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Life online is still life, but with extra challenges. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/three-teenage-girls-lying-on-bed-787007248?src=Ui6ufKeiU0dPw5uFPGQOdg-1-39">from www.shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Imagine you’re a 14-year-old girl on the train on your way home from school, when out of nowhere a “<a href="https://theconversation.com/our-relationship-with-dick-pics-its-complicated-103444">dick pic</a>” appears on your phone. Surprise! You’ve been cyber flashed. </p>
<p>It’s a form of harassment that didn’t exist even a few years ago, and highlights the fast-evolving digital world our teenagers now have to manage (along with all the more regular challenges of nearly being an adult). </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-fall-for-it-a-parents-guide-to-protecting-your-kids-from-online-hoaxes-113179">Don't fall for it: a parent's guide to protecting your kids from online hoaxes</a>
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</em>
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<p>Cyber flashing involves sending unsolicited obscene images to strangers <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-12/cyber-flashing-porn-sent-to-iphones-using-airdrop/11092974">via AirDrop or Bluetooth on your smartphone</a>.</p>
<p>Unlike old-fashioned flashing, in which the culprit is standing right in front of you, cyber flashing is anonymous. The sender positions themself in a shopping centre, sporting ground, or other public space and sends the photo to anyone within a 3-metre radius – it could be a teenager, an adult or even a 3-year-old holding mum’s phone. The victim will likely search around to identify the sender, but ultimately it is a guessing game; it could be anyone in your field of vision. </p>
<p>Like other online harassment such as posting threatening messages, photos or videos online or repeatedly sending unwanted messages, the aim of cyber flashing is to <a href="https://www.justice.nsw.gov.au/Pages/media-news/media-releases/2018/dolly-law.aspx">humiliate the victim, and incite fear</a>. The anonymity of the communication <a href="https://unchronicle.un.org/article/cyberbullying-and-its-implications-human-rights">exacerbates this</a>. </p>
<p>In the case of the 14-year-old girl, she would have no opportunity to identify her harasser, to seek justice, or even gain an apology for their actions. This will likely leave her feeling powerless, anxious and potentially fearful of future communications by the harasser. </p>
<h2>Digital devices have changed us</h2>
<p>Digital devices have massively influenced how, when, where and why we communicate with others. For example, it is almost standard practice now for many of us to send a series of digital messages over the course of the day, recounting where you are and what you are doing. It may be to your partner, friend, or as social media status updates to whoever is interested, and it could result in 10, 20 or even 50+ digital messages every day. </p>
<p>Twenty years ago, this form of communication would have been highly unusual, almost impossible to deliver, and likely considered inappropriate behaviour. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275344/original/file-20190520-69182-1v5iapw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275344/original/file-20190520-69182-1v5iapw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275344/original/file-20190520-69182-1v5iapw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275344/original/file-20190520-69182-1v5iapw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275344/original/file-20190520-69182-1v5iapw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275344/original/file-20190520-69182-1v5iapw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275344/original/file-20190520-69182-1v5iapw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275344/original/file-20190520-69182-1v5iapw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Snapshat, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and more… kids constantly update their friends on what they’re doing each day.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/sanktpetersburg-russia-february-23-2018-apple-1031490694">from www.shutterstock.com</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The constantly changing ways we use technology to communicate with anyone, anytime and anywhere, has had a huge impact on the lives of parents and their children as they endeavour to navigate the digital age in a safe and healthy way. </p>
<p>Until recently, parents did not even know they had to guide their children in how to manage cyber flashing. </p>
<h2>Outdated thinking doesn’t help</h2>
<p>Some public figures recommend confiscating technology as the only way to <a href="https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9781760559465/">keep young people safe</a>. Such proposals, however, are unhelpful and unfeasible, and based on outdated thinking. The horse has bolted, and technology use has firmly become a central and defining feature of life today. </p>
<p>Smartphone use is <a href="https://www.pewinternet.org/2018/05/31/teens-social-media-technology-2018/">almost ubiquitous for young people (95%)</a>, and social media is firmly established as their preferred platform for communicating with others. Solutions to keep young people safe need to acknowledge and build this understanding into solutions, rather than dismiss or ignore the realities of their digital lives. </p>
<p>While adults often interpret social media as negatively affecting the relationships young people form, this is not the consensus among teens. Although <a href="https://www.pewinternet.org/2018/05/31/teens-social-media-technology-2018/">27% of teens</a> concede that social media has led to more bullying, overall spread of rumours, and less meaningful human interactions, 31% consider social media to have a mostly positive influence on their life. Teens emphasise social media makes it easier to communicate with family and friends, to connect with new people, to be self-expressive and to get support from others. </p>
<p>For the most part, however, nearly half (<a href="https://www.pewinternet.org/2018/05/31/teens-social-media-technology-2018/">45%</a>) of teens say the effect of social media is neither positive nor negative on them; it is just life as they know it. </p>
<h2>Can we expect cyber safety to ease?</h2>
<p>New online safety risks emerge because of a range of intertwined factors.</p>
<p>Continual technology innovation, our increasingly skilled use of our devices, and more blurring of our online and offline lives means that new ways to harass and to be harassed will unfortunately continue to emerge. </p>
<p>It’s not just about the technology, however. Harassment (whether digital or not) also boils down to human values. It taps into prejudices and discrimination that relate to, for example, <a href="https://unchronicle.un.org/article/cyberbullying-and-its-implications-human-rights">sexuality or gender identity</a>. It can also be connected to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23744006.2018.1474029">personality traits</a> such as impulsivity, low self-control, inability to appropriately express anger and low self-esteem. </p>
<p>Direct comparison between factors influencing cyber bullying compared to school yard bullying is difficult. However, some factors are emerging as more influential on cyber bullying. For example, over controlling parenting can lead to an <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10826-016-0401-1">increase in children engaging in cyber bullying victimisation</a>. A high level of moral disengagement is associated with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886916303178">cyber bullying</a>. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/kids-need-to-learn-about-cybersecurity-but-teachers-only-have-so-much-time-in-the-day-112136">Kids need to learn about cybersecurity, but teachers only have so much time in the day</a>
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<h2>Let’s help young people</h2>
<p>Our digital lives are still human lives. It’s vital we support young people to feel safe, and able to deal with the ever-changing risks that can come via digital communication.</p>
<p>Adolescence is a time of transition, and media use in children is increasing. This means parental involvement can be particularly influential and important in supporting teens ability to understand and manage online harassment <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17482798.2016.1129808">should it occur</a>. </p>
<p>Research consistently shows approximately one in two young people who experience bullying <a href="https://unchronicle.un.org/article/cyberbullying-and-its-implications-human-rights">never tell anyone out of fear, embarrassment or a lack of faith in support systems</a>. A strong and supportive parent-teen relationship, based on good and open communication and healthy guidance should be at the heart of any <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23744006.2018.1474029">online safety strategy implemented in the home</a>. </p>
<p>This fosters a sense of openness, so that a teen will feel comfortable to tell their parent about being cyber-flashed or other online harassment they may experience. Dismissing teens’ digital lives, trivialising them or being highly judgemental will not.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/116988/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Joanne Orlando does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Nearly half of teens say the effect of social media is neither positive nor negative on them; it is just life as they know it. So let’s support them through the highs and lows.Joanne Orlando, Researcher: Technology and Learning, Western Sydney UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1034322019-02-05T05:04:24Z2019-02-05T05:04:24ZI Need to Know…The Conversation launches a Q&A service for teens<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/257180/original/file-20190205-86198-1op3sp7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Send us your questions!</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Matt Madd/flickr</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>When you’re a teenager life throws up lots of questions that might sound weird but need serious answers. Many aren’t the type of thing you want to ask in front of a large group of people, and although the wisdom of Dr Google is only a few key-strokes away there’s always a hitch: how do you know you can trust what it throws up? </p>
<p>That’s where The Conversation comes in. We have access to Australia’s top academic experts, and we want to unlock their expertise to answer teenagers’ questions. </p>
<p>There are stacks of things many of us have needed to know, at one time or another: is this normal? How do I tell if I’m being taken advantage of? What are my rights if I’m stopped by the police? Is it legal to divorce your parents? And what about younger brothers?</p>
<p>If you’re a teenager and have a question you’d like answered, there are a few ways you can contact us:</p>
<ul>
<li>email intk@theconversation.edu.au with your question</li>
<li>submit your question anonymously through <a href="https://ansr.me/jeQnz">Incogneato</a></li>
<li>DM us on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theconversationau/">Instagram</a> </li>
<li>tweet us <a href="https://twitter.com/ConversationEDU">@ConversationEDU</a> and use the hashtag #intk</li>
<li>or get in contact through our education <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1930904526921090/">Facebook group</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p>Please tell us your name (you can use a fake name if you don’t want to be identified), age and which city you live in. Send as many questions as you like! We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.</p>
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<p><em>Help us kick things off – send in your questions now, and it might be the first to get answered! You can send an audio recording of your question too, if you want.</em></p>
<p><em>We have a huge pool of experts at our fingertips, and we want to share their expertise with you.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/103432/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
The Conversation has access to Australia’s top academic experts, and we want to unlock their expertise to answer teenagers’ questions.Sophie Heizer, Commissioning Editor, Education, The ConversationLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1027092018-12-11T01:56:08Z2018-12-11T01:56:08ZHow much physical activity should teenagers do, and how can they get enough?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/249839/original/file-20181210-76983-mvjfb9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Teenagers should try to include a combination of aerobic activities (swimming or walking), strength training (sit ups or weight training) and flexibility training (yoga or stretching).</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Many teenagers spend a lot of time being sedentary (sitting or lying down) at school or work, when travelling and during their free time. Modern conveniences such as smart phones, computers and food delivered to your front door encourage sedentary behaviour. But this lack of physical activity can have negative consequences for your physical and mental health. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-physical-activity-in-australian-schools-can-help-prevent-depression-in-young-people-107889">How physical activity in Australian schools can help prevent depression in young people</a>
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<p>We have all probably been told we have to exercise to stay healthy, but how much physical activity is the right amount for teenagers? And what are the benefits?</p>
<h2>How much and why?</h2>
<p>All Australians aged 13-17 are encouraged to do <a href="http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/health-pubhlth-strateg-phys-act-guidelines#apa1317">60 minutes</a> of physical activity each day. There are <a href="http://www.getmoving.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/263134/PA_guidelines_13-17yrs.PDF">numerous benefits</a> of physical activity, including physical (improved fitness and decreased risk of illness), social (having fun with friends) and emotional (helps manage stress and anxiety) benefits.</p>
<p>You should try to include a combination of aerobic activities (such as swimming or walking), strength training (such as sit ups or weight training) and flexibility training (such as yoga or stretching). </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/249838/original/file-20181210-76971-y7213a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/249838/original/file-20181210-76971-y7213a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249838/original/file-20181210-76971-y7213a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249838/original/file-20181210-76971-y7213a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249838/original/file-20181210-76971-y7213a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249838/original/file-20181210-76971-y7213a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249838/original/file-20181210-76971-y7213a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Try to include a mix of different types of exercise in your routine.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
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<p>Try to mix up easy, moderate, and harder activities that are both fun and personally challenging. Limiting sitting time and screen time by <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3542098/pdf/1479-5868-10-1.pdf">regularly interrupting</a> periods of sedentary behaviour is another good idea. For example, standing and moving for a few minutes after every hour of sitting.</p>
<p>There are 1,440 minutes in every day, so being physically active for just 60 minutes is easily achievable.</p>
<h2>Planned activities</h2>
<p>There are hundreds of types of physical activities you could do. The most important thing is to do activities you enjoy, because you’ll be more likely to keep doing them. <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jpepsy/article/34/2/217/924953">Research</a> also suggests you’ll be more likely to be physically active if you exercise with your friends. </p>
<p>Doing a Google search for your location and activity (for example, “swimming clubs near me”) will help you find heaps of clubs and groups you can join up to keep active with your friends, and find new friends with similar interests. Check out some of the types of planned physical activities you can participate in, in the diagram below and challenge yourself to try something new. </p>
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<p><iframe id="WrVlx" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/WrVlx/2/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
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<p>Technology can be both good and bad when it comes to physical activity. Smart phones and computers contribute to sedentary behaviour, but they can also be used to promote and encourage physical activity behaviours. There are numerous <a href="https://campaigns.health.gov.au/girlsmove/mobile-apps">mobile apps</a> that can help motivate you to increase your physical activity. Getting a pedometer or smart watch could also help motivate you to do the recommend minimum of <a href="https://www.10000steps.org.au/">10,000 steps</a> a day.</p>
<h2>Incidental activity</h2>
<p>Another way you can increase your physical activity is to increase the activity you do throughout the day. Incidental activity refers to any movement that increases your level of daily activity. These activities don’t happen at the gym, but instead rely on your daily choices.</p>
<p>For example, office workers are often told to get more activity into their day by doing things such as parking further away from work and walking the rest of the way, and using the stairs instead of the lift. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/249841/original/file-20181210-76989-lret5p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/249841/original/file-20181210-76989-lret5p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249841/original/file-20181210-76989-lret5p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249841/original/file-20181210-76989-lret5p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249841/original/file-20181210-76989-lret5p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249841/original/file-20181210-76989-lret5p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249841/original/file-20181210-76989-lret5p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Walking the family pet is a good option to work physical activity into your daily routine.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
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<p>Similarly, you could:</p>
<ul>
<li> <a href="https://hercanberra.com.au/cpactive/eight-reasons-ride-walk-school-2018">walk or ride to school</a> instead of taking a car or bus</li>
<li> walk around the oval as you chat to your friends at lunchtime instead of sitting </li>
<li> do something active when you meet up with your friends on the weekend, such as swimming at the beach</li>
<li> do an extra lap when you go to the shopping centre and/or, go down every aisle when you go to the supermarket</li>
<li> at family gatherings, play games with your younger siblings and cousins rather than playing on your phone</li>
<li> <a href="https://theconversation.com/are-you-walking-your-dog-enough-100530">take your dog for a walk</a> and a play at the park more often</li>
<li> ride an exercise bike or do some stretching while you watch TV </li>
<li> have “active ads” where you do something active – such as push ups or body weight squats – every time a commercial comes on</li>
<li> playing exergames like Nintendo Wii can be better than just sitting on the couch.</li>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/exergames-good-for-play-time-but-should-not-replace-physical-education-83954">Exergames: good for play time, but should not replace physical education</a>
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<p>Making these simple choices each day can <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ejsp.674">become a habit</a> that increases your physical activity and improves your health. Incidental activity doesn’t replace planned exercise, but all the activity you do during the day adds up, and these two forms of activity can work together to increase your physical activity level. </p>
<p>Incidental activity requires no special equipment or preparation. You can just stand up and move at any time you choose. Remember: something is better than nothing and more is better than less.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/102709/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>All Australians aged 13-17 are encouraged to do 60 minutes of physical activity a day.Vaughan Cruickshank, Program Director – Health and Physical Education, Maths/Science, Faculty of Education, University of TasmaniaCasey Peter Mainsbridge, Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, Director of Student Engagement School of Education, University of TasmaniaKira Patterson, Lecturer in Health Pedagogy, University of TasmaniaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1032332018-09-17T20:12:13Z2018-09-17T20:12:13ZNew research shows Australian teens have complex views on religion and spirituality<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/236615/original/file-20180917-158234-1osx24v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Researchers have identified six broad groups of young people categorised by their views on religion and spirituality.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/mediareleasesbyReleaseDate/7E65A144540551D7CA258148000E2B85">2016 Census suggested</a> about a third of Australian teens had no religion. But ask a teenager themselves about religion, rather than the parent or guardian filling in the census form, and the picture is slightly different.</p>
<p>According to our <a href="http://sociology.cass.anu.edu.au/australia-s-gen-zs">new national survey</a>, at least half of teens say they are “religious nones” - those who do not identify with a religion or religious group. Digging deeper, we found a more complicated picture of faith and spirituality among young Australians. Most Gen Z teens have little to do with organised religion in their personal lives, while a significant proportion are interested in different ways of being spiritual.</p>
<p>Migration, diversity, secularisation and a burgeoning spiritual marketplace challenge the notion that we are a “Christian” country. More than any other group, teenagers are at the forefront of this remaking of Australian religion. Their daily experience of secondary school and social media sees them bumping into all kinds of difference. Teens are forming their own strong views about existential matters. </p>
<p>Our national study by scholars from ANU, Deakin and Monash – the AGZ Study – comprises 11 focus groups with students in Years 9 and 10 (ages 15-16) in three states, a nationally representative telephone survey of 1,200 people aged 13-18, and 30 in-depth, follow-up interviews. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/religion-in-australian-schools-an-historical-and-contemporary-debate-82439">Religion in Australian schools: an historical and contemporary debate</a>
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<p>So what do we know about the religious and spiritual lives of Generation Z teens? We deployed a powerful form of statistical analysis to identify six different “types” that move beyond conventional understandings of religious or nonreligious identity. The categories take into account religious and spiritual beliefs and practices, self-understandings and attitudes to the universe.</p>
<p>To ensure the types were more than computer-generated assumptions, we interviewed at least five teens from each group, checking that it all made sense.</p>
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<p>Here are the six spirituality types we found.</p>
<p><strong>This-worldly.</strong> This largest group accounts for 23% of Australian teens. “This-wordly” young people have no space in their worldview for religious, spiritual or non-material possibilities. They never or rarely go to services of worship and don’t identify with a religion. </p>
<p>Because none of them believes in God, they are technically atheists. But not all of them identify with that label, nor do they see themselves as humanists or secularists. </p>
<p>They have no truck with other spiritual possibilities, whether that is belief in reincarnation or horoscopes. The majority of them agree with the statement that the physical world is the only thing that exists. Their thinking is entirely “this-worldly”, or as one of them put it: “science-y”.</p>
<p><strong>Religiously committed.</strong> Making up 17% of Australian teens, the religiously committed stand in stark contrast to the “this-worldly” teens. Religious faith, whether that is Christian (mainly Pentecostal and evangelical), Islam or something else, is a big part of their lives. </p>
<p>The very large majority of this group attend services of worship regularly, report affective religious experiences, and believe there is life after death. Almost all of them agree that religious faith is important in shaping how they live their lives.</p>
<p><strong>Seekers.</strong> Intriguingly different from both these “committed” groups are the exploratory Seekers, a small but vital 8% of teens. Their worldview is decidedly eclectic. They almost all self-describe as “spiritual”. This finds expression in belief in life after death, and repeated experiences of a presence or power that is different from their everyday selves. </p>
<p>Seekers have a decidedly eclectic worldview, seeking out their spiritual truth. They most likely consult their horoscopes, have seen a psychic, or both. At the same time, they identify with a religion and believe in God or a higher being. </p>
<p>This-worldly, Religiously committed and Seeker teens all represent decisive groupings of religious, nonreligious and seeker spirituality. The remainder of Australia’s teens are oriented towards one of these trajectories, but with less conviction.</p>
<p><strong>Spiritual but not religious.</strong> Sitting between the This-worldly and Seekers is a group we call Spiritual but not Religious, represented by 18% of teens in Australia. God, faith and religion are not important to them, but the door is open to spiritual possibilities, including issues such as life after death, reincarnation, and belief in a higher being (but not really God).</p>
<p><strong>Indifferent.</strong> As might be expected, one group is largely indifferent or undecided about all of it: religion, spirituality and atheism. Following the lead from scholars overseas, we call this group Indifferent. They comprise about 15% of Australian teens.</p>
<p><strong>Nominally religious.</strong> This group is largely culturally religious, following the religious identity of their parents, guardians or community (for example, a Catholic or Islamic school). Certainly, they identify with a religion, and believe in God, but faith is not important in their daily lives and they don’t often darken the door of a temple, church or mosque. At the same time, they don’t care for spiritual ideas either, such as reincarnation or horoscopes.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/census-2016-shows-australias-changing-religious-profile-with-more-nones-than-catholics-79837">Census 2016 shows Australia's changing religious profile, with more 'nones' than Catholics</a>
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<p>In short, dig a bit deeper and there is a lot of diversity among our teens on matters of faith and spirituality. And that sits comfortably with them. Our data show they are genuinely open to diversity in other people. While only a minority follow a faith with strong conviction, as a whole they are not anti-religious. As we heard often: “It’s all good.”</p>
<p>Tellingly, teens are wary of attempts by some to dictate to others what they can and cannot do, or who are disrespectful of those not like themselves. Didactic politicians beware.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/103233/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Singleton receives funding from the Australian Research Council for the projects:
ARC DISCOVERY PROJECT: DP160102367. Australian Young People's Perspectives on Religions and Non-religious Worldviews. CIs: A/Prof Mary Louise Rasmussen (ANU) A/Prof Andrew Singleton (Deakin), Dr Anna Halafoff (Deakin), Prof Gary Bouma (Monash).
ARC DISCOVERY PROJECT: DP170100563. Social Engagement in Spiritualism CIs: A/Prof Matt Tomlinson (ANU), A/Prof Andrew Singleton (Deakin). </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Anna Halafoff receives funding from the Australian Research Council for the project: ARC DISCOVERY PROJECT: DP160102367. Australian Young People's Perspectives on Religions and Non-religious Worldviews. CIs: A/Prof Mary Louise Rasmussen (ANU) A/Prof Andrew Singleton (Deakin), Dr Anna Halafoff (Deakin), Prof Gary Bouma (Monash). </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gary D Bouma receives funding from Australian Research Council for the study reported here</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mary Lou Rasmussen receives funding from the Australian Research Council</span></em></p>A new study reveals Australian teenagers do not relate to established ideas on religion and spirituality. Instead, they fall into six broad groups and show great tolerance for others’ ideas.Andrew Singleton, Associate Professor of Sociology and Social Research, Deakin UniversityAnna Halafoff, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Deakin UniversityGary D Bouma, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, Monash UniversityMary Lou Rasmussen, Professor, School of Sociology, Australian National UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.