The positive impact of prosocial behaviours on mental health in children and adolescents
This 30-min webinar, which first broadcast in 2023, will unpack a research snapshot from Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) that examined the relationship between prosocial behaviours, such as volunteering and sharing, and adolescent mental health.
In the webinar, Dr Karlee O’Donnell, who is part of the Longitudinal and Lifecourse Studies team at AIFS, shares her insights on how child and family services and practitioners can best use the snapshot’s findings.
LSAC is a major study following the development of 10,000 young people and their families from across Australia. The study is conducted in partnership between the Department of Social Services and the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS). The study began in 2004 with a representative sample of infants(0–1-year-olds) and children (4–5-year-olds) from urban and rural areas across all Australian states and territories, and over its 20 years, it has explored at a range of issues affecting Australian children and young people.
This webinar will:
- explore the relationship between prosocial behaviours and mental health symptoms
- describe how childhood involvement in volunteering can buffer against poor mental health in adolescence
- provide guidance for child and family services and practitioners on how to support children and young people to engage in prosocial behaviours.
Please note: As this is a webinar re-run, there will be no Q&A.
The content may be of particular interest to those working in areas relating to child and adolescent development, with carers and parents, or in areas related to mental health and wellness.