Tooled Up Education

Researcher of the Month: Tanya Manchanda Discusses the Role of Friendship Interventions on the Mental Health Outcomes of Adolescents

Our Researcher of the Month, Tanya Manchanda, has recently published a review which assesses existing friendship interventions and their impacts on the mental health outcomes of adolescents aged 12–24 years. In this interview, Tanya considers what we know about these interventions, for both the teen who is trained and their friends and reveals that surprisingly few interventions which utilise authentic social groups have been studied, despite their potential for strong results. She talks us through some of the interventions that do exist and outlines key things that schools might like to consider when developing and implementing friendship interventions designed to improve teens’ mental health.

Dr Weston Talks with Dr Amy Harrison: Supporting a Friend with an Eating Disorder

In this interview, clinical psychologist and eating disorder expert, Dr Amy Harrison, talks to us about optimal ways to support a friend who has an eating disorder. She discusses her innovative research into the impact of eating disorders on social functioning and gives us some actionable tips that might be helpful in maintaining and strengthening friendships. She also guides us through some topics of conversation to avoid or reframe.

Researcher of the Month: Is Heavy Gaming Detrimental to Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing? Dr Simona Skripkauskaite Fills Us In

Should we worry if our teens spend hours a day gaming? New research shows that for the majority of teens, heavy gaming is not detrimental to their wellbeing and might even have a positive relationship with it. However, it also shows that there are a small number of teens for whom heavy gaming is associated with poor wellbeing. Dr Simona Skripkauskaite, our Researcher of the Month for February 2023, chats to us about her new study and what these findings mean for parents.

Let’s Connect for Children’s Mental Health Week

Connections with others – friends, family, teachers and even people we chat to in passing, such as neighbours or the person working in the local shop, are vital for our wellbeing. Without these connections, we can feel lonely or isolated, which can make us feel down. Thinking about how we connect with others and other ways to improve our wellbeing are important. Here are a few things that are worth considering.

Researcher of the Month: Dr Cele Richardson Explores How Parental Warmth Influences Teens’ Sleep

Researcher of the month, Dr Cele Richardson, discusses her 2022 study, which shows that when parents have a warmer relationship with their teens, teens tend to have better sleep hygiene practices, sleep for longer at night and feel less sleepy during the day. Lack of sleep can have a significant impact on the mental health and wellbeing of many teenagers. As parents, we are ideally placed to help them form good and healthy habits. Learn more about the impact we can have in this fascinating interview.

Learning More about Low Mood and Depression with Professor Shirley Reynolds

In this webinar, we are joined by Professor Shirley Reynolds, an expert in teen depression and former podcast guest. She outlines some of the best ways we can protect children’s mental health at an early age, before explaining key things to know about depression in teens and possible treatment pathways. We’ve also included some excellent additional resources and courses if you’d like to learn more.

Adolescent Girls’ Friendships: A Summary of the Available Literature with Tanya Manchanda

PhD student, Tanya Manchanda talks us through everything that we need to know about girls’ friendships during adolescence (between the ages of 10 and 24). She focuses on the links between friendships and mental health, how friendships gain more importance during adolescence, their importance to young people’s wellbeing and common friendship issues. She finishes with some tips for nurturing positive relationships that can be used at home or in school.

Making Sense of the Menopause: a Live Q&A with Dr Fionnuala Barton

In this hugely informative webinar, Dr Fionnuala Barton, The Menopause Medic, talks us through how the menopause can affect both women and their wider family. She answers all of your questions, separates fact from fiction and helpfully talks through available treatment options.

Books About Autism for Parents, School Staff, Children and Young People

This list consists predominantly of books that are written for parents, carers and school staff by leading experts in the field of autism. The first section is followed by some books that are directed at young people with autism which can be either read by themselves or together with a parent, carer, or at school.