Search

The Kids Research Institute Australia has two researchers and an innovative science engagement initiative as finalists in the 2017 Premier’s Science Awards.

Professor Donna Cross and her team at The Kids Research Institute Australia have challenged and overturned damaging attitudes that saw bullying tolerated in childhood.

Even in the safety of their home, there are many risky places a child or teenager can visit online. This can be due to the content they see, who they come into contact with, and personal information they share.

Cyberbullying is a form of online harassment, where the bullying is carried out through the use of modern technology.

Growing up in socioeconomic disadvantage increases risk of peer bullying at school. Both socioeconomic status and involvement in bullying are predictive of a range of adverse developmental outcomes. However, neither (a) the mechanisms whereby disadvantage increases bullying risk nor (b) the developmental outcomes for which bullying may mediate disadvantage are clear. 

Previous research has focused on identifying the association between moral dimension and bullying behavior, with an emphasis on better understanding the complex processes that children and adolescents trigger during decision-making in immoral situations. However, advances in research on morality and bullying have not been paralleled by the design of intervention programs that promote moral competence. The aim of this chapter is to analyze the moral dimension as a key intervention in the design of holistic models for preventing bullying and promoting defending.

This study addresses a knowledge gap in the literature about early adolescent cyberbullying victimization and the related positive and negative emotional wellbeing and academic achievement outcomes experienced over time. 

Parental support is strongly correlated with protective factors for trans youth yet most experience parental rejection or ambivalence regarding their gender. Many parents report a desire to support their child but indicate lack of understanding and support as key barriers. We aimed to develop a nuanced understanding of the challenges and facilitators experienced by Australian parents in developing understanding, support and acceptance of their child’s gender and their needs to do so.

Student bullying behaviours are a significant social issue in schools worldwide. Whilst school staff have access to quality bullying prevention interventions, schools can face significant challenges implementing the whole-school approach required to address the complexity of these behaviours.

A commonly suggested strategy for addressing bullying is for victims to seek help from a trusted person. Despite this recommendation, there are a group of adolescent victims who choose not to seek help. This study aimed to identify factors associated with not seeking help among adolescents who experienced bullying victimisation.