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Climate change, activism, and supporting the mental health of children and young people: Perspectives from Western Australia

The climate crisis has detrimental impacts on the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. Psychological effects include feelings of fear, overwhelm, worry, distress, hopelessness and anger; PTSD; depression; anxiety; phobias; panic disorder; sleep disturbances; attachment disorders...

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Autores principales: Godden, Naomi J, Farrant, Brad M, Yallup Farrant, Jaime, Heyink, Emma, Carot Collins, Eva, Burgemeister, Bella, Tabeshfar, Mena, Barrow, Jason, West, Mara, Kieft, Jasmine, Rothwell, Mason, Leviston, Zoe, Bailey, Susan, Blaise, Mindy, Cooper, Trudi
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. 2021
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9299447/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34792244
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jpc.15649
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author Godden, Naomi J
Farrant, Brad M
Yallup Farrant, Jaime
Heyink, Emma
Carot Collins, Eva
Burgemeister, Bella
Tabeshfar, Mena
Barrow, Jason
West, Mara
Kieft, Jasmine
Rothwell, Mason
Leviston, Zoe
Bailey, Susan
Blaise, Mindy
Cooper, Trudi
author_facet Godden, Naomi J
Farrant, Brad M
Yallup Farrant, Jaime
Heyink, Emma
Carot Collins, Eva
Burgemeister, Bella
Tabeshfar, Mena
Barrow, Jason
West, Mara
Kieft, Jasmine
Rothwell, Mason
Leviston, Zoe
Bailey, Susan
Blaise, Mindy
Cooper, Trudi
author_sort Godden, Naomi J
collection PubMed
description The climate crisis has detrimental impacts on the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. Psychological effects include feelings of fear, overwhelm, worry, distress, hopelessness and anger; PTSD; depression; anxiety; phobias; panic disorder; sleep disturbances; attachment disorders; learning difficulties; substance abuse; shock and trauma symptoms; adjustment problems; behavioural problems; and, suicidal thinking. First Nations' children and young people are particularly at risk due to loss of place, identity, culture, land and customs informed by kinship relationships with the Earth; while sustainable land use practices and connection to Country and community can enhance climate resilience. In Western Australia (WA), some young people engage in climate activism – including striking from school – to demand government action to address the causes of climate change, including colonisation and capitalism. Climate activism can promote resilience, particularly when children and young people can emotionally engage in the climate crisis; when mental health is systemically supported; when climate communication is transparent and comprehensive; and, when activism is informed by the knowledges and wisdoms of First Nations peoples and grounded on Country. This article is co‐authored by WA young people, Aboriginal and non‐Aboriginal academics, activists and practitioners engaged in youth, mental health and climate justice spaces. We argue for structural change to address the causes of the climate crisis, alongside enhanced evidence and approaches to appropriately support the mental health of children and young people. Furthermore, we support the call of Aboriginal peoples to ensure culturally appropriate, place‐based responses based in caring for Country.
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spelling pubmed-92994472022-07-21 Climate change, activism, and supporting the mental health of children and young people: Perspectives from Western Australia Godden, Naomi J Farrant, Brad M Yallup Farrant, Jaime Heyink, Emma Carot Collins, Eva Burgemeister, Bella Tabeshfar, Mena Barrow, Jason West, Mara Kieft, Jasmine Rothwell, Mason Leviston, Zoe Bailey, Susan Blaise, Mindy Cooper, Trudi J Paediatr Child Health Viewpoints The climate crisis has detrimental impacts on the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. Psychological effects include feelings of fear, overwhelm, worry, distress, hopelessness and anger; PTSD; depression; anxiety; phobias; panic disorder; sleep disturbances; attachment disorders; learning difficulties; substance abuse; shock and trauma symptoms; adjustment problems; behavioural problems; and, suicidal thinking. First Nations' children and young people are particularly at risk due to loss of place, identity, culture, land and customs informed by kinship relationships with the Earth; while sustainable land use practices and connection to Country and community can enhance climate resilience. In Western Australia (WA), some young people engage in climate activism – including striking from school – to demand government action to address the causes of climate change, including colonisation and capitalism. Climate activism can promote resilience, particularly when children and young people can emotionally engage in the climate crisis; when mental health is systemically supported; when climate communication is transparent and comprehensive; and, when activism is informed by the knowledges and wisdoms of First Nations peoples and grounded on Country. This article is co‐authored by WA young people, Aboriginal and non‐Aboriginal academics, activists and practitioners engaged in youth, mental health and climate justice spaces. We argue for structural change to address the causes of the climate crisis, alongside enhanced evidence and approaches to appropriately support the mental health of children and young people. Furthermore, we support the call of Aboriginal peoples to ensure culturally appropriate, place‐based responses based in caring for Country. John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. 2021-11-18 2021-11 /pmc/articles/PMC9299447/ /pubmed/34792244 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jpc.15649 Text en © 2021 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians). https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/This is an open access article under the terms of the http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non‐commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.
spellingShingle Viewpoints
Godden, Naomi J
Farrant, Brad M
Yallup Farrant, Jaime
Heyink, Emma
Carot Collins, Eva
Burgemeister, Bella
Tabeshfar, Mena
Barrow, Jason
West, Mara
Kieft, Jasmine
Rothwell, Mason
Leviston, Zoe
Bailey, Susan
Blaise, Mindy
Cooper, Trudi
Climate change, activism, and supporting the mental health of children and young people: Perspectives from Western Australia
title Climate change, activism, and supporting the mental health of children and young people: Perspectives from Western Australia
title_full Climate change, activism, and supporting the mental health of children and young people: Perspectives from Western Australia
title_fullStr Climate change, activism, and supporting the mental health of children and young people: Perspectives from Western Australia
title_full_unstemmed Climate change, activism, and supporting the mental health of children and young people: Perspectives from Western Australia
title_short Climate change, activism, and supporting the mental health of children and young people: Perspectives from Western Australia
title_sort climate change, activism, and supporting the mental health of children and young people: perspectives from western australia
topic Viewpoints
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9299447/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34792244
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jpc.15649
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