Senior Lecturer in Psychology, University of the Sunshine Coast
B.A. (UQ); BPsych(Hons)(QUT); PhD (QUT)
Dr Rachael Sharman is a lecturer and researcher in psychology, specialising in child/adolescent development. Rachael's research is focused on the optimal and healthy development of the paediatric brain, and has covered the neuro/psychological impacts of: dietary practices of parents and their children; physical activity; obesity; sport participation; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; genetic disorders; concussion and childhood trauma.
Rachael has a long history in working in child-related fields including child protection, juvenile justice, disability, advocacy and genetic research. Rachael remains committed to research that ensures children have the best possible chance to meet their full potential. Her current interests include: children’s play opportunities and the built environment; resilience-building features of risky play; child protection issues including sexual abuse and trafficking; adolescent arson and self-harming; transitions from education to the workplace.
Jun 04, 2024 06:17 am UTC| Life
Family meetings are often touted as an effective way to resolve conflicts, work out some shared goals and bring the family together. They seem to wax and wane in popularity. But as Google Trends shows, there has been a...
Excessive screen time can affect young people's emotional development
Sep 23, 2023 03:17 am UTC| Health
A recent Beyond Blue survey of more than 2,000 teachers identified mental ill-health and excessive screen time as the biggest problems facing their students. Comments from teachers revealed a perceived lack of social...
Nearly 30% of kids experience sibling bullying – as either bully or victim
Jul 01, 2019 03:24 am UTC| Insights & Views Life
Australia has invested an extraordinary amount of time and effort into putting in place bullying prevention programs especially across schools. But what happens when your bully is your own flesh and blood, and lives with...
How to tell your child you're getting divorced
Aug 24, 2018 03:58 am UTC| Insights & Views Life
While some kids may be lucky enough to skate through their parents separation relatively unscathed, the majority are going to suffer at least some short term, if not longer term distress. As an adult, youve likely...