Full report released

Recently we released a series of key chapters to highlight findings from the latest Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) Annual Statistical Report 2018.

These key chapters looked at teenagers and their resilience, sex and relationships, gambling, sleep, risky driving and what they worry about. You can find them below, as well as the media responses to the chapters.

Today the full report is available. The study has followed 10,000 children since 2003. We catch up with them as they start going through key transitional milestones and experiences that will take them to adulthood.

Read the full LSAC ASR 2018 report

Adolescents’ resilience

At a time when teens increasingly turn to friends for advice and support (instead of family), having a close friend they feel they can trust to talk to, can be vital to maintaining resilience.

On average, girls reported lower levels of resilience than boys, in line with higher rates of mental health issues among girls.

Read the chapter on adolescents' resilience

Teenagers and sex

A third of 16–17 year olds have had sex. Most had safe sex. But almost half of girls and one third of boys aged 16–17 said they had experienced some form of unwanted sexual behaviour toward them in the past 12 months.

Read the chapter on teenagers and sex

Gambling activity among teenagers and their parents

1 in 6 teenagers have gambled in the past year, with private betting with friends and family being the most common form. A small number have already engaged in underage gambling, which could increase the risk of gambling-related harm in future.

Read the chapter on gambling activity

Are children and adolescents getting enough sleep?

A significant number of teenagers get less sleep on school nights than the national guidelines recommend. Children aged 5–13 years should get between 9 and 11 hours of sleep and adolescents aged 14–17 years should get between 8 and 10 hours per night.

Factors such as internet use, caffeine intake, regular bedtimes and physical activity can all affect sleep.

Read the chapter on children and adolescents' sleep

Risky driving among Australian teens

The vast majority of 16–17 year old P-platers (80%) and over half of learner drivers engaged in some form of risky driving during their 10 most recent trips.

Driving while tired and speeding were the most common forms of risky driving. For some, taking risks is already habitual, with one in five teens failing to wear a seatbelt or wear a helmet on every trip.

Read the chapter on teenagers and risky driving

Tweens and teens: What do they worry about?

The thing that most young people are worried about are their families: family members becoming ill or injured, fighting in their family, and parents losing their jobs.

Terrorism, war and the environment were also issues of concern.

Understanding what children and young people worry about allows parents and caregivers to support them more effectively.

Read the chapter on what tweens and teens worry about

In the media

Radio: 'Family problems worrying 10 to 13-year-olds the most, study finds'
ABC AM, 16 December

Article: ‘“People need an extra hour's sleep”: Should students get a lie-in?’
The Age, 15 December

Television (via Twitter link): Have you taught a teenager how to drive?
ABC Breakfast News, 10 December

Article: ‘Risky driving: it starts earlier than you think’
The Mandarin, 10 December

Article: ‘P-platers too tired to drive in safety’
The Herald Sun, 10 December [Paywalled]

Radio: ‘How much sleep are Australian teenagers getting?’
ABC AM, 3 December

Article: ‘Sleep-deprived Australian teenagers struggling, study finds’
ABC News, 3 December

Article: ‘“As long as you gamble, you feel like an Australian”: one in six teenagers gambling underage’
The Sydney Morning Herald, 1 December

Editorial: ‘Our youth need protection from vices they do not understand’
The Sydney Morning Herald, 1 December

Article: ‘Romance rules for teenagers’
The Australian, 27 November [Paywalled]

Article: ‘How to help struggling teens build resilience’
The Herald Sun, 25 November [Paywalled]

Article: ‘Teens with at least one close friend can better cope with stress than those without’
The Conversation, 25 November

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