Positive thinking

Chrissie Rogers, University of Bradford   For many young people, school can be a difficult place. And for some, it can be just about impossible. Negative experiences in school can have harmful long-term effects on pupils with autism spectrum conditions. Official figures show that children are increasingly being suspended or expelled from school because of “behavioural problems” – many of which include children on the autism spectrum. Some regions in the UK have experienced a 100% increase in these types of exclusions since 2011. So despite policy rhetoric on “ inclusive education ” – where children ought to be educated in mainstream schools – recent figures show school exclusions are increasing: from 6,685 pupils to 7,720 between 2015-2016 and 2016-2017. In my current research , I interviewed mothers of adult children with autism and other social, emotional and mental health problems. They told me how their young sons had been a challenge in school. And how despi...

David James, Manchester Metropolitan University   Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy (or “the boys” as they were often known) can, arguably, be regarded as the greatest double act that comedy has produced. If their star has waned somewhat in the past couple of decades, it is surely because of a lack of exposure rather than their humour going out of style. We can hope that this new film, which has harnessed the considerable comedic talents of Steve Coogan as Laurel and John C Reilly as Hardy will do its bit to bring their timeless brilliance back to the fore. It’s a heartwarming yet bittersweet tale. By 1953, the year of their final tour (the tour that the forthcoming film Stan and Ollie is based around), their film career was over. It had been on a downward trend ever since they left the Hal Roach Lot (or the “Lot of Fun” as it was dubbed) to work for 20th Century Fox in 1941. The move curtailed Laurel’s freedom as the writer and de facto director of the films and, as a resul...

Rhi Willmot, Bangor University   Exercise has been found to reduce stress , increase positive mood , decrease anxiety and alleviate depression . But you may not know that the emotional well-being associated with exercise is also linked to key attributes that can help us while we work. One of the most established of well-being frameworks ( PERMA ) states that of the many ways to experience happiness, five areas are most important: positive emotions, mental engagement, strong relationships, meaning in life and accomplishing goals. At face value, achieving all five may seem a colossal task. But many activities from tennis to triathlons, squash to swimming, can help us clinch all five at once. Evidence suggests that, as a result, we are more likely to avoid job burnout , sleep more easily and be more engaged at work. 1. Positive emotions The “runner’s high” is at the peak of positive emotion. While this euphoric feeling is most typically linked to pounding the pav...

Aimee Pink, Swansea University ; Claire Williams, Swansea University ; Menna Price, Swansea University , and Michelle Lee, Swansea University   Most of us have turned to food to make ourselves feel better at some point. Whether it is snuggling up with a pot of ice cream following a break up (channelling an inner Bridget Jones perhaps) or turning to chocolate and biscuits to keep us going through a difficult day at work. This is known as emotional eating , consuming food in response to emotions. But while it may make us feel better initially, in the long run, it can have a negative impact on our health. We are all aware that obesity is a major societal issue with rates still increasing . Overeating in response to emotions is just one of the many factors thought to drive weight gain and increase body mass index (BMI). However, while other factors do come into play, it is important to understand how emotions may influence weight gain to help aid weight loss and manageme...