Mom's Sensitivity Helps Language Development in Children with Hearing Loss
CORAL GABLES, FL; March 8, 2013—University of Miami (UM) Psychologist Alexandra L. Quittner leads one of the largest, most nationally representative studies of the effects of parenting on very young, deaf children who have received cochlear implants. The findings indicate that mothers who are most sensitive in their interactions with their children receiving cochlear implants have kids that develop language faster, almost "catching up" to their hearing peers. The report is published in the Journal of Pediatrics.
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Do-Gooder or Ne'er-Do-Well? Study Examines How Previous Behavior Affects Current Moral Conduct
APS, March 7, 2013—Does good behavior lead to more good behavior? Or do we try to balance our good and bad deeds? The answer depends on our ethical mindset, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
Psychological scientist Gert Cornelissen of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra and colleagues found that people who have an “ends justify the means” mindset are more likely to balance their good and bad deeds, while those who believe that what is right and wrong is a matter of principle are more likely to be consistent in their behavior, even if that behavior is bad.
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Speech Emerges In ASD Children with Severe Language Delay
at Greater Rate Than Previously Thought
BALTIMORE, MD, March 4, 2013—New findings published in Pediatrics (Epub ahead of print) by the Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Center for Autism and Related Disorders reveal that 70 percent of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who have a history of severe language delay, achieved phrase or fluent speech by age eight. This suggests that more children presenting with ASD and severe language delay at age four can be expected to make notable language gains than was previously thought. Abnormalities in communication and language are a defining feature of ASD, yet prior research into the factors predicting the age and quality of speech attainment has been limited.
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Closer Personal Relationships Could Help Teens Overcome Learning Disabilities
AFTAU, February 28, 2013—In addition to struggling in school, many learning disabled children are known to face social and emotional challenges including depression, anxiety, and isolation. Often beginning early in childhood, they become more pronounced during adolescence, an emotionally turbulent time.
For these youngsters, more positive relationships with the significant adults in their lives—including parents and teachers—can improve learning and "socioemotional" experiences, says Dr. Michal Al-Yagon of Tel Aviv University's Jaime and Joan Constantiner School of Education.
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Persistent Negative Attitude Can Undo Effectiveness of Exposure Therapy for Phobias
COLUMBUS, February 26, 2013—Because confronting fear won’t always make it go away, researchers suggest that people with phobias must alter memory-driven negative attitudes about feared objects or events to achieve a more lasting recovery from what scares them the most.
Ohio State University psychology researchers determined that people who retained negative attitudes about public speaking after exposure therapy were more likely to experience a return of their fear a month later than were people whose attitudes were less negative. The fear returned among those with unchanged attitudes even if they showed improvement during the treatment.
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Why Some Soldiers Develop PTSD and Others Don't
February 21, 2013—Pre-war vulnerability is just as important as combat-related trauma in predicting whether veterans’ symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) will be long-lasting, according to new research published in Clinical Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
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Bullied Children Can Suffer Lasting Psychological Harm as Adults
DURHAM, NC; February 20, 2013—Bullied children grow into adults who are at increased risk of developing anxiety disorders, depression and suicidal thoughts, according to a study led by researchers at Duke Medicine.
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Infants in Poverty Show Different Physiological Vulnerabilities to the Caregiving Environment
February 19, 2013—Some infants raised in poverty exhibit physical traits that make them more vulnerable to poor caregiving, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The combination of physiological vulnerability and poor caregiving may lead these children to show increased problem behaviors later in childhood.
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Life Experiences Put Their Stamp on the next Generation: New Insights from Epigenetics
A review from Biological Psychiatry
Philadelphia, PA, February 14, 2013—There has long been the impression that major life events, like psychological traumas, not only have effects on individuals who directly experience these events, but also have effects on their children. For example, cross-generational effects have been well-documented in the children of Nazi death camp survivors. Similar issues have been reported in the context of mood disorders and addiction. Until recently, these trans-generational effects were attributed to changes in the way that parents treated their children or the child's reaction to learning about the parent's history.
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Happily Married Couples Consider Themselves Healthier
COLUMBIA, MO, February 13, 2013—Previous research suggests that married people have better mental and physical health than their unmarried peers and are less likely to develop chronic conditions than their widowed or divorced counterparts. But a recent University of Missouri study helps fill out the picture: people who have happy marriages are more likely to rate their health as better as they age; aging adults whose physical health is declining could especially benefit from improving their marriages.
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Autism and Schizophrenia Genes Only Active in Developing Brains
OXFORD, February 12, 2013—Genes linked to autism and schizophrenia are only switched on during the early stages of brain development, according to a study in mice led by researchers at the University of Oxford. This new study adds to the evidence that autism and schizophrenia are neurodevelopmental disorders, a term describing conditions that originate during early brain development.
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Like Mother, Like Child: New Research on Parents, Preschoolers and Obesity
PULLMAN, WA, February 7, 2013—While sugary drinks, lack of exercise and genetics contribute to a growing number of overweight American children, new research from Washington State University reveals how a mom’s eating habits and behavior at the dinner table can influence her preschooler’s obesity risk.
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Study of Alcohol-Dependent Men Finds Dramatic Link to Childhood Emotional Abuse
February 5, 2013—People who drink excessively or are alcohol dependent (AD) have reduced central serotonergic neurotransmission, which can have an impact on planning, judgment, self-control, and emotional regulation. Childhood maltreatment has also been found to have a negative impact on central serotonergic neurotransmission. A new evaluation of the impact of childhood maltreatment on central serotonergic dysfunction in AD individuals has found that self-reported childhood emotional abuse is associated with a 90-percent reduction in central serotonergic neurotransmission in male AD individuals.
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Green Tea and Red Wine Extracts Disrupt Alzheimer's
February 5, 2013—Natural chemicals found in green tea and red wine may disrupt a key step of the Alzheimer’s disease pathway, according to new research from the University of Leeds.
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Mothers' Behavior during Playtime Linked to Young Children's Engagement with Them
February 5, 2013—Affectionate, less controlling mothers have the strongest relationships with their children, says a new study from the University of Missouri. Lead researcher and child development expert Jean Ispa says children flourish when they are free to make decisions about how to play.
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Social Networking: Gen Xers Connect Online As Often As They Socialize in Person
ANN ARBOR; January 31, 2013—Young adults in Generation X are as likely to connect with friends, family and co-workers online as they are in person, according to a University of Michigan study.
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A Positive Family Climate in Adolescence Is Linked to Marriage Quality in Adulthood
January 30, 2013—Experiencing a positive family climate as a teenager may be connected to your relationships later in life, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
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Researchers Map Emotional Intelligence in the Brain
CHAMPAIGN, lL; January 22, 2013—A new study of 152 Vietnam veterans with combat-related brain injuries offers the first detailed map of the brain regions that contribute to emotional intelligence—the ability to process emotional information and navigate the social world.
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Of Course the Tooth Fairy's Real: How Parents Lie to Children
January 21, 2013—Almost everyone teaches their children that lying is always wrong. But the vast majority of parents lie to their children in order to get them to behave, according to new research published in the International Journal of Psychology. The study by Gail Heyman of the University of California-San Diego and her colleagues found certain variations but generally similar trends in the way parents from the US and China use the slippery concept of ‘truth’ to their advantage. But are there negative side effects?
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Loneliness, Like Chronic Stress, Taxes the Immune System
COLUMBUS, OH; January 19, 2013—New research links loneliness to a number of dysfunctional immune responses, suggesting that being lonely has the potential to harm overall health.
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Surprising Connections Between Well-Being and Giving, Getting, and Gratitude
NEW ORLEANS; January 19, 2013—We all know that getting a good night's sleep is good for our general health and well-being. But new research is highlighting a more surprising benefit of good sleep: more feelings of gratitude for relationships.
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In Minutes a Day, Low-Income Families Can Improve Their Kids' Health
January 17, 2013—Childhood obesity in low-income families is a complex problem with many contributing factors, which may include being part of a single-parent family, having a mother who has little education, and living in a poor neighborhood without easy access to healthy foods. But a recent study from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign finds that, even as these risk factors accumulate, low-income children’s participation in regular high-quality family mealtimes featuring positive interaction between family members made a difference in their weight status. Can satisfying children's emotional appetite help reduce their physical appetite?
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Never forget a Face(book): Memory for Online Posts Beats Faces and Books
January 15, 2013—People's memory for Facebook posts is strikingly stronger than their memory for human faces or sentences from books, according to a new study.
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Social Networks Sometimes Inflate Self-Esteem, Reduce Self-Control
PITTSBURGH/NEW YORK; January 14, 2013— Users of Facebook and other social networks should beware of allowing their self-esteem—boosted by "likes" or positive comments from close friends—to influence their behavior: It could reduce their self-control both on and offline, according to an academic paper by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and Columbia Business School that has recently been published online in the Journal of Consumer Research.
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Greed, Not Generosity, More Likely to Be 'Paid Forward'
With money or work, people are more likely to look out for themselves
WASHINGTON; December 18, 2012—Paying it forward—a popular expression for extending generosity to others after someone has been generous to you—is a heartwarming concept, but it is less common than repaying greed with greed, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association (APA).
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Paradox of Aging: The Older We Get, the Better We Feel?
December 7, 2012––Presently, there are about 40 million Americans over the age of 65, with the fastest-growing segment of the population over 80 years old. Traditionally, aging has been viewed as a period of progressive decline in physical, cognitive and psychosocial functioning, and aging is viewed by many as the "number one public health problem" facing Americans today. Is there any research basis to this negative view?
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New Evidence for Epigenetic Effects of Diet on Healthy Aging
December 6, 2012––New research in human volunteers has shown that molecular changes to our genes, known as epigenetic marks, are driven mainly by aging but are also affected by what we eat.
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Autism Severity May Stem from Fear
BYU; November 29, 2012—Most people know when to be afraid and when it's ok to calm down. But new research on autism shows that children with the diagnosis struggle to let go of old, outdated fears. Even more significantly, the Brigham Young University study found that this rigid fearfulness is linked to the severity of classic symptoms of autism, such as repeated movements and resistance to change. For parents and others who work with children diagnosed with autism, the new research highlights the need to help children make emotional transitions—particularly when dealing with their fears.
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Embattled Childhoods May Be the Real Trauma for Soldiers with PTSD
APS; November 19, 2012—New research on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in soldiers challenges popular assumptions about the origins and trajectory of PTSD, providing evidence that traumatic experiences in childhood—not combat—may predict which soldiers develop the disorder.
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Research Shows Systematic Incarceration of African American Males is a Wrong, Costly Path
Nashville, Tennessee, November 12, 2012—Mental health experts from Meharry Medical College School of Medicine have released the first comprehensive report on the correlation between the incarceration of African American males and substance abuse and other health problems in the United States.
Published in Frontiers in Psychology on the 12th of November, the report looks at decades of data concerning the African American population rates of incarceration and subsequent health issues. The authors conclude that the moral and economic costs of current racial disparities in the judicial system are fundamentally avoidable, especially if more resources are spent on education and treatment.
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PTSD Linked to Smaller Brain Area Regulating Fear Response
DURHAM, NC; November 5, 2012—Recent combat veterans who are diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder have significantly smaller volume in an area of the brain critical for regulating fear and anxiety responses, according to research led by scientists at Duke University and the Durham VA Medical Center.
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Early Autism Intervention Improves Brain Responses to Social Cues
October 29, 2012—An autism intervention program that emphasizes social interactions and is designed for children as young as 12 months has been found to improve cognitive skills and brain responses to faces, considered a building block for social skills. The researchers say that the study, which was completed at the University of Washington, is the first to demonstrate that an intensive behavioral intervention can change brain function in toddlers with autism spectrum disorders.
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Researchers Examine How Teachers Can Increase Students' Interest and Engagement in the Classroom
October 8, 2012—Although many factors can contribute to students' academic risk, negative emotions associated with learning can cause students' disengagement, withdrawal, and failure in school. A new article, published today in Communication Education, explored how specific teacher communication behaviors can influence students' emotional interest, cognitive interest, and engagement.
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Social Bullying Prevalent in Children's Television
BLOOMINGTON, IN; September 27, 2012—A new research study led by an Indiana University professor has found that social bullying is just as prevalent in children's television as depictions of physical aggression.
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Feeling Guilty versus Feeling Angry: Who Can Tell the Difference?
September 24, 2012—Emotional Intelligence includes awareness of your own emotional states, but some are more difficult to nail down than others—especially for the clinically depressed, say researchers.
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Teachers, School Climate Key to Latino Immigrants' Academic Success
September 11, 2012—Teachers and schools that value diversity have a big impact on the academic experiences of Latino immigrant children living in predominantly White communities. That's the finding of a new study by researchers at the University of Kentucky. The study appears in a special section of the September/October 2012 issue of Child Development on children from immigrant families.
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Childhood Sexual Abuse Linked to Later Heart Attacks in Men
TORONTO, ON; September 6, 2012—Men who experienced childhood sexual abuse are three times more likely to have a heart attack than men who were not sexually abused as children, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Toronto. The researchers found no association between childhood sexual abuse and heart attacks among women.
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Couple's Therapy Appears to Decrease PTSD Symptoms, Improve Relationship
CHICAGO; August 14, 2012—Among couples in which one partner was diagnosed as having posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), participation in disorder-specific couple therapy resulted in decreased PTSD symptom severity and increased patient relationship satisfaction, compared with couples who were placed on a wait list for the therapy, according to a study in the August 15 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on violence and human rights.
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Growing Up Grateful Gives Teens Multiple Mental Health Benefits
More grateful teens less likely to be depressed, delinquent, study finds
ORLANDO, FL; August 5, 2012—Grateful teens are more likely than their less grateful peers to be happy, less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol and less likely to have behavior problems at school, according to research presented at the American Psychological Association's 120th Annual Convention.
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The Aging Brain Is More Malleable Than Previously Believed
August 1, 2012—Neuroscientists are finding that, as we get older, our aging brains are proving surprisingly malleable, and in ways not previously anticipated. But there are limitations.
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Researchers Find Link Between Childhood Abuse and Age at Menarche
BOSTON; July 27, 2012—Researchers led by Renée Boynton-Jarrett, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics at BUSM, found a 49 percent increase in risk for early onset menarche (menstrual periods prior to age 11 years) among women who reported childhood sexual abuse compared to those who were not abused. In addition, there was a 50 percent increase in risk for late onset menarche (menstrual periods after age 15 years) among women who reported severe physical abuse in childhood.
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Cyberbullying: 1 in 2 Victims Suffer from the Distribution of Embarrassing Photos and Videos
July 25, 2012—Researchers at Bielefeld University have discovered that young people who fall victim to cyberbullying or cyber harassment suffer most when fellow pupils make them objects of ridicule by distributing photographic material. According to an online survey published this month, about half of the victims feel very stressed or severely stressed by this type of behaviour.
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Study: Children Abused by Parents Face Increased Cancer Risk
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN; July 17, 2012—Frequent abuse by a parent can increase a child's cancer risk in adulthood, and the effects are especially significant when mothers abuse their daughters and fathers abuse their sons, according to new research from Purdue University.
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Middle-Aged Women Survivors of Child Abuse at Increased Risk for Heart Disease, Diabetes
WASHINGTON; July 11, 2012—Middle-aged women who report having been physically abused as children are about two times more likely than other women their age to have high blood pressure, high blood sugar, a larger waistline and poor cholesterol levels, according to a new study published by the American Psychological Association.
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Workplace Bullying Witnesses Consider Quitting More than the Victims
July 5, 2012—New University of British Columbia research reveals that workers who witness bullying can have a stronger urge to quit than those who experience it firsthand.
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Study Finds That Single Mothers Can Reduce Stress by Playing, Engaging with Children
MANHATTAN, KS; June 19, 2012— A group of three Kansas State University researchers is studying ways to help single mothers improve their relationship with their children. Among many of their findings, they have discovered that single mothers who engage with children in daily activities—such as reading stories or playing games—may experience lower levels of stress.
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Practicing Online with Avatars May Help Children with Social Anxiety
June 14, 2012—The National Institute of Mental Health, part of the National Institutes of Health, provided a $500,000 grant to fund the development of software and a 12-week study that will begin this summer. Researchers at the University of Central Florida’s Anxiety Disorders Clinic and the Atlanta-based company Virtually Better want to give more children with social anxiety the practice they need to become comfortable in social situations. They have developed a new, one-of-a-kind computer simulation program that enables children to interact with avatars playing the roles of classmates, teachers and a principal.
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Why Daydreaming Isn't a Waste of Time
June 1, 2012—Parents and teachers expend a lot of energy getting kids to pay attention, concentrate, and focus on the task in front of them. What adults don't do, according to University of Southern California education professor Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, is teach children the value of the more diffuse mental activity that characterizes our inner lives: daydreaming, remembering, reflecting.
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Scientists Identify Neurotransmitters That Lead to Forgetting
May 15, 2012—I was going to post this the other day, but I forgot: "Scientists have pinpointed a mechanism that is essential for forming memories in the first place and, as it turns out, is equally essential for eliminating them after memories have formed."
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Cyberbullying and Bullying Are Not the Same, Says Research
April 13, 2012—University of British Columbia research comparing traditional bullying with cyberbullying finds that the dynamics of online bullying are different, suggesting that anti-bullying programs need specific interventions to target online aggression.
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Nearly Half of Preschool Children Not Taken outside to Play by Parents on a Daily Basis
Girls less likely to play outside compared with boys
SEATTLE, WA: April 2, 2012—The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that pediatric healthcare providers promote active healthy living by encouraging children to play outside as much as possible. Being outdoors correlates strongly with physical activity for children, which is important for preventing obesity in the preschool years and on through adulthood. A new study led by Pooja Tandon, MD, MPH, of Seattle Children's Research Institute found that nearly half of preschoolers in a sample representing four million U.S. children did not have even one parent-supervised outdoor play opportunity per day. The study, "The frequency of parent-supervised outdoor play of U.S. preschool age children," was published in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine.
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People with Autism Possess Greater Ability to Process Information, Study Suggests
March 22, 2012—People with autism have a greater than normal capacity for processing information even from rapid presentations and are better able to detect information defined as 'critical', according to a study published today in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology. The research, funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Economic and Social Research Council, may help explain the apparently higher than average prevalence in the IT industry of people with autism spectrum disorders.
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'Brain fog' of Menopause Confirmed
March 14, 2012––The difficulties that many women describe as memory problems when menopause approaches are real, according to a study published today in the journal Menopause, the journal of the North American Menopause Society.
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Healthy Aging Begins in the Womb
March 8, 2012––Aging is a complex process involving physical, psychological, and environmental factors. Scientists believe that aging can be programmed in the womb. One example of stress during pregnancy is the administration of glucocorticoids––synthetic stress hormones––to accelerate fetal lung maturation in premature labor to allow breathing after birth. Could exposure to these stress hormones have an effect on health later in life?
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Turmeric-Based Drug Effective on Alzheimer Flies
February 14, 2012––Curcumin, a substance extracted from turmeric, prolongs life and enhances activity of fruit flies with a nervous disorder similar to Alzheimers. The study conducted at Linköping University, indicates that it is the initial stages of fibril formation and fragments of the amyloid fibrils that are most toxic to neurons.
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Detecting Early Signs of Autism in the Brain
London; January 26, 2012—In their first year of life, babies who will go on to develop autism already show different brain responses when someone looks at or away from them. Although the researchers are careful to say that the study, reported online on January 26 in the Cell Press journal Current Biology, is only a first step toward earlier diagnosis, the findings do suggest that direct brain measures might help to predict the future development of autism symptoms in infants as young as six months.
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Inflammation in Depression: Chicken or Egg?
New study in Biological Psychiatry attempts to answer the question
January 5, 2012 -- An important ongoing debate in the field of psychiatry is whether inflammation in the body is a consequence of or contributor to major depression. A new study inBiological Psychiatry has attempted to resolve the issue.
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A Clue to the GI Problems that Plague Many Kids with Autism?
January 11, 2012—New research conducted in the Center for Infection and Immunity (CII) at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, reports that children with autism and gastrointestinal disturbances have high levels of a bacterium called Sutterella in their intestines.
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What Makes Solo Terrorists Tick?
December 15, 2011—The double terrorist attack in Norway last July, which claimed 77 lives, has moved violent acts committed by single individuals up the political, media and now research agendas. Known as "lone wolf terrorism," these acts are carried out independently of established terrorist organizations. In his new report Understanding Lone Wolf Terrorism, Dr. Ramón Spaaij, from La Trobe University in Australia and the University of Amsterdam, examines this so-far largely unexplored phenomenon.
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Child Abuse Changes the Brain
Dec. 6, 2011—When children have been exposed to family violence, their brains become increasingly "tuned" for processing possible sources of threat, a new study reports. The findings, reported in the December 6th issue of Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, reveal the same pattern of brain activity in these children as seen previously in soldiers exposed to combat.
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Autism Linked with Excess of Neurons in Prefrontal Cortex
San Diego; November 8, 2011—A study by researchers at the University of California, San Diego Autism Center of Excellence shows that brain overgrowth in boys with autism involves an abnormal, excess number of neurons in areas of the brain associated with social, communication and cognitive development.
The scientists discovered a 67 percent excess of cortical cells—a type of brain cell only made before birth—in children with autism. The findings suggest that the disorder may arise from prenatal processes gone awry, according to lead researcher Eric Courchesne, PhD, professor of neurosciences at the UC San Diego School of Medicine and director of the Autism Center of Excellence.
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Researchers Identify Epigenetic Signatures of Autism
WORCESTER, MA; November 7, 2011—Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School are the first to map epigenetic changes in neurons from the brains of individuals with autism, providing empirical evidence that epigenetic alterations—changes in gene expression caused by mechanisms other than changes in the underlying DNA sequence—may play an important role in the disease.
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Number of Facebook Friends Linked to Size of Brain Regions
October 18, 2011—Scientists funded by the Wellcome Trust have found a direct link between the number of 'Facebook friends' a person has and the size of particular brain regions. In a study published today, researchers at University College London (UCL) also showed that the more Facebook friends a person has, the more 'real-world' friends they are likely to have.
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Lack of Free Play among Children Is Causing Harm, Say Researchers
CHESTNUT HILL, MA; August 26, 2011—Hovering helicopter parents who restrict their kids' unstructured play may actually harm, rather than help, children according to the latest issue of the American Journal of Play, a scholarly journal which has gathered a distinguished group of experts to probe the near-extinction of free play and its effects on children and society.
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Powerful, Intoxicated, Anonymous: The Paradox of the Disinhibited
New research from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University suggests losing your inhibitions can lead to positive outcomes—or social misfires
June 22, 2011—Power can lead to great acts of altruism, but also corruptive, unethical behavior. Being intoxicated can lead to a first date, or a bar brawl. And the mask of anonymity can encourage one individual to let a stranger know they have toilet paper stuck to their shoe, whereas another may post salacious photos online. What is the common thread between these three disparate states?
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Study Suggests Link between Childhood Bullying and Adult Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration
June 6, 2011—Men who report having bullied peers in childhood appear to have an increased risk of perpetrating violence against an intimate partner in adulthood, according to a report posted online today by the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
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Six New Autism Studies Presented by Rochester Researchers
May 13, 2011—Much about autism is unknown, but researchers from the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) are working to learn more about the neurodevelopmental disorder and its most effective treatments. A team of researchers from URMC joins researchers from across the world in San Diego this week for the 10th annual International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR). Studies include complementary medicine use, medication use, risk for lead toxicity and nutrition.
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Online Networks and Social Learning
May 9, 2011—Online social networking sites, such as Facebook, can help students become academically and socially integrated as well as improving learning outcomes, according to a study by researchers in China and Hong Kong. Writing in the International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations, explain that Facebook usage is around 90% across campuses and many educational institutions offer new students orientation on how to capitalize on social networking to improve their experience of their course and their final results.
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Risk of Accelerated Aging Seen in PTSD Patients with Childhood Trauma
April 22, 2011—Adults with post-traumatic stress disorder and a history of childhood trauma had significantly shorter telomere length than those with PTSD but without childhood trauma, in a study by researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco.
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Alcohol Consumption after Age 75 Associated with Lower Risk of Developing Dementia
March 7, 2011––German individuals attending general practitioners , who were free of dementia were studied at baseline, were followed up 1.5 years and 3 years later by means of structured clinical interviews including detailed assessment of current alcohol consumption and DSM-IV dementia diagnoses. Associations between alcohol consumption (in grams of ethanol), type of alcohol (wine, beer, mixed alcohol beverages) and incident dementia were examined using Cox proportional hazard models, controlling for several confounders.
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Leaders of the Pack Display High EQ
Study finds emotional intelligence a key leadership quality
September 21, 2010—The ability to understand emotions is a key ingredient in people who become leaders in groups with no formal authority, a new paper has found.
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Employees with Higher Levels of Emotional Intelligence Are More Dedicated and Satisfied at Work
September 15, 2010—Employees with a high level of emotional intelligence are more dedicated and satisfied at work, compared to other employees. This has been shown in a new study from the University of Haifa. "This study has shown that employees with a higher level of emotional intelligence are assets to their organization. I believe it will not be long before emotional intelligence is incorporated in employee screening and training processes and in employee assessment and promotion decisions" stated Dr. Galit Meisler, who conducted the research.
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Music on Prescription Could Help Treat Emotional and Physical Pain
September 9, 2010—New research into how music conveys emotion could benefit the treatment of depression and the management of physical pain. Using an innovative combination of music psychology and leading-edge audio engineering the project is looking in more detail than ever before at how music conveys emotion.
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Childhood Adversity Worsens Effects of Later Stress
SAN DIEGO; August 14, 2010—Children who experience trauma may enter a cycle of negative emotion—anxiety and depression—that could contribute to health problems later and precipitate an early death, a leading health psychologist said Saturday.
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Popular Autism Diet Does Not Demonstrate Behavioral Improvement
May 19, 2010—A popular belief that specific dietary changes can improve the symptoms of children with autism was not supported by a tightly controlled University of Rochester study, which found that eliminating gluten and casein from the diets of children with autism had no impact on their behavior, sleep or bowel patterns
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Sleep Changes Predict the Onset of Physical Changes Associated with Puberty
December 1, 2009—A study in the Dec.1 issue of the journal Sleep suggests that changes in children's sleep patterns that typically occur between the ages of 11 and 12 years are evident before the physical changes associated with the onset of puberty.
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Relationships Improve Student Success
COLUMBIA, MO; June 30, 2009—When students are underachieving, school policymakers often examine class size, curriculum and funding, but University of Missouri researchers suggest establishing relationships may be a powerful and less expensive way to improve students' success. In a review of the research they show that students with positive attachments to their teachers and schools have higher grades and higher standardized test scores.
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New Research Suggests Key to Happiness is Gratitude—and Men May Be Disadvantaged
FAIRFAX, VA; March 13, 2009—With Mother's Day, Father's Day and high school and college graduations upcoming, there will be plenty of gift-giving and well wishes. When those start pouring in, let yourself be grateful—it's the best way to achieve happiness according to several new studies conducted by Todd Kashdan, associate professor of psychology at George Mason University.
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Study: Want to Be Happier? Be More Grateful
November 25, 2008—Want to quickly improve your happiness and satisfaction with life? Then the pen may be a mighty weapon, according to research done by Kent State University's Dr. Steven Toepfer.
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Social Form of Bullying Linked to Depression, Anxiety in Adults
GAINESVILLE, FL; April 22, 2008—Spreading rumors and gossiping may not cause bruises or black eyes, but the psychological consequences of this social type of bullying could linger into early adulthood, a new University of Florida study shows.
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Children Who Bully Also Have Problems with Other Relationships
March 25, 2008—Students who bully others tend to have difficulties with other relationships, such as those with friends and parents. Targeting those relationships, as well as the problems children who bully have with aggression and morality, may offer ideas for intervention and prevention.
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Past Child Abuse Plus Gene Variations Result in Potent PTSD Risk for Adults
March 18, 2008—A traumatic event is much more likely to result in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults who experienced trauma in childhood – but certain gene variations raise the risk considerably if the childhood trauma involved physical or sexual abuse, scientists have found. The research was conducted with funding from the National Institute of Mental Health, which is part of the National Institutes of Health, and others.
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Putting Feelings into Words Produces Therapeutic Effects in the Brain
June 21, 2007—Why does putting our feelings into words—talking with a therapist or friend, writing in a journal—help us to feel better" A new brain imaging study by University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) psychologists reveals why verbalizing our feelings makes our sadness, anger and pain less intense.
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Confusion Surrounds Bullying, Says Study
Adults and children don't always identify the same behavors as "bullying"
October 29, 2004— While children and adults have similar intellectual definitions of bullying, they may differ when applying them in reality, says a University of Toronto researcher.
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Rejection Really Hurts, UCLA Psychologists Find
October 9, 2003—Two key areas of the brain appear to respond to the pain of rejection in the same way as physical pain, a UCLA-led team of psychologists reports in the October 10 issue of Science.
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