Feature Channels: Psychology and Psychiatry

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The latest expert commentary and research on SCOTUS decisions, including the overturn of Roe v. Wade

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A long-term study has shown a common bone density scan can also show calcified plaque build-up in the abdominal aorta - revealing if someone is at increased risk of developing dementia

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UCSF is welcoming its first patients to the Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building, a one-of-a-kind treatment center that aims to redefine mental health services and make a bold statement against stigma.

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Young adolescents who are targets of cyberbullying are more likely to report suicidal thoughts and attempts, an association that goes above and beyond the link between suicidality and traditional offline bullying.

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People are less morally outraged when gender discrimination occurs because of an algorithm rather than direct human involvement, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

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Military sexual trauma (MST) can have a corrosive impact on trust within the U.S. military, as well as a number of negative effects on the individual. A recent study has examined the prevalence of MST history among U.S. Army Reserve/National Guard (USAR/NG) soldiers, the extent to which MST history predicts risk for alcohol misuse and problems, and potential sex differences in these experiences and outcomes. Findings indicate that MST is alarmingly prevalent for both female and male service members; in fact, the prevalence of MST appears to be much higher for male service members than is often reported.

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Social ties may demonstrate both a strengthening of interpersonal relationships and also a manifestation of empathic distress and stigma-related anxiety. The pandemic has provided substantial anecdotal data concerning anxiety, conflicts, and cognitive flexibility.

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Prior research has demonstrated greater addiction vulnerability in women; for example, women advance from casual substance use to addiction at a faster rate, experience more severe withdrawal symptoms, exhibit higher rates of relapse, and have less treatment success than men. A new study shows that biobehavioral interactions in alcohol use disorders (AUDs) among women are cyclical in nature: women’s greater risk of personal histories of trauma coupled with a greater vulnerability to alcohol-related brain deficits can lead to more severe AUD effects.

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Checkout Newswise list of top four Gun Control/Gun Violence Experts from leading universities, colleges and institutions, spreading awareness about gun violence.

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Mass shooters frequently share their plans, creating opportunities to intervene. Experts from the UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program provide an overview of the research on mass shootings and the “red flag” laws or extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) designed to stop them.

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When states enact hate crime laws that protect LGBTQ populations, the rate of suicide attempts among high school students drops significantly, and not just among sexual and gender minority students, but among heterosexual students as well, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

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Findings from a new University of California San Diego Rady School of Management study reveal people often hurt others because in their mind, it is morally right or even obligatory to be violent and as a result, they do not respond rationally to material benefits.

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June is Aphasia Awareness Month and the members of the Summer Aphasia Arts Program held a concert, theatrical performance and an art exhibit after honing their artistic skills over two weeks.

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Irvine, Calif., June 21, 2022 — If you are skilled at playing puzzles on your smartphone or tablet, what does it say about how fast you learn new puzzles, or more broadly, how well can you focus in school or at work? In the language of psychologists, does “near transfer” predict “far transfer”? A team of psychologists from the University of California, Irvine and the University of California, Riverside reports in Nature Human Behavior that people who show near transfer are more likely to show far transfer.

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International researchers in four countries of the "Global North," including Canada, are looking into how majority and majority faiths are dealing with life after the pandemic.

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Whether it’s sports practice, music lessons or a casual catch up with friends, when children are involved in after-school activities, they’re more likely to feel happier and healthier than their counterparts who are glued to a screen.

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The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has approved a new doctoral degree in occupational therapy (OTD) at The University of Texas at El Paso. The OTD is the highest level of academic preparation that an entry-level occupational therapist can obtain. It is expected to be the required degree program to enter the occupational therapy profession in the coming years.

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Nearly 3 in 10 Americans (28%) say insomnia has a negative impact on their daily lives, according to a new survey from the AASM. On June 21, Insomnia Awareness Night will drive awareness about chronic insomnia and discuss healthy ways to treat it.

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Previous research has described how virtual training produces acute cognitive and neural benefits. Building on those results, a new study suggests that a similar virtual training can also reduce psychosocial stress and anxiety.

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The majority of apps preschool-aged children use are designed to make money off their digital experiences, a new study suggests.

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Repeated exposure to hurricanes, whether direct, indirect or media-based, is linked to adverse psychological symptoms and may be associated with increased mental health problems, according to a first-of-its kind study led by University of California, Irvine researchers.

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In one of the first studies to look at the association between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) medications and brain development in young children, research from the Behavioral Research and Imaging Neurogenetics (BRAIN)Lab at Washington University in St. Louis found no association between children’s exposure to the drugs in the womb and later childhood depression.

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Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that although there have been steady increases in the number of people nationwide who die by suicide, such increases have slowed in states that have implemented Medicaid expansion.

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With stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic, youth spent more time at home with family and were more isolated from in-person interaction with peers. Largely due to this social isolation from peers, substance use among youth declined, according to researchers at the WVU School of Public Health.

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Most research on children involved with the child welfare system focuses on the negative consequences, such as depression and suicide.

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Dad’s tool kit often has everything you need for fixing a car, sharpening the mower and growing up. A Penn State Health child psychiatrist offers a checklist for new dads and old pros looking to take stock – in this week’s Medical Minute.

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Here are some of the latest articles that have been added to the Aging channel on Newswise, a free source for journalists.

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More awareness of the symptoms of psychosis, and the availability of treatment, could mean more young people with psychosis get care quickly. And that can make a big difference in their immediate mental health and their long-term futures.

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The more a person stares at themselves while talking with a partner in an online chat, the more their mood degrades over the course of the conversation, a new study finds. Alcohol use appears to worsen this effect.

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A new UC Davis Health study suggests that the increased rates of overdose and mental health crisis observed during the first year after opioid dose tapering persist through the second year. The study was published in JAMA Network Open.

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A global study published in BMC Psychiatry reports that 34% of people with premenstrual dysphoric disorder have attempted suicide. The findings offer the strongest scientific evidence to date that the disorder is likely an independent contributor to suicidal thoughts and actions.

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Addressing stress early on in postpartum women who recently experienced gestational diabetes might help curb an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, according to research being presented Sunday, June 12 at ENDO 2022, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Atlanta, Ga.

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Prenatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in everyday products may interfere with the developing offspring’s brain, according to a rat study being presented Monday at ENDO 2022, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Atlanta, Ga.

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Transgender individuals are more likely to experience discrimination, isolation, and lack of social support. This, along with negative psychosocial challenges, such as being denied access to gender-neutral restrooms, combined with being a college student, and you have what associate professor of neurology, Shelley Hershner M.D., calls “a perfect storm” that can contribute to sleep disorders and other mental health concerns.

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Weaving psychological science with Buddhist philosophy and anecdotes, “Finding the Freedom to Get Unstuck and Be Happier” aims to help people break out of negative patterns, engage more fully with the present and trust that whatever comes next is truly workable.

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Understanding each other’s thoughts and feelings is a vital component of successful relationships.