Feature Channels: Psychology and Psychiatry

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In a study released Feb. 22 in JAMA Internal Medicine researchers found that six 20-minute telephone calls over eight weeks coaching participants on how to get better sleep improved their sleep, pain, and daytime function. The improvements in sleep and daytime function persisted 12 months after treatment. One of the lead investigators who has been researching age and sleeping for 40 years offers great tips on getting better sleep. Just because you are aging, does NOT mean your sleep needs to get worse.

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The aim of the current study is to examine whether communities reporting an increased risk for developing mental health issues showed differential patterns of legal cannabis use as the pandemic began. A secondary goal is to examine the feasibility of using anonymized location data to uncover community consumption patterns of potential concern.

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Mount Sinai researchers have identified a neural pathway through which the brain detects errors and guides subsequent behavioral improvement.

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Parent education programs and interventions that begin shortly after the birth of a child have shown to significantly impact parenting behaviors that support social and academic engagement for children growing up in poverty.

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A study of over 1,700 U.S. young people exposed to four major hurricanes found that just a few of them reported chronic stress, and the trajectories among most youth reflected recovery or low-decreasing post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms, according to research recently published in JAMA Network Open.

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Law enforcement and those in the military, rather than doctors and celebrities, are the most preferred messengers on firearm safety, a Rutgers study found.

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Irregular sleep schedules can affect mood and risk of developing symptoms of depression according to a study of first-year medical residents that used Fitbits and smartphones.

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Veterans who experienced the combination of low depression, high social support and high psychological resilience as they left military service were most likely to report high well-being a year later.

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Digital mental health apps and internet-based treatments could overcome both access problems and provider shortages. But these apps have yet to be adopted in the U.S. healthcare system. One reason is that these apps need payment and reimbursement models that would enable broad adoption. Researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine recently published results to help propel policymakers to create these payment models. They proved that an app to help people with serious mental illness was just as effective as a clinic-based group intervention for half the cost.

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Mamilda Robinson, a specialty director and clinical instructor of psychiatric-mental health at Rutgers School of Nursing, and Daniela Moscarella, a pediatric clinical instructor at Rutgers School of Nursing and president-elect for the New Jersey Chapter of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, discuss signs that a child needs behavioral health assistance and how parents can seek clinical help.

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The Psychedelics and Health Research Initiative at UC San Diego has received a $1.3 million grant from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation to fund a clinical trial investigating the therapeutic potential of psilocybin in treating phantom limb pain.

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Fat stigma in women contributes to poor medical outcomes and negatively affects educational and economic opportunities. A new study from scientists at Arizona State University and Oklahoma State University shows that body shape, beyond overall weight, drives fat stigma. Women with overweight and obesity who carry gluteofemoral fat were less stigmatized than those who carry abdominal fat. These findings could affect how interventions for overweight and obesity are designed and delivered.

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Almost half of people testing positive for coronavirus have reported symptoms of depression, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

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When people pause before replying to a question, even for just a few seconds, their answers are perceived to be less sincere and credible than if they had replied immediately, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

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Antipsychotic drugs not only block dopamine signaling in the brain but also in the pancreas, leading to uncontrolled production of blood glucose-regulating hormones and, eventually, obesity and diabetes.

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The 10-member team made discoveries about a specific area of the brain tied to recollection and the desire to seek and consume food. It could lead to a way to inhibit the desire to overeat.

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The Internet has revolutionized our lives - whether in terms of working, finding information or entertainment, connecting with others, or shopping.

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Two new studies investigating child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic reveal "concerning results" that confirm warning signs seen early in the pandemic, according to researchers at UAB and the University of Michigan.

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Kevin Knoster, a third-year doctoral student in the Department of Communication Studies, led a study examining 165 married individuals and how their partners interfered with their daily routines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Broadening the definition of self-inflicted mortality to encompass most drug overdose deaths, WVU emeritus professor Ian Rockett led a study finding that the entire nation is afflicted by a mental health crisis. In recent years, western states have reported more suicides but Rockett’s research revealed that many drug overdose deaths in non-western states should have been classified as suicides.

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A new brain-and-behavior study from researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania clarifies how the “anomalous-is-bad” stereotype manifests, and implicates a brain region called the amygdala as one of the likely mediators of this stereotype.

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New research finds first evidence that watching and learning from others can help reduce bias and improve decision-making. In business, the results could help improve hiring practices or increase cost savings.

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During the first confinement (18 March to 10 May 2020), people who reported worse sleep quality during a night also reported an increase in negative mood, psychotic-type like experiences and somatic complaints on the next day.

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Personality traits such as conscientiousness or sociability are patterns of experience and behavior that can change throughout our lives.

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Low-income middle-aged African-American women with high blood pressure very commonly suffer from depression and should be better screened for this serious mental health condition.

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Research has shown that adverse childhood experiences including abuse, neglect and family dysfunction increase the risk on kids for future trauma in their lives.

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Handgun ownership, not shotgun ownership, is associated with greater odds of a person having died from self-inflicted gunshot wound rather than another suicide method, according to Rutgers researcher

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Can long-term stress lead to heart attacks? Most people would probably answer in the affirmative, but the scientific evidence of this is scarce.

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Researchers from the University of Basel have developed a virtual reality app for smartphones to reduce fear of heights.

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Loneliness can impact our mental and physical health—so how can we loosen its grip?

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University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced today that Jill RachBeisel, MD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, has been appointed to serve as the Chair of the Department of Psychiatry, effective immediately. Dr. RachBeisel has served as the Department’s Interim Chair for the past two years and was previously Acting Chair and Vice Chair of the Department.

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Holidays aren’t easy for everyone, so be sure to be kind—to yourself most of all

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Feeding method and affectionate touch patterns in depressed and non-depressed mothers and babies as well as infant’s EEG activity showed that mother-infant affectionate touch differed as a function of mood and feeding method (breastfeeding and bottle-feeding). Infants in the depressed and bottle-fed group reduced touch toward their mothers while breastfeeding had a positive effect on both mother and baby. Infants of depressed and breastfeeding mothers showed neither behavioral nor brain development dysregulation previously found in infants of depressed mothers.

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People treated with chronic opioid therapy for pain are more likely to live in socially disadvantaged areas and self-report worse anxiety, depression and pain that interferes in their lives, according to a new study presented this week at the Association of Academic Physiatrists Annual Meeting.

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As families settle back into a new school year, sleep experts at the University of South Australia are reminding parents about the importance of teenagers getting enough sleep, cautioning them that insufficient sleep can negatively affect their mental health.

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As teens' use of social media has grown over the past decade, so too has the suicide rate among younger people, with suicide now being the second leading cause of death among those ages 10 to 34.

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Animal owners frequently report concerns and worries relating to caring for their animal during the pandemic, new research suggests.

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UC San Diego researchers report that climate change is a chronic mental health stressor, and promotes a variety of mental health problems. The 2018 Camp Fire is a case study.

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People are able to approach social conflicts more wisely if they have trained themselves in advance by practicing a distanced self-talk technique, referring to themselves with third-person pronouns such as “she” or “they” rather than the first-person pronouns of “me” or “I.”

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While it’s logical to assume that children who are mean have friendships characterized by growing strife and that children who are nice report little of the same, these assumptions haven’t been tested in the real-world friendships. A study of elementary-school children is the first to examine the extent to which being “nice” and being “mean” shape changes in friend perceptions of their relationship. Results confirm the widespread assumption that one child’s behavioral traits drive the other child’s friendship experiences.

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Millions of Americans are working remotely due to Covid-19. Research by anthrozoologist Christy Hoffman, PhD, shows companion animals play a role in this new teleworking experience.

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It’s well understood that a difficult childhood can increase the likelihood of mental illness, but according to new research from the University of South Australia, a happy and secure childhood does not always protect a child from developing a mental illness later in life.

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Sexual assault and sexual harassment are significant problems in the U.S. military and military service academies in the United States.

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We've all felt stressed at some point, whether in our personal or professional lives or in response to exceptional circumstances like the COVID-19 pandemic.