Psychology News and Research

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Psychology is the study of human mental functions, behavior and processes.

Study sheds new light on why autism is more common in boys

Researchers aiming to understand why autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are more common in boys have discovered differences in a brain signaling pathway involved in reward learning and motivation that make male mice more vulnerable to an autism-causing genetic glitch.

17 Oct 2017

Family approach can be effective strategy for managing chronic illness

Family members often play an important role in managing chronic illnesses, and a family approach may produce more effective, long-term benefits for the patient, according to a Penn State researcher.

16 Oct 2017

Daily five-minute conversation improves hospitalized patients’ satisfaction with care

As hospitals seek to improve inpatient satisfaction, one effective way takes only a few minutes and no expensive equipment. A study at the University of Virginia School of Medicine recently found that a daily five-minute conversation that focused on hospitalized patients "as people" significantly improved their satisfaction with their medical care.

16 Oct 2017

Criminal offenders with genetic mental disorders assigned more blame, harsher punishment

Popular literature, crime dramas and recent trials dominating the media imply that defense attorneys who portray their clients as victims may have better outcomes.

12 Oct 2017

Expert report provides new insight into nature of mental illness

A week after the government announced its review of mental health legislation, an expert report published by the British Psychological Society's Division of Clinical Psychology on Friday 13 October challenges received wisdom about the nature of mental illness.

11 Oct 2017

New insights on seriousness of postmenopausal bleeding

If you're postmenopausal, you shouldn't be bleeding. The very definition of menopause is having gone more than 12 months without a period. So if you're still bleeding, something is wrong. Determining the seriousness of the problem and treating it, is not always evident.

11 Oct 2017

Vaginal and bladder problems impact sexual activity of postmenopausal women

As women age, sexual activity typically declines. But that doesn't necessarily mean they are no longer interested in sex. The problem for many is physical. A new study demonstrates the impact on sexual activity of postmenopausal women as a result of vulvovaginal atrophy and lower urinary tract problems.

11 Oct 2017

New study demonstrates how traumatic experiences can affect vascular health

Today it seems about everything has been shown to lead to heart disease. Of course smoking is bad for you, as is high blood pressure. There's even mounting evidence that psychosocial factors can cause heart problems.

11 Oct 2017

UH psychologist explores link between social media and alcohol consumption

A psychologist at the University of Houston is exploring the ways in which social media influences alcohol consumption among college students. Mai-Ly Nguyen Steers, a postdoctoral fellow and lecturer, will use grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to study how social media, and Facebook in particular, shapes students' drinking habits.

10 Oct 2017

UTA receives $1.4 million grant to assist first-generation, low-income, minority college students

The University of Texas at Arlington received a $1.4 million, five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education to further the efforts of the McNair Scholars program.

10 Oct 2017

Natural decline of senses can predict poor health outcomes, including death

A long-term study spanning five years and including more than 3,000 nationally-representative older US adults has found that a natural decline of the five classical senses (vision, hearing, taste, smell and touch) can predict a number of poor health outcomes, including greater risk of death.

6 Oct 2017

UC Berkeley researchers to develop new ultra-high-resolution MRI brain scanner

Functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, has transformed our view of the brain, allowing researchers to pinpoint areas associated with everything from depression and dementia to playing chess and engaging in sex.

6 Oct 2017

Study highlights advantages and challenges of integrating GP service in hospital ED

A new study from the University of Liverpool provides evidence that locating a General Practitioner in a hospital emergency department can reduce waiting times and admissions, but may increases antibiotic prescribing.

6 Oct 2017

Brain wiring directly impacts performance of simple and complex tasks

The way a person's brain is "wired" directly impacts how well they perform simple and complex tasks, according to a new study from researchers at Rice University.

5 Oct 2017

Genetic factors may explain intergenerational transmission of divorce, study finds

Children of divorced parents are more likely to get divorced when compared to those who grew up in two-parent families -- and genetic factors are the primary explanation, according to a new study by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University and Lund University in Sweden.

5 Oct 2017

Study finds underutilization of sperm banking by at-risk patients with cancer

A comprehensive study of adolescent and young adult cancer patients found just 43.8 percent of those at risk for infertility banked sperm prior to cancer therapy, suggesting that patients might benefit from efforts to increase awareness and understanding of the option.

5 Oct 2017

High-intensity training guarantees a level of displeasure, says Iowa State professor

The allure of high-intensity interval training is simple – go all-out for as little as one minute and reap the benefits of a 45 or 60-minute workout. With a promise like that, it is easy to understand why people are willing to try it.

3 Oct 2017

Online behavioral parent training effective in helping children with ADHD

Parents of children with ADHD can feel desperate for resources or treatments to help their children who struggle with inattention, distractibility, and impulsiveness affecting school and home.

3 Oct 2017

Psychology research: Stress reduces our ability to predict new dangers

Being under stress diminishes our abilities to predict new dangers that we face, a team of psychology researchers finds. Its work runs counter to the conventional view that stress enhances our ability to detect and adjust to these changing sources of threat.

3 Oct 2017

Study looks at impact of mental health risk factors on extremely low birth weight survivors

Decreased exposure to bullying and family problems during childhood and adolescence could help reduce adult mental illness in extremely low birth weight preemies, according to a new study from McMaster University.

3 Oct 2017