Psychology News and Research

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

Virtual peers being used to help kids with autism

Using "virtual peers" - animated life-sized children that simulate the behaviors and conversation of typically developing children - Northwestern University researchers are developing interventions designed to prepare children with autism for interactions with real-life children.

1 Mar 2008

Music may help ease symptoms of depression

Music therapy might help ease the symptoms of depression, though its effectiveness as a stand-alone intervention is not certain, according to a recent review of five small studies.

28 Feb 2008

Low-intensity exercise reduces fatigue symptoms by 65 percent

Sedentary people who regularly complain of fatigue can increase their energy levels by 20 percent and decrease their fatigue by 65 percent by engaging in regular, low intensity exercise, according to a new University of Georgia study.

28 Feb 2008

Weighing female patients in private may encourage them to undergo necessary tests and treatments

A new study from the University of Pennsylvania points to increased health risks for women owing to their higher level of discomfort about being weighed in public.

28 Feb 2008

Stress and fear affects cancer's recurrence

After the surgical removal of a malignant tumor, the chance that cancer will re-appear in a different location of the body remains high.

28 Feb 2008

Restricting insulin doses increases mortality risk in women with type 1 diabetes

A new study led by researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center has found that women with type 1 diabetes who reported taking less insulin than prescribed had a three-fold increased risk of death and higher rates of disease complications than those who did not skip needed insulin shots.

28 Feb 2008

Acne sufferers less likely to participate in sport or exercise

Acne patients who are highly anxious about their skin condition say they are less likely to participate in sport or exercise, according to new research at the University of Bath (UK).

26 Feb 2008

Bullying prevention program reduced bullying by 20 percent

A University of Denver study shows a curriculum-based bullying prevention program reduced incidents of bullying by 20 percent, twice as much as in the study control group.

26 Feb 2008

Patients who prefer to be highly involved don't always see better health outcomes

Patients who prefer to be highly involved in their treatment don't necessarily have better luck managing chronic health conditions, a new study suggests.

26 Feb 2008

Guidelines for evaluation of psychological side-effects of brain injury

In her PhD, defended at the University of the Basque Country, Maria Luisa de Francisco Maiz provided a clinical-forensic evaluation of brain injuries and also a study on the variables that influence the length of "legal time periods".

21 Feb 2008

Lead exposure may lead to adult-onset obesity in men

Scientists know exposure to low levels of lead can result in learning disabilities, hearing loss, language impairments and vision loss, but a newly discovered side effect may be adult-onset obesity in men, according to a University of Houston professor.

21 Feb 2008

Genetic and environmental hormonal response to stress in children depends on family context

A study conducted on 346 19-month-old twins by an international team led by Universite Laval professor of psychology Michel Boivin reveals that the genetic and environmental bases of hormonal response to stress depend on the context in which a child grows up.

21 Feb 2008

Does being overweight or obese hinder the opportunity of getting a job?

When it comes to job hiring or career advancement, a common phrase is “it's not just what you know, it's who you know,” but research on weight–based bias suggests “it's how you look.”

21 Feb 2008

Poor women more likely to suffer from postpartum depression

Poor women in Iowa are much more likely to suffer from postpartum depression than their wealthier counterparts, a new University of Iowa study shows.

20 Feb 2008

Study identifies patterns of brain activation linked to the formation of long-term memories

Researchers at New York University and Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science have identified patterns of brain activation linked to the formation of long-term memories.

20 Feb 2008

Listening to music in the early stages after a stroke can improve patients' recovery

Researchers from Finland found that if stroke patients listened to music for a couple of hours a day, their verbal memory and focused attention recovered better and they had a more positive mood than patients who did not listen to anything or who listened to audio books.

20 Feb 2008