Landmark study finds no difference in psychological wellbeing or quality of family relationships between children born by assisted reproduction (egg or sperm donation or surrogacy) and those born naturally at age 20. However, findings suggest that telling children about their biological origins early — before they start school — can be advantageous for family relationships… Read More »
Harsh discipline increases risk of children developing lasting mental health problems — ScienceDaily
Parents who frequently exercise harsh discipline with young children are putting them at significantly greater risk of developing lasting mental health problems, new evidence shows. In a study of over 7,500 Irish children, researchers at the University of Cambridge and University College Dublin found that children exposed to ‘hostile’ parenting at age three were 1.5… Read More »
New Research in Psychological Science
Responding to the Association for Psychological Science Strategic Plan, 2022–2027Patricia J. Bauer Editor-in-Chief Patricia Bauer announces several changes intended to ensure that research published in the journal represents a greater breadth of human culture, thought, experience, and behavior. The changes align with two of the three strategic goals in APS’s new 5-year strategic plan: to… Read More »
The Self-Taught Vocabulary of Homesigning Deaf Children Supports Universal Constraints on Language
Deaf homesigner in Guatemala, © The Author(s) 2023. Languages may seem different on an instinctual level—“hello,” for example, does not sound like “ni hao.” But the work of many psychological scientists suggests that the thousands of languages spoken throughout the world draw on many of the same fundamental linguistic abilities and reflect universal aspects of… Read More »
Stressful environments can cause problems in adulthood, but parents setting limits can counter those effects — ScienceDaily
Being a protective parent could set your kids up for a healthier life as an adult, according to new research from the University of Georgia. The study found that growing up in places where gunshots are common and heat and electricity are unreliable can lead to pain and other physical health limitations in adulthood. But… Read More »
Expelled From High School, Alister Martin Became a Harvard Doc
Feb. 13, 2023 – It’s not often that a high school brawl with gang members sets you down a path to becoming a Harvard-trained doctor. But that’s exactly how Alister Martin’s life unfolded. Alister Martin, MD, had initially planned to follow in his stepfather’s footsteps, managing the drug store in Neptune, NJ, township where he was… Read More »
Study shows link between early trauma experienced by mothers and health problems in their children — ScienceDaily
Adverse childhood experiences in mothers can affect their children’s mental and physical health, as researchers from Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin now report in the journal The Lancet Public Health. The study found that maltreatment during a mother’s childhood is associated with a higher risk of health problems such as asthma, autism, and depression in the… Read More »
Finding Comfort and Meaning After a Child’s Suicide
Feb. 16, 2023 – Janet Shedd lost her youngest son to suicide 7 years ago. “Tom had suffered from depression for about 9 months. We had gotten counseling for him, and he had been taking medication. We thought things were starting to turn around,” says Shedd, who lives in Kentucky. But as soon as he… Read More »
What Good Comes From Pretending?
Hang out with a 3-year-old and you will quickly be transported to a world of unicorns and superheroes, pretend tea parties and invisible spaceships. Young children spend hours pretending. But why would they spend so much time exploring imaginary worlds when there is so much to learn about the real one? Pretend play may help… Read More »
Child body weight has limited effects on mood and behavioral disorders — ScienceDaily
Childhood body mass index is unlikely to have a big impact on children’s mood or behavioural disorders, according to a study published today in eLife. The results suggest that some previous studies, which have shown a strong link between childhood obesity and mental health, may not have fully accounted for family genetics and environmental factors.… Read More »
