Download PsychDigest 200812 Vol 2 no 8
IN THE NEWS
ADHD
ADHD may affect movement in boys more than in girls
ADHD in children responds to a walk in the park
Alzheimer‘s & dementia
Some dementia screening instruments have significant weaknesses
Common epilepsy drug could prevent and treat Alzheimer‘s disease
Anxiety & stress
People with social phobia show increased brain activity in response to negative comments
Social anxiety disorder—Breaking the cycle of social rejection
High-dose corticosteroid treatment might reduce the risk for PTSD
Bipolar mood disorder
Pure hypomania supports the 'continuum of mood states'
Child & adolescent psychology
Why do some children become chronic victims of bullying?
Bullies may enjoy watching others in pain
Social isolation, anxiety and neurosis can protect young men against criminality
Counselling immediately after a traumatic event helps prevent further victimization
Social skills in high school predict better earnings than test scores
Emotional intelligence predicts academic success
Infants can tell happy songs from sad songs
Child abuse—More evidence needed on preventative measures
Childhood trauma linked to psychotic symptoms
New programme teaches preschoolers reading and social skills
Anxious and healthy adolescents respond differently to anxiety-provoking situations
Depression, death & bereavement
Clinical features and function of minor depression
Predicting who will not respond to depression treatment
Spirituality can predict risk of depression
Depressive coping style linked to chronic pain
Study finds little difference between bereavement-depression and major depression
Creating a life review improves quality of life for someone nearing death
Suicide risk after a suicide attempt
Forensic psychology
Abducted children: 'Clean' photos may not be helpful
Health psychology
Overeating tied to both genetics and dopamine
A brisk walk takes care of chocolate cravings
Neuroscience
Releasing our 'inner savant' with this thinking cap
Brain stimulation improves dexterity
The ‘Oh-shit’ wave in the brain
Religion makes you see differently
Personality & emotions
Hate is close to love, even in the brain
Game theory shows how personality traits evolve
Psychotherapy
Long-term psychodynamic therapy more effective than shorter-term for complex mental disorders
Childhood anxiety treated effectively with single or combined therapy
CBT could be an effective treatment for PMS
Sex & gender issues
Red is the colour of attraction—at least where men are concerned
Alcohol and attitudes important when dealing with sexually active adolescents
Social psychology
Racial bias: A face by any other name
Physical warmth linked to interpersonal warmth
Rejection makes you spot fake smiles more easily
Substance abuse
Alcohol shrinks the brain
PRACTITIONER CONTRIBUTION
By Joseph Galasso, PsyD (Hudson County Meadowview Psychiatric Hospital) & Laura Ness, PsyD (Clinical Psychologist, Private Practice)
DRUGS & MEDICATION
Alternative & complementary therapies
Mouse studies suggest daily dose of ginkgo may prevent brain cell damage after a stroke
PSYCHLITS: ON THE PSYCH RADAR
Iron deficiency in pregnancy increases risk of schizophrenia in offspring
Mental health linked to stillbirth and newborn death
Light drinking in pregnancy does not harm baby
Vitamin B does not slow down Alzheimer‘s
Unhappy people watch more television
PTSD after a heart event increases risk of death
Unusual exploration of objects in infants can help diagnose autism at 12 months of age
CBT and group CBT effective for children and adolescents exposed to trauma
Smell of tobacco smoke does not trigger relapse in ex-smokers
Impulse control region in brain smaller in young people with genetic vulnerability for alcoholism
Androgynous leaders create climate for innovation
Blue light helps office workers stay alert
High blood pressure related to depression in the elderly
Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy both effective for depression
New understanding of how we remember traumatic events
Searching the Internet increases brain function
Weight does not affect women‘s sexual behaviour
Sexual problems in women not always associated with distress
Serial cohabiters less likely to marry
Parents of ADHD children more than twice as likely to divorce
Religious belief and devotion linked to sense of personal control
Brain‘s wiring stunted and lopsided in childhood onset schizophrenia
An anti-frailty pill?
Fibromyalgia no longer an ‘invisible’ syndrome
Gene implicated in language disorder also linked to autism
Hypnosis can induce synaesthetic experiences
Stress can make you itch
PSYCH–POINTERS…
The Illness Attitude Scales
BOOKS & PUBLICATIONS
New journals
CONFERENCES & EVENTS
