Bullying, anxiety and depression

A study of 210 college undergraduates between the ages of 18 and 25 looked at the links between bullying in childhood and the continuing presence of mental-health problems in young adulthood. The study looked into the effects of 'relational victimization' ; being shunned, being excluded from social activities and having rumours spread about oneself. The researchers found that memories of these experiences were associated with depresssion and social anxiety. There was no difference between the sexes as to how childhood bullying affected people and even having friends or other positive relationships in the present didn't lessen the effect of childhood victimization.

Genes, alcohol and environment

A study of 3,546 pairs of twins in the U.S. looked into the relationship between environment, genetics and alcohol problems. 85% of the sample - who were all between 18-29 - reported having at least one drink in their lifetimes, although only 7% became alcohol dependent. The researchers found that, overall, environmental factors were more important than genetic ones. Environmental factors, such as exposure to conflict between parents and alcohol use among peers in school, exerted the largest influence on initiation of alcohol use and the study found that women who had their first drink at an earlier age were more likely to develop serious alcohol problems. The influence of genetics became more marked in deciding who went on to develop alcohol problems but was still less influential than environmental factors.

You can read more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/04/24/genes-drive-transition-from-social-drinker-to-alcoholism/2187.html

Smoking and depression

A U.S. study of 8,556 people looked into the links between tobacco smoking and depression. The researchers found that the risk of depression was increased by 41% in smokers compared to non-smokers. An increase in tobacco use was also associated with a lessening of physical activity. Interestingly those who had given up tobacco more than a decade previously had a lesser probability of developing depression than those who had never smoked.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/04/25/smoking-ups-risk-of-depression/2190.html

Self-esteem and security

Self-esteem has traditionally been thought of as a good thing. However, recent research has begun to paint a more subtle picture of self-esteem suggesting that it is not always necessarily a good thing. High self-esteem can sometimes be accompanied by aggression and verbal defensiveness and researchers now think that it is the security of one's self-esteem as much as its quality that contributes to happiness. A team of researchers at the University of Georgia studied self-esteem in 100 undergraduates. The researchers measured the stability of the students' self-esteem then talked to them about times in their lives when things had gone wrong or they had felt threatened. Those students who were low in self-esteem or who had fragile high self-esteem were more verbally defensive than those whose self-esteem was secure. Those students with secure high self-esteem appeared to accept themselves 'warts and all' and were less likely to become defensive by blaming others and making excuses. The study also found that greater verbal defensiveness was associated with lower psychological well-being and life satisfaction.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/04/28/healthy-self-esteem-defined/2197.html

Attachment and anxiety

Attachment theory proposes that particular types of insecure parental care giving are reflected in dysfunctional behaviour and personality disorders such as avoidant, dependent, self-defeating and borderline. The Parental Bonding Inventory, developed in 1979, is a psychological test that aims to measure the attachment between parents and their children in terms of the two variables of caring and overprotection. Studies using this test have found that high parental care predicts lower levels of depression while overprotection leads to higher levels of anxiety. Two Greek studies looked into the effects of caring and overprotection on school performance. In the first study 230 elementary-school children were assessed on motivation, stress and mood before an important test. The results showed that paternal caring scores, and to a lesser extent maternal caring scores, were associated with lower levels of fear of failure, anxiety and depression. In the second study 58 college students were physically monitored during a class presentation to assess their anxiety levels. Those students who reported high levels of parental caring had lower levels of stress. Those who reported an overprotective parenting style, however, approached the task with significantly elevated fears, experienced more stress during the task and performed worse. Students' perceptions of their fathers' parenting style was highly predicitive of the stress response.

Sideridis, Georgios D. and Kafetsios, Konstantinos - Perceived parental bonding, fear of failure and stress during class presentations International Journal of Behavioral Development 2008, 32(2), 119-130

Self-regulation in infancy

Self-regulation is a broad concept that focuses on efforts to modify behaviour to reach goals. Between the ages of one and three children make great strides in self-regulation. They become increasingly adept at changing their behaviour to meet the demands of a situation and better understand - and are more able to meet - external standards for behaviour. Early competence in self-regulation predicts better adaptive skills and fewer problem behaviours later in childhood. A U.S. study of 100 young children studied them at 20, 27 and 34 months old. The earlier that the children understood they were independent beings whose actions were able to have an effect on their environment the better was their self-regulation. Maternal warmth was also linked to better self-regulation. Although half the toddlers had been exposed to maternal depression this was not found to be linked to self-regulation.

Jennings, Kay D. ... [et al] - Understanding of self and maternal warmth predict later self-regulation in toddlers International Journal of Behavioural Development 2008, 32(2), 108-118

Self esteem, body dissatisfaction and restrained eating

Restrained eating is defined as a persistent fixation on dieting, weight and food, such that the type and amount of food eaten is restricted for the purpose of weight loss or maintenance. Restrained eaters commonly experience weight fluctuations due to alternations between dieting and pronounced lapses in dietary adherence. Dietary restriction has been implicated as a risk factor in the development of obesity, binge-eating and eating disorders. A U.S. study of 60 female undergraduates looked into the links between self-esteem, social anxiety, body dissatisfaction and appetite. The researchers found that low self-esteem and social anxiety were linked to dietary restraint. However, these relationships were fully mediated (accounted for) by the increased levels of bodily dissatisfaction experienced by those with low self-esteem and social anxiety. These researchers concluded that 'low self-esteem is a potent risk factor for developing an overvaluation of one's body shape, which in turn may lead to restrained eating in an attempt to achieve a more satisfactory body shape and size.'

Gianini, Loren M. and Smith, Jane Ellen - Body dissatisfaction mediates the relationship between self-esteem and restrained eating in female undergraduates International Journal of Behavioral Consultation and Therapy 2008, 4(1), 48-60

The secret of a happy retirement? Stay busy!

Retirement is a major change in people's lives but studies into its effect on people's quality of life have produced mixed results with some studies suggesting that it has a negative effect, others that it has a positive effect and others portraying its effect as neutral. Participating in clubs and organizations and pursuing hobbies and interests have been found to improve people's life satisfaction in retirement but little is known as to what motivates people to take up these activities. A French study of 150 active retired people found that they were characterized by high levels of intrinsic motivation for knowledge, stimulation and accomplishment rather than for external rewards. An intrinsic motivation for accomplishment and stimulation was linked to a higher level of satisfaction with one's retirement over and above the influences of time since retirement, anticipated satisfaction with retirement and subjective health.

Stephan, Yannick, Fouquerau, Evelyne and Fernandez, Anne - The relation between self-determination and retirement satisfaction among active retired individuals International Journal of Aging and Human Development 2008, 66(4), 329-345

Don't worry, be granny (or grandad)

Over the last twenty years researchers have become increasingly interested in worry. There has been a lot of research into worry among the general population but much less into worry among older adults. A study of 217 people in Canada asked an older group of 111 people about their levels of worry now compared to when they were younger. The second part of the study compared the levels of worry in older people to that of 106 university students. The researchers found that the older people worried less than the students. They were better at coping with uncertainty and less likely to see worry as something leading to effective problem solving, increased control or a reduction in vulnerability.

Basevitz, Paul ... [et al] - Age-related differences in worry and related processes International Journal of Human Aging and Development 2008, 66(4), 283-305

Adolescent problem gamblers

A study of 2,179 adolescents in the Canadian province of Ontario looked into the prevalence of, and risk factors for, gambling problems. The researchers classified 37.9% of the sample as non-gamblers, 49.3% as social gamblers, 7.8% as at-risk gamblers and 5% as pathological problem gamblers. Boys were six times more likely to be pathological problem gamblers than girls. Lower family and school connectedness and lack of family cohesion were all found to increase the risk for problem gambling.

Dickson, Laurie, Derevensky, Jeffrey L. and Gupta, Rina - Youth gambling problems: examining risk and protective factors International Gambling Studies April 2008, 8(1), 25-47

SSRIs for social anxiety

Social anxiety disorder has been defined as anxiety owing to a marked and persistent fear of one or more social of performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible scrutiny by others. A 1994 study found social anxiety disorder to be the third most common of psychiatric disorders behind depression and alcoholism. A more recent survey found that 6.8% of people suffered from it in any one year with 12.1% of people suffering from it over the course of their lifetime. Symptoms typically begin in the mid-teens and are more common among women than men. Current treatments for social anxiety disorder involve drugs and psychotherapy. A review of studies into the effectiveness of serotonin specific reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in treating social anxiety disorder found that they were all more effective than a placebo. The study found that the drugs did not differ in their effectiveness although they all had different side effects and it concluded 'overall, a fair amount of evidence supports the efficacy of escitalopram, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline and venlafaxine in [treating] social anxiety disorder'.

Hansen, Richard A. ... [et al] - Efficacy and tolerability of second-generation antidepressants in social anxiety disorder International Clinical Psychopharmacology May 2008, 23(3), 170-179

Venlafaxine and citalopram for depression

Major depression is a chronic, disabling disorder with an estimated lifetime prevalence of 16.6% in the U.S. Recent findings from a major research study indicate that up to 50% of patients do not recover after treatment with one selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). For patients who do not respond to SSRI treatment the next step is to switch to a non-SSRI drug or to try another SSRI. A study of 396 patients in the U.S. compared the effectiveness of the non-SSRI drug venlafaxine to the SSRI citalopram. The researchers found that overall both drugs had a similar level of effectiveness but that venlafaxine was more effective in severely depressed people. 57.8% of people taking venlafaxine suffered from side effects whereas 63.4% of people taking citalopram did. 24.5% of the people taking venlafaxine dropped out of the trial compared to 20.9% of those taking citalopram.

Lenox-Smith, Alan J. and Jiang, Qin - Venlafaxine extended release versus citalopram in patients with depression unresponsive to a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. International Clinical Psychopharmacology May 2008, 23(3), 113-119

Home Start in Holland

Bringing up babies and toddlers is not easy and some parents can feel unable to cope with the demands placed upon them. Parents can lose confidence and become depressed which in turn can lead to less positive and more punitive parenting. The first five years are of crucial importance in a child's development and unpredictable parental behaviour, physical abuse, harsh discipline and a lack of supervision/monitoring of the child's behaviour during this period can lead to the development of antisocial behaviour, social rejection, academic failure and membership of deviant peer groups later on in life. Concerns about this have led to the development of early intervention programmes designed to support healthy development in families with young children. One such programme is Home Start which works with volunteers who visit mothers for half a day once a week. The provision of social support by the volunteers is aimed at improving maternal well-being which, it is hoped, will lead to more positive parenting and a reduction in problem behaviour. A Dutch study of 105 sets of parents and children compared those who had taken part in Home Start with a control group. The results showed that the Home Start group had a significant increase in perceived parenting competence but no effect on maternal depressive mood. Parental consistency and observed sensitivity improved in the Home Start group although no effects were found for other parenting variables. Child behaviour problems diminished over time in both groups and there was no supplementary effect for Home Start as far as this was concerned.

Asscher, Jessica J., Hermanns, Jo M.A. and Dekovic, Maja Infant Mental Health Journal March/April 2008, 29(2), 95-113

Together, apart or a bit of both? What works best for mums and babies?

There has been much debate in the media as to whether parents should sleep with or seperately from their parents. Developmental researchers and paediatric professionals are divided on the issue leaving many new parents confused about the potential risks and benefits of different sleeping arrangements. A study of 70 mothers and children in the U.S. compared those who always slept together, those who never slept together and those who were inconsistent. The researchers found that those mothers who were consistent with their children (either always sleeping together or always sleeping apart) were characterized by more positive infant and maternal behaviour and a higher quality of interaction at 9 months. A greater amount of sleeping together per week was associated with an increased duration of breastfeeding, mothers working fewer hours, less infant temperamental intensity and less maternal depression.

Taylor, Nicole, Donovan, Wilberta and Leavitt, Lewis - Consistency in infant sleeping arrangements and mother-infant interaction Infant Mental Health Journal 2008, 29(2), 77-94

Depression and dysthymia in mothers

Dysthymia is a mood disorder characterized by chronic mildly depressed or irritable mood often accompanied by other symptoms such as eating and sleeping disturbances, fatigue and poor self-esteem. A study of 72 mothers with prenatal depression compared those with dysthymia to those with major depression. Previous studies have found that while women with major prenatal depression feel worse women with dysthymia had higher prenatal cortisol (a substance associated with stress) levels and smaller children. The study, by researchers in the U.S. found that the children of dysthymic mothers had a shorter gestational age, a lower birthweight, more obstetric complications and lower orientation and motor scores than the children of mothers with major depression.

Field, Tiffany, Diego, Miguel and Hernandez-Reif, Maria - Prenatal dysthymia versus major depression effects on the neonate Infant Behavior and Development April 2008, 31(2), 190-193

Olanzapine: new ways around weight gain

Olanzapine is an effective antipsychotic drug and the only one, so far, to be demonstrated to minimize grey matter loss. However, it can lead to significant weight gain which can put people at risk of cardiovascular problems and diabetes. Previous trials have shown that switching from standard oral tablets to orally-disintegrating tablets can lead to weight loss but these have only been short-term studies. A study of 26 patients in Canada who switched tablets found that, on average, they had lost 2.7kg after a year. The peak weight loss was observed at 6 months although significant weight loss was achieved after only three. The majority of patients (81.9%) had lost weight after a year while 18.1% showed no change or a weight gain.

Bharat, Chawla and Luxton-Andrew, Heather - Long-term weight loss observed with olanzapine orally disintegrating tablets in overweight patients with chronic schizophrenia. A 1-year, open-label prospective trial Human Psychopharmacology March 2008, 23(3), 211-216

Sexual dysfunction in schizophrenia

Sexual dysfunction is a common problem in people with schizophrenia affecting both treated and untreated patients alike. It affects between 30-80% of women and 45-80% of men. There are a number of possible reasons for this, one of them being the side effects of antipsychotic drugs. Sexual dysfunction is considered to be one of the worst side effects of medication and is a major cause of poor quality of life, a negative attitude to therapy and treatment non-compliance. A review of studies, published since 2002, into the side effects of antipsychotic drugs found that risperidone produced the worst side effects, followed in descending order by haloperidol, olanzapine, quetiapine and aripiprazole.

Baggeley, Martin - Sexual dysfunction in schizophrenia: focus on recent evidence Human Psychopharmacology March 2008, 23(3), 201-209

Cholesterol and dementia

A study of 9,752 people in northern California who underwent health evaluations between 1964 and 1973 when they were between the ages of 40 and 45 and which then followed them up between 1994 and 2007 has found that those people who had high cholesterol in their early 40s were more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. Those with cholesterol levels between 249-500 mg were one-and-a-half times more likely to develop the condition while those with cholesterol levels of 221-248 mg were one-and-a-quarter times as likely. The study took into account the effects of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, smoking and late-life stroke.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/04/17/high-cholesterol-in-midlife-ups-risk-of-alzheimers/2163.html

Psychological costs of Iraq and Afghanistan

A survey of 1,965 U.S. servicemen who had served in Iraq or Afghanistan aimed to assess their exposure to traumatic events and possible brain injury while deployed, evaluate current symptoms of psychological illness and gauge whether they had received care for combat-related problems. Servicemen reported exposure to a wide range of traumatic events while deployed. Half said they had had a friend who was seriously wounded or killed, 45% said they had seen dead or seriously-injured non-combatants and over 10% said they were injured themeselves and required hospitalization. Rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were highest among army soldiers and marines and among service members who were no longer on active duty. Women, Hispanics and enlisted personnel were all more likely to report symptoms of PTSD and major depression although the single best predictor of depression and PTSD was exposure to combat trauma while deployed. Just 53% of the servicemen with PTSD or depression had sought help over the past year and of those who sought care only half got 'minimally adequate treatment'.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/04/18/veterans-fail-to-seek-care-for-ptsd/2166.html

Depression and stigma down under

For people suffering from depression the stigma associated with the disease often impedes diagnosis and treatment. A survey of over 6,000 people by researchers from the Australian National University looked into personal stigma - the negative attitude a person has towards depression - and perceived stigma, which describes the stigma felt by a person with depression. People who had come into contact with depression and those who knew most about it had lower levels of personal stigma. Men, older people, those with less education, those born overseas and people in greater psychological distress all had higher levels of personal stigma. One in five people in the survey said that they would not work with someone with depression.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/04/21/unraveling-the-stigma-of-depression/2170.html