Parents and students - the secrets of their success

Gaps between parents' real expectations of their student offspring and what the students themselves think is expected of them could add to the stress of being a college student according to new research from the U.S. A study of 174 first- and second-year students, 138 of their mothers and 72 of their fathers asked about personal maturity, academic achievement, dating and how well parents and students thought they communicated with one another. While most students were meeting or exceeding their parents' expectations those who thought they weren't (because they thought their parents' expectations were higher than they were) reported lower self-worth and more trouble adjusting to college. In another study the researchers found that those students who had at least one authoritative parent - one whose parenting style combined warmth, a demanding nature and democracy - adjusted better to college than those whose parents were too authoritarian, permissive or neglectful.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/08/21/parental-expectations-affect-college-students-identity/2797.html

Spanking in the USA

There has been a lot of debate about spanking recently and a US study of 1,435 mothers in North and South Carolina has found that those mothers who had spanked their children in the past year were nearly three times more likely to say that they had also used harsher forms of punishment including beating, burning, kicking, hitting and shaking. The mothers who used an object to hit their child on the buttocks were more than nine times as likely to report committing other physical abuse. 45% of the mothers reported that they had spanked their child, 25% reported spanking with an object on their buttocks and 4% reported even harsher forms of punishment. Only 2% of the mothers who reported no spanking reported the use of physically abusive punishment, compared to 6% of the mothers who spanked and 12% of those who spanked with objects.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/08/21/new-study-finds-spanking-linked-to-physical-abuse/2800.html

Leadership and mental health

Qualities associated with good leadership include treating employees considerately and truthfully, providing social support and providing inspirational motivation and intellectual stimulation. A Finnish review of the effects of leadership on employee's health and wellbeing found that workers with good leadership were 40% more likely to have low rates of anxiety, depression and job stress. Good leadership was also associated with a 27% reduction in sick leave and a 46% reduction in disability pensions.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/08/22/good-leadership-at-work-aids-mental-health/2806.html

Recovered memories and egg-salad sandwiches

There has been a lot of controversy over 'recovered memories,' particularly in people who claim to have been abused as children. In a series of experiments reported in the journal Psychological Science researchers falsely suggested that participants had become ill after eating egg salad as a child. Afterwards the researchers offered different kinds of sandwiches to the participants, including one with an egg-salad filling. Four months later the participants were asked to be in a separate study evaluating different kinds of food. Those who had been given the false memories gave the egg-salad sandwiches much lower ratings than those in the control group and were much more likely to avoid eating them.

You can read more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/08/22/false-memories-can-influence-future-behavior/2807.html

New study adds to confusion on antipsychotics for older people

Elderly people are often prescribed antipsychotic medication to treat mental health symptoms and reduce aggressive behaviour. In recent years clinicians have increasingly prescribed second-generation drugs which generally have fewer side effects than older ones. However, in 2005, after studies suggested that the newer drugs could increase the risk of death by 60% there was a move away from the second-generation drugs. A study of 37,241 elderly people taking antipsychotics in British Columbia between 1996 and 2004 found that first-generation medicines actually increased the risk of death from cardiovascular or respiratory diseases.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/08/25/first-generation-meds-are-risky-for-eldery/2817.html

Autism in the interrogation room

People cope with police interviews and being locked up in different ways, making some vulnerable to making false confessions which can lead to miscarriages of justice. It is not clear whether people with autism are more vulnerable at interviews, or more prone to respond negatively to questioning. A study by researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry compared 26 people with high-functioning autism to a control group of 27 unaffected people. People with autism were rated as significantly more compliant than the controls and also had higher scores on measures of depression, anxiety, fear of negative social evaluation and paranoia. The researchers concluded that people with autism may be more eager to please, or to avoid confrontation and conflict, than other people and may be more prone to respond compliantly to requests and demands.

North, Alice S., Russell, Ailsa J. and Gudjonsson, Gisli H. - High functioning autism spectrum disorders: an investigation of psychological vulnerabilities during interrogative interview Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology September 2008, 19(3), 323-324

Screening for personality disorders in prisoners

Many prisoners have personality disorders. It is important to get an accurate picture about how many people in prisons have personality disorders as this may determine service needs and have important implications for inmate management. The presence of these disorders may also predict the behaviour of some prisoners while in custody and after release. The ideal way of diagnosing personality disorders is through a clinical interview but this can be time consuming and expensive. Researchers in the UK looked into the effectiveness of a screening tool called SCID-II by using it on 496 prisoners. They found it 'retained good internal consistency with improved discrimination between personality disorders and clinical syndromes'.

Ullrich, Simone ... [et al] - Detecting personality disorders in the prison population of England and Wales: comparing case identification using the SCID-II screen and the SCID-II clinical interview Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology September 2008, 19(3), 301-322

PTSD and alcohol problems

Substance abuse is strongly associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological disorders that may occur after stressful and traumatic events. A study of 48,481 military personnel in the Journal of the American Medical Association looked into the links between military service and alcohol problems. Among Reserve or National Guard personnel who saw action the rate of new-onset heavy weekly drinking was 8.8% of new-onset binge drinking 25.6% and of new-onset alcohol problems 7.1%. Among regular soldiers the rates were 6%, 26.6% and 4.8% respectively. Women were more likely to report heavy weekly drinking but less likely to report binge drinking or alcohol problems. Those born after 1980 and those with PTSD and depression were all more likely to develop alcohol problems.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/08/14/members-of-reserve-and-guard-at-risk-for-alcohol-problems/2752.html

Anxiety, stress and allergy

There has long been known to be a link between stress and the immune system. Allergies occur when the immune system goes into overdrive and a study of 28 people by researchers at Ohio State University looked into the links between stress and allergies. The participants' anxiety levels were measured at the start of the study using a standardised questionnaire and they underwent pinprick tests to measure their reactions to allergens. The participants were also placed under stress by being asked to deliver a ten-minute talk and do maths questions without using a pen and paper (the stress condition). The researchers then measured the size of the weals on the participants' arms before and after they experienced the stress condition. Participants who had only moderate levels of 'background' anxiety had weals 75% larger after the stress experiment but for people who were already highly anxious at the start of the study their weals were more than twice as large after the stress test. Anxious people were four times more likely to have a stronger reaction to the skin test one day later after the stressful condition.

You can read more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/08/15/anxiety-and-stress-accentuate-allergies/2762.html

ADHD - behaviour therapy better than drugs

Parents whose children are diagnosed with ADHD often ask for, or are given, drugs for their children. However, research from the largest ever study into treatments for ADHD has found that behavioural interventions can lead to less use of medication and smaller dosages when it is used. Although medication can dampen down symptoms of ADHD such as restlessness and fidgeting they don't address the impairments caused by ADHD such as a lack of successful interactions with peers, deficits in reading and maths skills and difficult relationships with parents and family members. There is also some doubt over the physical effect of the drugs with some research suggesting that heavy doses over long periods may reduce a child's adult height by two inches.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/08/18/therapy-as-first-line-treatment-for-adhd/2769.html

Driving and depression

A study of 60 people by researchers at the University of North Dakota looked into the links between depression, antidepressant usage and driving skills. 31 people who were taking antidepressants and 29 people who were not taking any medication undertook a driving simulation test which tested steering, concentration and scanning. Those participants who were taking antidepressants were further divided into those with severe and mild symptoms. Participants who were taking antidepressants but who scored in the normal range for depression did no worse than the control group but those people taking antidepressants with a high number of symptoms of depression performed significantly worse.

You can read more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/08/18/driving-skills-can-be-impacted-by-antidepressants/2770.html

Genetic links in bipolar disorder

Brain cells communicate with one another via special channels where they exchange sodium and calcium ions. Researchers believe that malfunctions in these channels could contribute towards bipolar disorder. Previous studies have painted an unclear picture about the links between genetics and bipolar disorder but an international study of 10,596 people - 4,387 of them with bipolar disorder - pooled data from previous research. It found that the two most significant genes were Ankyrin3 and CACNAIC.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/08/18/genetic-link-for-bipolar/2771.html

Hope therapy for depression

Optimism has been defined as a generalized expectation that good things will happen whereas hope involves having goals, along with the desire and plan to achieve them. Researchers at the University of Alabama, Birmingham have been looking at ways of instilling hope in people. They aimed to build on the strengths people already had and help them to develop them and live up to their potential. A study of 32 people found that those taking part in the 'hope therapy' - given over eight, two-hour group sessions had reduced depressive symptoms compared to a control group.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/08/19/hope-therapy-for-depression/2778.html

Suicidal students in the States

An Internet survey of 26,000 students in the U.S. has found that more than half of them had had at least one episode of suicidal thinking at some point in their lives. 15% had seriously considered attempting suicide and 5% had made at least one suicide attempt. 6% of undergraduates and 4% of graduate students reported seriously considering suicide within the 12 months prior to answering the survey. The most common reasons for contemplating suicide were: wanting relief from emotional or physical pain, problems with romantic relationships, the desire to end their life and problems with college work. 19% of undergraduate suicide attempters and 28% of graduate attempters required medical attention.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/08/20/suicidal-thoughts-among-college-students/2789.html

Variability key in diagnosing dementia

Developing strategies to improve the prediction and diagnosis of dementia can help to improve the treatment of the condition. There are a number of neuropsychological tests used for diagnostic purposes which measure an individual's level of performance against healthy individuals to determine cognitive impairment. However people's performance can vary from tesst to test, something not taken into account in this approach. Researchers in the U.S. studied 897 people aged 70 and over who had follow up visits every 12-18 months during which they underwent detailed neurological and neuropsychological evaluations. The researchers tested for verbal IQ, attention/executive function and memory. The study found that the degree of variability in performance between the tests improved the prediction of dementia above and beyond people's level of performance on each test alone.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/08/20/testing-for-dementia/2791.html

Homelessness and drug use

Homelessness and drug and/or alcohol abuse often go hand-in-hand. Homeless people who abuse drugs and alcohol are more likely to demonstrate ineffective coping skills, low levels of self-efficacy and to end up in prison. They are also vulnerable to hepatitis and HIV, victimization, sexually-transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancy, depression and suicidality. A focus-group study of 54 homeless and drug-using people between the ages of 18 and 24 looked into their attitudes to drugs and what they saw as the facilitators of and barriers to good-quality health care. Participants saw substance abuse as a health risk and a barrier to care but also as an adaptive response to psychological pain and survival on the streets. Facilitators to care and suggestions for improved health delivery and quality of care included using health mentors to assist in navigating the medical system, culturally-competent care, improved amenities in waiting rooms and expanded pharmaceutical services.

Christiani, Ashley ... [et al] - Attitudes of homeless and drug-using youth regarding barriers and facilitators in delivery of quality and culturally sensitive health care Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing August 2008, 21(3), 154-163

Short-term psychoanalytic supportive psychotherapy

Short-term psychoanalytic supportive psychotherapy was developed in Amsterdam in 1992. It is a six-month treatment made up of 16 sessions based on psychoanalysis. Researchers in Amsterdam pooled data from three clinical trials to compare the effectiveness of this therapy to drug treatment and to a combination of the therapy and drugs in treating depression. There were no differences in symptom reduction between the therapy and the drugs although therapists and patients preferred the therapy. Combined therapy was found superior to drug therapy by patients, therapists and independent observers. As far as quality of life was concerned the patients found no differences between psychotherapy and drugs or between psychotherapy and combined therapy but they did find combined therapy superior to drugs.

de Maat, Saskia ... [et al] - Short psychodynamic supportive psychotherapy, antidepressants, and their combination in the treatment of major depression: a mega-analysis based on three randomized clinical trials Depression and Anxiety 25(7), 565-574

Telephone help for overweight and depressed women

A study of 401 overweight women in California looked at the effectiveness of a phone and Internet based behavioural intervention designed to improve behaviours such as diet and exercise. Previous studies have shown that psychotherapy for depression can be delivered successfully by telephone or via the Internet and other studies have shown that exercise and weight loss can help people to feel less depressed so as well as their weight and exercise levels the study also monitored the women's mood. After 12 months those receiving the intervention significantly decreased their depression scores compared to a control group and those with probable depression showed clinically important improvements. The participants who engaged more readily with the intervention were more likely to reduced their depression scores.

Kerr, Jacqueline ... [et al] - Randomized control trial of a behavioral intervention for overweight women: impact on depressive symptoms Depression and Anxiety 25(7), 555-558

Borderline personality disorder - characteristics and causes

Borderline personality disorder is a severe personality disorder whose features include impulsivity, changeable moods, relationship problems and identity problems. It is associated with interpersonal and occupational impairment, an increased risk for suicide and higher rates of treatment in both medical and psychiatric settings. A study of 5,496 twins, between the ages of 18 and 86, from the Netherlands, Belgium and Australia looked into the characteristics of people with borderline personality disorder and attempted to see how much of the condition could be attributed to genetic factors and how much to environmental ones. The study found that women and young people were more likely to have the condition. 42% of the variations in the condition could be explained by genetic factors and 58% by environmental ones.

Distel, M.A. ... [et al] - Heritability of borderline personality disorder features is similar across three countries Psychological Medicine September 2008, 38(9), 1219-1229

Previous studies have shown that about 1% of the population have borderline personality disorder. It can improve over time but it affects the life and development of young adults over decades and about 10% of people with the condition kill themselves. Stress is thought to play an important role in producing the behaviour associated with borderline personality disorder and a study of 135 people in The Netherlands aimed to examine this link more closely. The study compared 44 people with borderline personality disorder, 42 people with psychosis (which is also known to be brought on by stress) and 49 unaffected controls. It found that the participants with borderline personality disorder reacted much more strongly to the stresses and strains of everyday life than people with psychosis and the control group; after stressful events their negative mood increased more and their positive mood decreased more than participants in the other two groups.

Glaser, J.-P. ... [et al] - A momentary assessment study of the reputed emotional phenotype associated with borderline personality disorder Psychological Medicine September 2008, 38(9), 1231-1239

Risk factors for suicide in new mothers

Although suicide by mothers after the birth of a child is very rare its effects are profound and terrible. Researchers from the University of Washington School of Medicine compared 335 women who had been hospitalized for suicide attempts with a control group of 1420 women. The researchers found that women who had previously been hospitalized for psychiatric disorders were more than 27 times as likely to attempt suicide. Women with a history of substance abuse were six times as likely to attempt suicide while psychiatric hospitalization and substance abuse together increased the risk by 11 times.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/08/07/risk-of-post-partum-suicide/2711.html