Tag: Child Psychology

Motherhood can deliver body image boost: Study links perfectionism and breast size dissatisfaction — but only in childless women

New research indicates that perfectionism is related to breast size dissatisfaction, but only in non-mothers — suggesting that mothers are more comfortable with their bodies. The study, carried out by Professor Viren Swami of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and academics from Sapienza University of Rome, has been published in the journal Body Image. Of the

Distracted driving more frequent among millennial than older parents: Low proportion of parents said their pediatrician had spoken to them about distracted driving

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nine people are killed and more than 1,000 injured each day in incidents involving a distracted driver. Texting while driving is a modern safety crisis associated with increased risk of motor vehicle crashes and may underlie the recent rise of motor vehicle fatalities in the United States.

Mental well-being predicts leisure time physical activity in midlife: Different exercise activities are related to the different dimensions of well-being in midlife

Men and women with high mental well-being at the age of 42 were more physically active at the age of 50 compared to those who got lower scores in mental well-being at age 42. Different exercise activities are related to the different dimensions of well-being in midlife. Mental well-being was investigated through three dimensions: emotional,

Cognitive functioning does not predict weight-loss outcome for adolescents: Adolescents with cognitive impairments and intellectual disabilities have similar weight-loss trajectories to peers after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy

Young people with cognitive impairments and developmental disabilities, including Down syndrome, have similar weight-loss trajectories to those with typical cognitive function after bariatric surgery, according to a new study in Pediatrics authored by psychologists at Children’s National Health System. The study is the first to look at post-surgical outcomes for this subgroup of adolescent bariatric

Mental health issues increased significantly in young adults over last decade: Shift may be due in part to rise of digital media, study suggests

The percentage of young Americans experiencing certain types of mental health disorders has risen significantly over the past decade, with no corresponding increase in older adults, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. “More U.S. adolescents and young adults in the late 2010s, versus the mid-2000s, experienced serious psychological distress, major depression or

Blue-enriched white light to wake you up in the morning

Here is a good news for those of who have difficulty with morning alertness. A KAIST research team proposed that a blue-enriched LED light can effectively help people overcome morning drowsiness. This study will provide the basis for major changes in future lighting strategies and thereby help create better indoor environments. Considerable research has been

Influence of social media on children’s food intake

New University of Liverpool research, published in Pediatrics, highlights the negative influence that social media has on children’s food intake. Current research shows celebrity endorsement and television advertising of unhealthy foods increases children’s intake of these foods. However, children are increasingly exposed to marketing through digital avenues, such as on social media, and the impact

Mandarin Chinese could help us understand how infants learn English

Infants may be more sensitive to non-native speech sounds than previously thought, according to a study published in the Journal of Memory and Language. The findings shed light on the way babies begin to understand language. The study, coauthored by Jessica Hay, an associate professor in the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Department of Psychology, and

Gasp! First audio map of oohs, aahs and uh-ohs spans 24 emotions: Those spontaneous nonverbal exclamations we make speak volumes

Ooh, surprise! Those spontaneous sounds we make to express everything from elation (woohoo) to embarrassment (oops) say a lot more about what we’re feeling than previously understood, according to new research from the University of California, Berkeley. Proving that a sigh is not just a sigh, UC Berkeley scientists conducted a statistical analysis of listener

Does being bilingual make children more focused? Study says no

Bilingual children do not have more advantages than monolingual children when it comes to executive function, which includes remembering instructions, controlling responses, and shifting swiftly between tasks, according to a new study published in PLOS One. The study, “No evidence for effects of Turkish immigrant children’s bilingualism on executive functions,” was coauthored by two UT

Helping anxious students excel on science exams: A 10-minute mental exercise helps improve lower-income students’ STEM exam scores

A new study reveals that helping lower-income high school freshman to regulate their test-taking anxiety can cut their biology course failure rates in half. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and conducted by Barnard College President Sian Leah Beilock and her research team found that brief pre-exam de-stressing strategies could

Trying to get people to agree? Skip the French restaurant and go out for Chinese food: Why sharing a plate leads to better negotiation outcomes

Here’s a new negotiating tactic: enjoy a family-style meal with your counterpart before making your opening bid. When people in a business negotiation share not just a meal but a plate, they collaborate better and reach deals faster, according to new research from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. In the study, “Shared

Sensory neurons can be used to discover therapies for ALS: New approach for testing for ALS may be useful to reverse debilitating disease

Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute scientists have shown that mutations in specific genes that destroy motor neurons and thereby cause the devastating effects of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis — also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease — also attack sensory neurons. The discovery in today’s (Thursday, Nov. 8) Scientific Reports indicates that studying sensory neurons