news 2018

On World Mental Health Day we look at how understanding the wiring and rewiring of the adolescent brain is helping scientists pinpoint why young people are especially vulnerable to mental health problems - and why some are resilient. If you speak to anyone who has had a mental health problem, you will know the effect it's had on them and their families.

Sibling rivalry. Every parent and every sibling understands what this means. Siblings fight. A lot. And sometimes those fights escalate to involve physical, verbal, and psychological aggression. Aggression between siblings is so common that people often believe that these behaviors are part of the normal process of growing up, but recent research shows us that sibling aggression can cross the line and parents need to know when to seek help.

A pan-European network to tackle problematic internet usage officially launches today with the publication of its manifesto, setting out the important questions that need to be addressed by the research community.

New research from King's College London suggests the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan may have led to an increase in the rate of probable Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among members of the UK Armed Forces. The results, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry today, estimate the overall rate of probable PTSD among current and ex-serving military personnel to be 6% in 2014/16, compared to 4% in 2004/6.

Research from ANU has found a bit of humour at work can help employees deal with workplace aggression and stressful situations. Lead researcher Dr David Cheng of the ANU College of Business and Economics said workplace aggression and bullying is a widespread problem which impacts the mental health of victims and the ramifications can be expensive for organisations.

Nearly 10% of elementary school students have trouble learning to write, with potentially lasting consequences on their education. EPFL researchers have developed a software program that can analyze these children's writing disabilities and their causes with unparalleled precision. Trouble learning how to write, called dysgraphia, affects some 10% of schoolchildren.

Can experts in behaviour change help boost weight loss for overweight people? McGill University researchers think so: they report significant results - up to 10% of body-mass loss with this approach. Bärbel Knäuper, Steven Grover and their team worked with nearly 200 overweight participants (both men and women) using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in a year-long program to achieve greater weight loss in a group setting.

Most people value the moral principle of honesty. At the same time, they frequently avoid being honest with people in their everyday lives. Who hasn't told a fib or half-truth to get through an awkward social situation or to keep the peace? New research from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business explores the consequences of honesty in everyday life and determines that people can often afford to be more honest than they think.

Brains of people at risk of psychosis exhibit a pattern that can help predict whether they will go on to develop full-fledged schizophrenia, a new Yale-led study shows. The findings could help doctors begin early intervention therapies for those most likely to develop the disabling disorder. Using fMRI images of people who exhibit features indicating a high risk for psychosis, the Yale team noted increased functional connectivity in the cerebello-thalamo-cortical circuitry, an extensive network involved in coordination of a host of brain functions, they report Sept.

Administrative affairs Arts and entertainment Buildings and grounds For UW employees Health and medicine Honors and awards Official notices Politics and government UW and the community Every day, adults conduct cost-benefit analyses in some form for decisions large and small, economic and personal: Bring a lunch or go out? Buy or rent? Remain single or start a family? All are balances of risk and reward.

When assessing the moral character of others, people cling to good impressions but readily adjust their opinions about those who have behaved badly, according to new research. This flexibility in judging transgressors might help explain both how humans forgive - and why they sometimes stay in bad relationships.

Heavily traumatized people such as refugees fleeing war, torture and natural catastrophes may not necessarily develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a new study reveals. Researchers worked with a group of refugees - half suffering from PTSD, the others not - and asked them to suppress neutral memories.

People who are more emotionally stable spend more during the Christmas season, while those who are high in neuroticism spend less, according to new research by UCL and Northwestern University. Those with more artistic interests, more active imaginations and who are more open minded spend less, whereas those who are more conscientious, plan ahead and are organised spend more in the lead-up to Christmas.

The proportion of children and young people saying they have a mental health condition has grown six fold in England over two decades and has increased significantly across the whole of Britain in recent years, finds a new study co-led by UCL researchers. In 1995, just 0.8% of 4-24 year olds in England reported a long-standing mental health condition.

People who are more emotionally stable spend more during the Christmas season, while those who are high in neuroticism spend less, according to new research by UCL and Northwestern University. Those with more artistic interests, more active imaginations and who are more open minded spend less, whereas those who are more conscientious, plan ahead and are organised spend more in the lead-up to Christmas.

It is common knowledge that practicing gratitude is a healthy habit. But when it comes to writing letters of thanks to people who have made a difference in your life, the excuses pile up quickly. You worry you will sound trite or cliché. It feels socially awkward. You think that the other person already knows that you are grateful, and that your letter of thanks won't really make a difference.

Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window) Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Click to print (Opens in new window) Ever wonder why flat earthers, birthers, climate change and Holocaust deniers stick to their beliefs in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary? New findings from researchers at UC Berkeley suggest that feedback, rather than hard evidence, boosts people's sense of certainty when learning new things or trying to tell right from wrong.

When doctors offer a few words of reassurance, patients suffering an allergic reaction begin to feel better more quickly. The finding by Stanford psychologists suggests that the placebo effect applies to words as well as to pills. Stanford psychologists find that being reassured by a medical professional can aid in the healing process.

The rollout of a University of Queensland parenting program in a community in Ireland has significantly reduced the numbers of children with social, emotional and behavioural problems. A study found that making the Triple P - Positive Parenting Program ­available in the Irish Midlands community of 120,000 could improve potential mental health outcomes for children.

PHOTO: In a series of experiments, NYU researchers tested how much we believe different traits co-occur in other people's personalities-for instance, how much we think competence co-occurs with friendliness in others. They then used a method able to visualize the subjects' mental image of a personality trait, allowing them to see if subjects who believe competent people tend to also be friendly have mental images of a competent face and friendly face that are physically more resembling.