#psychotherapy — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #psychotherapy, aggregated by home.social.
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LIVE, Dammit Bluesky Blog
How is this "defensive"? How is this anything but #Ecocide?[contains quote post or other embedded content]
LINK: https://bsky.app/profile/livedammit.bsky.social/post/3mrlhbhg5sk2f
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LIVEdammit is a mental health support site with stories, tools, free e-course, bookstore & inspiring wearables — for stubborn souls doing the work to stay here, stay human, & stay strong.
WEBSITE: https://LIVEdammit.com
This robot is not affiliated with LIVEdammit.
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #livedammit #suicide -
LIVE, Dammit Bluesky Blog
How is this "defensive"? How is this anything but #Ecocide?[contains quote post or other embedded content]
LINK: https://bsky.app/profile/livedammit.bsky.social/post/3mrlhbhg5sk2f
---------
LIVEdammit is a mental health support site with stories, tools, free e-course, bookstore & inspiring wearables — for stubborn souls doing the work to stay here, stay human, & stay strong.
WEBSITE: https://LIVEdammit.com
This robot is not affiliated with LIVEdammit.
--------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #livedammit #suicide -
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Scientists reveal what is actually happening to your body when you let out a random sigh
A recent study published in the journal Psychophysiology suggests that spontaneous sighs act as a physical reset button for our breathing patterns during prolonged tasks. The research provides evidence that sighing helps regulate both breathing variability and physiological alertness when people are engaged in monotonous activities. These findings suggest that an occasional deep breath plays a basic role in maintaining physical balance during sustained attention.
The research team, consisting of Ralph W. G. Andrews, Michael C. Melnychuk, and Paul M. Dockree, sought to understand how spontaneous deep breaths relate to human attention. Everyday breathing is rarely perfectly steady or completely uniform. It contains natural variations in speed and depth, which scientists refer to as respiratory variability.
This variability is thought to keep the respiratory system flexible. A flexible system is better equipped to adapt to sudden changes in physical effort or emotional states. Over time, however, this variability can build up and become too chaotic or disorganized. Previous work suggests that a spontaneous sigh acts to reset this system, bringing chaotic breathing patterns back into a healthy and balanced range.
The scientists also wanted to test if sighs help reset mental alertness during tedious tasks. A specific brain network, known as the noradrenaline system, regulates general alertness and arousal in mammals. It acts as a chemical messenger network originating deep in the brain, sending signals to the rest of the nervous system to wake up or pay attention.
Activity in this system causes the pupil of the eye to expand or contract. The authors suspected that sighing might be intimately linked to this alertness network. They predicted that during boring tasks, a sigh might trigger a physical shift in brain arousal to help a person stay focused. When the body becomes too relaxed or disengaged, a deep breath could act as an internal alarm clock.
To test these predictions, the researchers analyzed data from two separate experiments. The first dataset included seventy-two adults who completed a visual attention test. Participants watched a computer screen for eight blocks of eight minutes each. They were instructed to click a mouse whenever a circular visual pattern slightly faded in contrast.
Throughout this visual test, the software randomly interrupted the task with thought probes. A probe would temporarily pause the experiment and ask participants to rate whether they were actively thinking about the visual task or if they were distracted by unrelated daydreams. This allowed the research team to track subjective engagement.
The second dataset involved fifty-seven participants engaging in a rhythmic listening task for twenty-one minutes. These individuals clicked a mouse in time with a continuous cycle of high and low audio tones. This group was split into two separate conditions. Thirty-two participants breathed normally without any specific instructions. Twenty-five participants were instructed to match their breathing to the changing audio tones, resulting in a slow and controlled breathing pattern.
In both experiments, the scientists measured breathing dynamics using a specialized effort belt worn around the participant’s lower chest. A sigh was specifically defined as any breath that was at least twice as deep as the participant’s average breath volume. The team also used high-speed tracking cameras to record the exact diameter of the participants’ pupils throughout the sessions.
The scientists found that people who breathed normally tended to sigh more frequently as the tasks wore on. As the minutes ticked by, their regular breathing patterns showed an increase in total variability. This means their breathing speed and depth became increasingly irregular over time. Immediately after a sigh occurred, this accumulated variability decreased.
The researchers distinguished between random breathing variability and structured breathing variability. Structured variability means that consecutive breaths are similar to one another, following a predictable sequence. The authors noted that sighs tended to occur when breathing lacked this predictable structure. Following a sigh, the variability in breathing depth became more structured and predictable again.
In the listening task, the group instructed to breathe slowly and steadily showed a completely different pattern. Their sighing dropped dramatically compared to the normal breathing group. Because they were intentionally controlling their breath, their respiratory variability was severely restricted. This suggests that intentional, controlled breathing overrides the body’s natural need to generate a deep sigh.
The visual test dataset revealed an interesting phenomenon known as phase-locking. Phase-locking is a behavior where the brain subconsciously matches biological rhythms to external events. In this context, participants subconsciously synchronized their natural breathing rhythms to the random timing of the fading visual targets on the screen.
The researchers found that the stronger a participant synchronized their breath to the screen, the more chaotic their general breathing became. Forcing the body to match an unpredictable external event seems to disrupt the natural respiratory rhythm. This high degree of synchronization was associated with a significantly higher number of sighs.
The research also revealed a direct connection between sighs and eye pupil size. During a sigh, participants’ pupils consistently dilated in a specific pattern. The pupil size began to increase at the start of the deep inhalation, peaked in size shortly after the breath reached its maximum depth, and then steadily contracted during the exhalation.
Because pupil dilation is a widely accepted proxy for the brain’s alertness system, this precise timing provides evidence that a sigh involves a rapid, coordinated change in physiological arousal. The scientists propose that sighs might help regulate arousal during prolonged tasks.
Interestingly, these physical resets did not translate into immediate behavioral improvements. Reaction times to the visual and auditory targets remained completely unchanged immediately after a sigh. Additionally, the participants’ self-reported focus on the task did not improve after a deep breath. The authors noted that this lack of behavioral change highlights a disconnect between bodily states and cognitive output in this specific context. The tasks were designed to be monotonous, which might explain why cognitive performance remained flat regardless of breathing changes.
It is necessary to acknowledge a few limitations regarding how the study was conducted. The method used to detect sighs relied entirely on breath volume. The respiratory equipment could not tell the difference between a natural sigh and a yawn. Because people tend to yawn when they are subjected to a monotonous task, yawning could have inflated the total number of deep breaths recorded in the datasets.
The attention tasks used in these experiments were relatively easy and undemanding. More difficult mental tasks might draw out different results, perhaps showing a stronger link between sighing and actual cognitive performance. In a high-stress scenario, a sigh might produce a measurable improvement in reaction time that was mostly invisible in a low-stress setting.
The single breathing belt only measured movement in the lower chest and abdomen. This setup might miss subtle changes in how the upper chest expands during respiratory shifts. The study also acknowledges that individual differences in emotional baseline states or daily stress levels were not entirely controlled, which might introduce slight variations in the data. Future studies could explore how different types of guided breathing exercises affect the natural urge to sigh. Additional research should also test whether the physical resets provided by sighing can be directly manipulated to help people stay focused in demanding environments.
The study, “Sighs Shape Respiratory Variability and Pupil Dynamics and Adapt to Sustained Attention Demands,” was authored by Ralph W. G. Andrews, Michael C. Melnychuk, and Paul M. Dockree.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #SighsInBreathing #RespiratoryVariability #PupilDynamics #SustainedAttention #BrainArousal #NoradrenergicSystem #PhaseLocking #BreathingReset #VisualAttention #CognitivePerformance
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DATE: July 26, 2026 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Scientists reveal what is actually happening to your body when you let out a random sigh
A recent study published in the journal Psychophysiology suggests that spontaneous sighs act as a physical reset button for our breathing patterns during prolonged tasks. The research provides evidence that sighing helps regulate both breathing variability and physiological alertness when people are engaged in monotonous activities. These findings suggest that an occasional deep breath plays a basic role in maintaining physical balance during sustained attention.
The research team, consisting of Ralph W. G. Andrews, Michael C. Melnychuk, and Paul M. Dockree, sought to understand how spontaneous deep breaths relate to human attention. Everyday breathing is rarely perfectly steady or completely uniform. It contains natural variations in speed and depth, which scientists refer to as respiratory variability.
This variability is thought to keep the respiratory system flexible. A flexible system is better equipped to adapt to sudden changes in physical effort or emotional states. Over time, however, this variability can build up and become too chaotic or disorganized. Previous work suggests that a spontaneous sigh acts to reset this system, bringing chaotic breathing patterns back into a healthy and balanced range.
The scientists also wanted to test if sighs help reset mental alertness during tedious tasks. A specific brain network, known as the noradrenaline system, regulates general alertness and arousal in mammals. It acts as a chemical messenger network originating deep in the brain, sending signals to the rest of the nervous system to wake up or pay attention.
Activity in this system causes the pupil of the eye to expand or contract. The authors suspected that sighing might be intimately linked to this alertness network. They predicted that during boring tasks, a sigh might trigger a physical shift in brain arousal to help a person stay focused. When the body becomes too relaxed or disengaged, a deep breath could act as an internal alarm clock.
To test these predictions, the researchers analyzed data from two separate experiments. The first dataset included seventy-two adults who completed a visual attention test. Participants watched a computer screen for eight blocks of eight minutes each. They were instructed to click a mouse whenever a circular visual pattern slightly faded in contrast.
Throughout this visual test, the software randomly interrupted the task with thought probes. A probe would temporarily pause the experiment and ask participants to rate whether they were actively thinking about the visual task or if they were distracted by unrelated daydreams. This allowed the research team to track subjective engagement.
The second dataset involved fifty-seven participants engaging in a rhythmic listening task for twenty-one minutes. These individuals clicked a mouse in time with a continuous cycle of high and low audio tones. This group was split into two separate conditions. Thirty-two participants breathed normally without any specific instructions. Twenty-five participants were instructed to match their breathing to the changing audio tones, resulting in a slow and controlled breathing pattern.
In both experiments, the scientists measured breathing dynamics using a specialized effort belt worn around the participant’s lower chest. A sigh was specifically defined as any breath that was at least twice as deep as the participant’s average breath volume. The team also used high-speed tracking cameras to record the exact diameter of the participants’ pupils throughout the sessions.
The scientists found that people who breathed normally tended to sigh more frequently as the tasks wore on. As the minutes ticked by, their regular breathing patterns showed an increase in total variability. This means their breathing speed and depth became increasingly irregular over time. Immediately after a sigh occurred, this accumulated variability decreased.
The researchers distinguished between random breathing variability and structured breathing variability. Structured variability means that consecutive breaths are similar to one another, following a predictable sequence. The authors noted that sighs tended to occur when breathing lacked this predictable structure. Following a sigh, the variability in breathing depth became more structured and predictable again.
In the listening task, the group instructed to breathe slowly and steadily showed a completely different pattern. Their sighing dropped dramatically compared to the normal breathing group. Because they were intentionally controlling their breath, their respiratory variability was severely restricted. This suggests that intentional, controlled breathing overrides the body’s natural need to generate a deep sigh.
The visual test dataset revealed an interesting phenomenon known as phase-locking. Phase-locking is a behavior where the brain subconsciously matches biological rhythms to external events. In this context, participants subconsciously synchronized their natural breathing rhythms to the random timing of the fading visual targets on the screen.
The researchers found that the stronger a participant synchronized their breath to the screen, the more chaotic their general breathing became. Forcing the body to match an unpredictable external event seems to disrupt the natural respiratory rhythm. This high degree of synchronization was associated with a significantly higher number of sighs.
The research also revealed a direct connection between sighs and eye pupil size. During a sigh, participants’ pupils consistently dilated in a specific pattern. The pupil size began to increase at the start of the deep inhalation, peaked in size shortly after the breath reached its maximum depth, and then steadily contracted during the exhalation.
Because pupil dilation is a widely accepted proxy for the brain’s alertness system, this precise timing provides evidence that a sigh involves a rapid, coordinated change in physiological arousal. The scientists propose that sighs might help regulate arousal during prolonged tasks.
Interestingly, these physical resets did not translate into immediate behavioral improvements. Reaction times to the visual and auditory targets remained completely unchanged immediately after a sigh. Additionally, the participants’ self-reported focus on the task did not improve after a deep breath. The authors noted that this lack of behavioral change highlights a disconnect between bodily states and cognitive output in this specific context. The tasks were designed to be monotonous, which might explain why cognitive performance remained flat regardless of breathing changes.
It is necessary to acknowledge a few limitations regarding how the study was conducted. The method used to detect sighs relied entirely on breath volume. The respiratory equipment could not tell the difference between a natural sigh and a yawn. Because people tend to yawn when they are subjected to a monotonous task, yawning could have inflated the total number of deep breaths recorded in the datasets.
The attention tasks used in these experiments were relatively easy and undemanding. More difficult mental tasks might draw out different results, perhaps showing a stronger link between sighing and actual cognitive performance. In a high-stress scenario, a sigh might produce a measurable improvement in reaction time that was mostly invisible in a low-stress setting.
The single breathing belt only measured movement in the lower chest and abdomen. This setup might miss subtle changes in how the upper chest expands during respiratory shifts. The study also acknowledges that individual differences in emotional baseline states or daily stress levels were not entirely controlled, which might introduce slight variations in the data. Future studies could explore how different types of guided breathing exercises affect the natural urge to sigh. Additional research should also test whether the physical resets provided by sighing can be directly manipulated to help people stay focused in demanding environments.
The study, “Sighs Shape Respiratory Variability and Pupil Dynamics and Adapt to Sustained Attention Demands,” was authored by Ralph W. G. Andrews, Michael C. Melnychuk, and Paul M. Dockree.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #SighsInBreathing #RespiratoryVariability #PupilDynamics #SustainedAttention #BrainArousal #NoradrenergicSystem #PhaseLocking #BreathingReset #VisualAttention #CognitivePerformance
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"Although ELIZA was far from a faultless conversation partner, it astonished its users. The recent discovery and archaeology of the original ELIZA source code represents a significant intervention in the history of computing. By examining the actual implementation of ELIZA rather than relying on later reconstructions and reimplementations, we challenge taken-for-granted assumptions about this key software artifact.
For example, the source code reveals that ELIZA was not merely a simple pattern-matching chatbot but can be better understood as a sophisticated platform designed for multiple “personas,” or scripts, with a complex set of capabilities, including script editing and contextual memory. The script that most people conflate with the program ELIZA was actually called Doctor, which performed the role of a psychotherapist. Yet, like a modern chatbot prompted to behave with different personalities, ELIZA could take on many roles.
This unearthed material transforms our understanding of early AI development by demonstrating that Joseph Weizenbaum’s technical innovations were far more advanced than previously documented. Moreover, the discrepancies between his published descriptions and the actual implementation help to show the gap between theoretical computational models and their material instantiations in computer source code, a tension that continues to shape digital culture today."
https://spectrum.ieee.org/eliza-chatbot-source-code
#AI #Chatbots #Weizenbaum #Psychotherapy #Eliza #HistoryOfComputing
-
"Although ELIZA was far from a faultless conversation partner, it astonished its users. The recent discovery and archaeology of the original ELIZA source code represents a significant intervention in the history of computing. By examining the actual implementation of ELIZA rather than relying on later reconstructions and reimplementations, we challenge taken-for-granted assumptions about this key software artifact.
For example, the source code reveals that ELIZA was not merely a simple pattern-matching chatbot but can be better understood as a sophisticated platform designed for multiple “personas,” or scripts, with a complex set of capabilities, including script editing and contextual memory. The script that most people conflate with the program ELIZA was actually called Doctor, which performed the role of a psychotherapist. Yet, like a modern chatbot prompted to behave with different personalities, ELIZA could take on many roles.
This unearthed material transforms our understanding of early AI development by demonstrating that Joseph Weizenbaum’s technical innovations were far more advanced than previously documented. Moreover, the discrepancies between his published descriptions and the actual implementation help to show the gap between theoretical computational models and their material instantiations in computer source code, a tension that continues to shape digital culture today."
https://spectrum.ieee.org/eliza-chatbot-source-code
#AI #Chatbots #Weizenbaum #Psychotherapy #Eliza #HistoryOfComputing
-
"Although ELIZA was far from a faultless conversation partner, it astonished its users. The recent discovery and archaeology of the original ELIZA source code represents a significant intervention in the history of computing. By examining the actual implementation of ELIZA rather than relying on later reconstructions and reimplementations, we challenge taken-for-granted assumptions about this key software artifact.
For example, the source code reveals that ELIZA was not merely a simple pattern-matching chatbot but can be better understood as a sophisticated platform designed for multiple “personas,” or scripts, with a complex set of capabilities, including script editing and contextual memory. The script that most people conflate with the program ELIZA was actually called Doctor, which performed the role of a psychotherapist. Yet, like a modern chatbot prompted to behave with different personalities, ELIZA could take on many roles.
This unearthed material transforms our understanding of early AI development by demonstrating that Joseph Weizenbaum’s technical innovations were far more advanced than previously documented. Moreover, the discrepancies between his published descriptions and the actual implementation help to show the gap between theoretical computational models and their material instantiations in computer source code, a tension that continues to shape digital culture today."
https://spectrum.ieee.org/eliza-chatbot-source-code
#AI #Chatbots #Weizenbaum #Psychotherapy #Eliza #HistoryOfComputing
-
"Although ELIZA was far from a faultless conversation partner, it astonished its users. The recent discovery and archaeology of the original ELIZA source code represents a significant intervention in the history of computing. By examining the actual implementation of ELIZA rather than relying on later reconstructions and reimplementations, we challenge taken-for-granted assumptions about this key software artifact.
For example, the source code reveals that ELIZA was not merely a simple pattern-matching chatbot but can be better understood as a sophisticated platform designed for multiple “personas,” or scripts, with a complex set of capabilities, including script editing and contextual memory. The script that most people conflate with the program ELIZA was actually called Doctor, which performed the role of a psychotherapist. Yet, like a modern chatbot prompted to behave with different personalities, ELIZA could take on many roles.
This unearthed material transforms our understanding of early AI development by demonstrating that Joseph Weizenbaum’s technical innovations were far more advanced than previously documented. Moreover, the discrepancies between his published descriptions and the actual implementation help to show the gap between theoretical computational models and their material instantiations in computer source code, a tension that continues to shape digital culture today."
https://spectrum.ieee.org/eliza-chatbot-source-code
#AI #Chatbots #Weizenbaum #Psychotherapy #Eliza #HistoryOfComputing
-
"Although ELIZA was far from a faultless conversation partner, it astonished its users. The recent discovery and archaeology of the original ELIZA source code represents a significant intervention in the history of computing. By examining the actual implementation of ELIZA rather than relying on later reconstructions and reimplementations, we challenge taken-for-granted assumptions about this key software artifact.
For example, the source code reveals that ELIZA was not merely a simple pattern-matching chatbot but can be better understood as a sophisticated platform designed for multiple “personas,” or scripts, with a complex set of capabilities, including script editing and contextual memory. The script that most people conflate with the program ELIZA was actually called Doctor, which performed the role of a psychotherapist. Yet, like a modern chatbot prompted to behave with different personalities, ELIZA could take on many roles.
This unearthed material transforms our understanding of early AI development by demonstrating that Joseph Weizenbaum’s technical innovations were far more advanced than previously documented. Moreover, the discrepancies between his published descriptions and the actual implementation help to show the gap between theoretical computational models and their material instantiations in computer source code, a tension that continues to shape digital culture today."
https://spectrum.ieee.org/eliza-chatbot-source-code
#AI #Chatbots #Weizenbaum #Psychotherapy #Eliza #HistoryOfComputing
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DATE: July 26, 2026 at 04:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Brain “noise” during speech processing is linked to verbal communication skills in autistic youth
A new study suggests that subtle patterns in background electrical brain activity are linked to everyday verbal communication abilities in autistic youths. Scientists discovered that higher levels of background electrical activity, often described as neural noise, tend to correspond with greater difficulties in real-world communication among children with autism spectrum disorder. The research was published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports.
Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by unique social interactions, communication differences, and repetitive behaviors. Structural language abilities can vary widely across the autism spectrum, but daily communication challenges remain common and significantly influence social outcomes.
To understand why these communication differences occur, researchers examine the underlying neurobiology of the brain. One primary area of focus involves the balance between neural excitation and neural inhibition within central brain networks.
Neural excitation occurs when brain cells send signals that prompt other cells to fire, whereas neural inhibition occurs when cells release signals that dampen electrical activity. When the balance between excitation and inhibition shifts too far toward excitation, it can create a noisy background signal in the cortex that makes information processing less efficient.
Lead author Vardan Arutiunian, a researcher at Seattle Children’s Research Institute, along with senior author Sara Jane Webb, a professor at the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Research Institute, sought to observe how these electrical patterns unfold during speech processing. The authors aimed to determine whether specific brain wave signatures recorded while children listened to spoken sounds could reflect this signaling balance and correlate with practical communication skills.
To carry out the investigation, the authors evaluated 306 children and adolescents between the ages of 7 and 18 years old. The sample consisted of 162 youths diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and 144 typically developing peers who served as a comparison group. The two groups were matched by age and sex assigned at birth.
During the experiment, participants wore electroencephalography, or EEG, caps fitted with 128 sensors that measure electrical impulses on the scalp. Electroencephalography is a non-invasive technique that records the rhythmic electrical activity generated by networks of brain cells. The youths listened to recordings of spoken three-syllable nonsense words, such as “pa-bi-ku,” while viewing a static image of a robot on a monitor.
The researchers recorded electrical signals generated across nine distinct regions of interest on the scalp. They separated these complex raw signals into periodic oscillations, which are rhythmic repeating brain waves, and aperiodic components, which represent non-repeating background electrical activity.
The aperiodic signal yields two specific measures known as the exponent and the offset. The exponent indicates how quickly electrical power decreases across higher frequencies and provides evidence regarding the balance of excitation and inhibition, while the offset reflects the total overall amount of background nerve cell firing.
The scientists also measured periodic gamma activity, which refers to fast-frequency electrical brain waves ranging between 35 and 55 Hertz. Fast gamma oscillations are known to rely heavily on specialized inhibitory nerve cells that help coordinate brain signaling during sensory tasks.
Behavioral assessments were administered to all participants to evaluate different aspects of language and cognition. Overall structural language ability, including formal grammar and vocabulary, was evaluated using the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals.
Everyday functional communication skills were measured using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, an assessment tool that relies on parent reports to evaluate practical daily verbal interaction. Cognition was assessed using standard cognitive test batteries to determine verbal and nonverbal intelligence quotients.
Statistical analyses revealed noticeable differences in background brain signals between the two participant groups. Autistic youths exhibited a lower aperiodic exponent and a lower aperiodic offset compared to their typically developing peers.
The autistic participants also displayed elevated levels of periodic gamma power during the speech listening task. Together, these three brain patterns point toward a functional shift in the autistic brain, characterized by higher baseline excitation and an increase in overall background neural noise.
When evaluating how these brain signals connected to behavioral traits, the authors observed a specific relationship. A lower aperiodic exponent and offset were associated with lower scores in everyday verbal communication on the Vineland assessment among autistic youths.
This pattern suggests that children whose brain signals reflected higher neural noise tended to experience greater challenges with practical daily communication. These same electrical signals showed no significant association with formal structural language scores, such as vocabulary and grammar knowledge.
The researchers also tracked age-related changes in these brain patterns across childhood and adolescence. Gamma oscillations tended to increase with age in both groups, while the aperiodic exponent and offset steadily decreased as participants grew older.
Interpretation of these findings requires consideration of several important study parameters and limitations. The majority of the autistic participants in the sample possessed average or above-average intellectual and verbal abilities.
Because of this sample profile, the findings might not generalize directly to individuals with autism who are nonverbal or possess minimal verbal skills. Future research will need to include participants with a wider range of cognitive and communication profiles to confirm these patterns.
In addition, scalp electroencephalography provides an indirect, system-level estimation of brain excitation and inhibition rather than a direct physical measurement of specific brain chemicals. The technology measures broad electrical field changes across the scalp rather than individual microscopic connections between nerve cells.
Future studies could combine electroencephalography with advanced imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy is an imaging method that allows scientists to measure concentrations of specific chemical messengers in brain tissue, including gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate.
Despite these limitations, the research suggests that measuring background electrical signals offers a promising avenue for understanding communication differences in autism. Tracking these broad electrical properties could assist researchers in evaluating how developmental therapies influence underlying brain function over time.
The study, “Altered aperiodic EEG spectral power during speech perception task is associated with verbal communication in youths with Autism Spectrum Disorder,” was authored by Vardan Arutiunian, Megha Santhosh, Emily Neuhaus, Heather Borland, Raphael A. Bernier, Susan Y. Bookheimer, Mirella Dapretto, Abha R. Gupta, Allison Jack, Shafali Jeste, James C. McPartland, Adam Naples, John D. Horn, Kevin A. Pelphrey, and Sara Jane Webb.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AutismSpeechProcessing #NeuralNoise #AperiodicEEG #SpeechPerceptionAutism #GammaOscillations #BrainExcitationInhibitionBalance #VerbalCommunicationAutism #EEGResearch #AutismNeurobiology #DailyCommunicationChallenges
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DATE: July 26, 2026 at 04:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Brain “noise” during speech processing is linked to verbal communication skills in autistic youth
A new study suggests that subtle patterns in background electrical brain activity are linked to everyday verbal communication abilities in autistic youths. Scientists discovered that higher levels of background electrical activity, often described as neural noise, tend to correspond with greater difficulties in real-world communication among children with autism spectrum disorder. The research was published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports.
Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by unique social interactions, communication differences, and repetitive behaviors. Structural language abilities can vary widely across the autism spectrum, but daily communication challenges remain common and significantly influence social outcomes.
To understand why these communication differences occur, researchers examine the underlying neurobiology of the brain. One primary area of focus involves the balance between neural excitation and neural inhibition within central brain networks.
Neural excitation occurs when brain cells send signals that prompt other cells to fire, whereas neural inhibition occurs when cells release signals that dampen electrical activity. When the balance between excitation and inhibition shifts too far toward excitation, it can create a noisy background signal in the cortex that makes information processing less efficient.
Lead author Vardan Arutiunian, a researcher at Seattle Children’s Research Institute, along with senior author Sara Jane Webb, a professor at the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Research Institute, sought to observe how these electrical patterns unfold during speech processing. The authors aimed to determine whether specific brain wave signatures recorded while children listened to spoken sounds could reflect this signaling balance and correlate with practical communication skills.
To carry out the investigation, the authors evaluated 306 children and adolescents between the ages of 7 and 18 years old. The sample consisted of 162 youths diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and 144 typically developing peers who served as a comparison group. The two groups were matched by age and sex assigned at birth.
During the experiment, participants wore electroencephalography, or EEG, caps fitted with 128 sensors that measure electrical impulses on the scalp. Electroencephalography is a non-invasive technique that records the rhythmic electrical activity generated by networks of brain cells. The youths listened to recordings of spoken three-syllable nonsense words, such as “pa-bi-ku,” while viewing a static image of a robot on a monitor.
The researchers recorded electrical signals generated across nine distinct regions of interest on the scalp. They separated these complex raw signals into periodic oscillations, which are rhythmic repeating brain waves, and aperiodic components, which represent non-repeating background electrical activity.
The aperiodic signal yields two specific measures known as the exponent and the offset. The exponent indicates how quickly electrical power decreases across higher frequencies and provides evidence regarding the balance of excitation and inhibition, while the offset reflects the total overall amount of background nerve cell firing.
The scientists also measured periodic gamma activity, which refers to fast-frequency electrical brain waves ranging between 35 and 55 Hertz. Fast gamma oscillations are known to rely heavily on specialized inhibitory nerve cells that help coordinate brain signaling during sensory tasks.
Behavioral assessments were administered to all participants to evaluate different aspects of language and cognition. Overall structural language ability, including formal grammar and vocabulary, was evaluated using the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals.
Everyday functional communication skills were measured using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, an assessment tool that relies on parent reports to evaluate practical daily verbal interaction. Cognition was assessed using standard cognitive test batteries to determine verbal and nonverbal intelligence quotients.
Statistical analyses revealed noticeable differences in background brain signals between the two participant groups. Autistic youths exhibited a lower aperiodic exponent and a lower aperiodic offset compared to their typically developing peers.
The autistic participants also displayed elevated levels of periodic gamma power during the speech listening task. Together, these three brain patterns point toward a functional shift in the autistic brain, characterized by higher baseline excitation and an increase in overall background neural noise.
When evaluating how these brain signals connected to behavioral traits, the authors observed a specific relationship. A lower aperiodic exponent and offset were associated with lower scores in everyday verbal communication on the Vineland assessment among autistic youths.
This pattern suggests that children whose brain signals reflected higher neural noise tended to experience greater challenges with practical daily communication. These same electrical signals showed no significant association with formal structural language scores, such as vocabulary and grammar knowledge.
The researchers also tracked age-related changes in these brain patterns across childhood and adolescence. Gamma oscillations tended to increase with age in both groups, while the aperiodic exponent and offset steadily decreased as participants grew older.
Interpretation of these findings requires consideration of several important study parameters and limitations. The majority of the autistic participants in the sample possessed average or above-average intellectual and verbal abilities.
Because of this sample profile, the findings might not generalize directly to individuals with autism who are nonverbal or possess minimal verbal skills. Future research will need to include participants with a wider range of cognitive and communication profiles to confirm these patterns.
In addition, scalp electroencephalography provides an indirect, system-level estimation of brain excitation and inhibition rather than a direct physical measurement of specific brain chemicals. The technology measures broad electrical field changes across the scalp rather than individual microscopic connections between nerve cells.
Future studies could combine electroencephalography with advanced imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy is an imaging method that allows scientists to measure concentrations of specific chemical messengers in brain tissue, including gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate.
Despite these limitations, the research suggests that measuring background electrical signals offers a promising avenue for understanding communication differences in autism. Tracking these broad electrical properties could assist researchers in evaluating how developmental therapies influence underlying brain function over time.
The study, “Altered aperiodic EEG spectral power during speech perception task is associated with verbal communication in youths with Autism Spectrum Disorder,” was authored by Vardan Arutiunian, Megha Santhosh, Emily Neuhaus, Heather Borland, Raphael A. Bernier, Susan Y. Bookheimer, Mirella Dapretto, Abha R. Gupta, Allison Jack, Shafali Jeste, James C. McPartland, Adam Naples, John D. Horn, Kevin A. Pelphrey, and Sara Jane Webb.
-------------------------------------------------
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-------------------------------------------------
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-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 02:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Diversity in graduate school linked to higher starting salaries
URL: https://www.psypost.org/diversity-in-graduate-school-linked-to-higher-starting-salaries/
Recent research indicates that attending graduate school with a racially diverse group of peers is linked to higher median starting salaries upon graduation. The large study examined decades of data from business and law schools across the United States. The results were published in Nature.
The United States Supreme Court struck down race-based affirmative action in college admissions in 2023. Justices opposing the practice argued that the educational benefits of diversity were too abstract for courts to evaluate objectively. They claimed that goals like training future leaders or breaking down stereotypes lacked a measurable connection to university admission policies.
This legal shift prompted researchers to search for a concrete, economic metric that could quantify the impact of varied racial representation on a student body. Debanjan Mitra, a business professor at the University of Connecticut, led the research team. Peter N. Golder of Dartmouth College and Mariya Topchy of Travelers Insurance also contributed to the project.
The researchers wanted to test a prominent educational concept known as learning theory. This theory suggests that interacting with varied types of people improves cognitive skills, spurs creativity, and sharpens critical thinking. Students exposed to different lived perspectives are supposedly better prepared for the modern workforce.
Better preparation and elevated skills should theoretically translate into better job performance. Elevated performance usually leads to higher pay for the entire graduating class. The researchers wanted to see if the data supported these theoretical benefits.
Other economic models suggested that higher diversity might result in a completely opposite outcome. Well-documented racial wage gaps persist across endless industries in the United States. Based on this established discrimination, a graduating class with a higher percentage of minority students could theoretically drag down the overall median salary for that specific group.
The research team set out to see which theory held up when applied to real-world salary data. They focused their analysis on specific educational setups called cohort-based programs. In these programs, students begin at the same time, take most of the same classes, and graduate together.
This shared scheduling creates an environment where students regularly interact and learn from one another inside and outside the classroom. Master of Business Administration programs and Juris Doctor programs are classic examples of this group-oriented educational model. The continuous peer interaction makes these professional programs ideal for testing the impacts of diversity.
To evaluate the economic outcomes, the researchers compiled two large datasets spanning decades. They analyzed 2,964 business school cohorts across 141 institutions over a 29-year period. They also examined 3,386 law school cohorts across 200 institutions over a 21-year period.
The data for these analyses came from detailed surveys conducted by a major national publication. Universities regularly submit their enrollment metrics and career outcomes to be ranked against peer institutions. These submissions are heavily vetted by public entities and competing schools, making the reported numbers highly reliable.
The team gathered data on the percentage of domestic minority students in each incoming class. The survey data classified minority students as those who identified as African American, Alaska Native, American Indian, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic. The researchers matched this demographic information with the starting salaries reported by the group upon graduation two or three years later.
The researchers measured the racial makeup of the students in two distinct ways. First, they looked at a narrow definition, calculating the percentage of minority students exclusively within a single incoming class. Then they looked at a broad definition, which included the demographics of students in the classes immediately above and below the focal group.
To isolate the effect of racial representation, the researchers accounted for multiple outside factors. They adjusted their statistical models for standardized test scores, undergraduate grade point averages, and the proportion of female students in each program. They also accounted for the prestige, size, and location of the parent university, ensuring that the results were not driven exclusively by elite, urban schools.
The data revealed a positive association between racial representation and future earnings. Higher percentages of minority students in an incoming class consistently predicted higher median starting salaries for that graduating cohort. This pattern held true across both business and law schools.
Both the narrow and broad measurements pointed to the same economic outcome. When students were exposed to a wider variety of peers throughout their entire degree program, their eventual starting salaries tended to be higher. Including the demographics of overlapping classes sometimes yielded an even stronger positive association with future wages.
The financial boost applied broadly across the entire student group. In a theoretical class of 100 students, the addition of one minority student was associated with a cohort-wide salary increase of roughly 12,500 dollars for business students. For law students, that same addition was linked to a cohort-wide pay bump of nearly 30,000 dollars.
These theoretical increases represent cumulative earnings dispersed among all the students in the graduating class. The researchers conducted dozens of alternative statistical checks to see if the relationship would disappear. They analyzed different thresholds of diversity and tested alternative ways to categorize the student groups.
The positive link between racial representation and higher pay remained through almost all of these varying methods. The results suggest that the financial benefit is not exclusive to minority students. Instead, the varied environment seemingly lifts the earning potential of every professional in the cohort.
This boost in earning potential might stem directly from the interpersonal skills students develop when navigating diverse environments. Exposure to different cultures prepares young professionals to work effectively in a pluralistic society. Such adaptability is highly prized by large legal firms, public sector agencies, and corporate employers who serve a broad customer base.
As with any observational data, the results cannot definitively prove that diversity directly causes salaries to rise. A completely controlled experiment testing this dynamic is practically impossible in a university setting. Instead, the findings highlight a strong historical link between the two variables across decades of recorded behavior.
To further probe this relationship, the researchers used a statistical tool to check the sequence of events over time. They found that an incoming class’s diversity predicted the graduating class’s median salary years later.
The reverse was not statistically significant. An unusually high graduating salary did not successfully predict the next incoming class’s diversity level. This sequential check hints at a forward-moving relationship from school demographics to future pay.
The authors pointed out that the Supreme Court left a tiny opening for diversity initiatives. The justices allowed universities to consider an applicant’s discussion of how race affected their individual life. The court also exempted military academies from the affirmative action ban, acknowledging that diverse leadership might be necessary for national security.
The study authors suggested that similar exceptions could technically be argued for business and legal training. The research team noted several avenues for future investigation to build on these findings. They recommended exploring the potential financial benefits of gender diversity in these academic programs.
They also stated that future studies should examine how specific racial classifications interact with gender to influence career outcomes. In the meantime, the authors suggested that academic administrators and business leaders should take note of the economic metrics.
Retaining diversity programs may have direct financial benefits that go beyond ethical arguments for social equality. The study offers measurable evidence that varied perspectives in a classroom can translate into tangible economic advantages on payday.
The study, “Racial diversity in higher education is associated with higher student salaries,” was authored by Debanjan Mitra, Peter N. Golder, and Mariya Topchy.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/diversity-in-graduate-school-linked-to-higher-starting-salaries/
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #DiversityInEducation #HigherEducation #GraduateSalaries #RacialDiversity #DiversityPays #MBAPrograms #JDPrograms #CohortDiversity #EconomicImpactOfDiversity #WorkforceReadiness
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 02:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Diversity in graduate school linked to higher starting salaries
URL: https://www.psypost.org/diversity-in-graduate-school-linked-to-higher-starting-salaries/
Recent research indicates that attending graduate school with a racially diverse group of peers is linked to higher median starting salaries upon graduation. The large study examined decades of data from business and law schools across the United States. The results were published in Nature.
The United States Supreme Court struck down race-based affirmative action in college admissions in 2023. Justices opposing the practice argued that the educational benefits of diversity were too abstract for courts to evaluate objectively. They claimed that goals like training future leaders or breaking down stereotypes lacked a measurable connection to university admission policies.
This legal shift prompted researchers to search for a concrete, economic metric that could quantify the impact of varied racial representation on a student body. Debanjan Mitra, a business professor at the University of Connecticut, led the research team. Peter N. Golder of Dartmouth College and Mariya Topchy of Travelers Insurance also contributed to the project.
The researchers wanted to test a prominent educational concept known as learning theory. This theory suggests that interacting with varied types of people improves cognitive skills, spurs creativity, and sharpens critical thinking. Students exposed to different lived perspectives are supposedly better prepared for the modern workforce.
Better preparation and elevated skills should theoretically translate into better job performance. Elevated performance usually leads to higher pay for the entire graduating class. The researchers wanted to see if the data supported these theoretical benefits.
Other economic models suggested that higher diversity might result in a completely opposite outcome. Well-documented racial wage gaps persist across endless industries in the United States. Based on this established discrimination, a graduating class with a higher percentage of minority students could theoretically drag down the overall median salary for that specific group.
The research team set out to see which theory held up when applied to real-world salary data. They focused their analysis on specific educational setups called cohort-based programs. In these programs, students begin at the same time, take most of the same classes, and graduate together.
This shared scheduling creates an environment where students regularly interact and learn from one another inside and outside the classroom. Master of Business Administration programs and Juris Doctor programs are classic examples of this group-oriented educational model. The continuous peer interaction makes these professional programs ideal for testing the impacts of diversity.
To evaluate the economic outcomes, the researchers compiled two large datasets spanning decades. They analyzed 2,964 business school cohorts across 141 institutions over a 29-year period. They also examined 3,386 law school cohorts across 200 institutions over a 21-year period.
The data for these analyses came from detailed surveys conducted by a major national publication. Universities regularly submit their enrollment metrics and career outcomes to be ranked against peer institutions. These submissions are heavily vetted by public entities and competing schools, making the reported numbers highly reliable.
The team gathered data on the percentage of domestic minority students in each incoming class. The survey data classified minority students as those who identified as African American, Alaska Native, American Indian, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic. The researchers matched this demographic information with the starting salaries reported by the group upon graduation two or three years later.
The researchers measured the racial makeup of the students in two distinct ways. First, they looked at a narrow definition, calculating the percentage of minority students exclusively within a single incoming class. Then they looked at a broad definition, which included the demographics of students in the classes immediately above and below the focal group.
To isolate the effect of racial representation, the researchers accounted for multiple outside factors. They adjusted their statistical models for standardized test scores, undergraduate grade point averages, and the proportion of female students in each program. They also accounted for the prestige, size, and location of the parent university, ensuring that the results were not driven exclusively by elite, urban schools.
The data revealed a positive association between racial representation and future earnings. Higher percentages of minority students in an incoming class consistently predicted higher median starting salaries for that graduating cohort. This pattern held true across both business and law schools.
Both the narrow and broad measurements pointed to the same economic outcome. When students were exposed to a wider variety of peers throughout their entire degree program, their eventual starting salaries tended to be higher. Including the demographics of overlapping classes sometimes yielded an even stronger positive association with future wages.
The financial boost applied broadly across the entire student group. In a theoretical class of 100 students, the addition of one minority student was associated with a cohort-wide salary increase of roughly 12,500 dollars for business students. For law students, that same addition was linked to a cohort-wide pay bump of nearly 30,000 dollars.
These theoretical increases represent cumulative earnings dispersed among all the students in the graduating class. The researchers conducted dozens of alternative statistical checks to see if the relationship would disappear. They analyzed different thresholds of diversity and tested alternative ways to categorize the student groups.
The positive link between racial representation and higher pay remained through almost all of these varying methods. The results suggest that the financial benefit is not exclusive to minority students. Instead, the varied environment seemingly lifts the earning potential of every professional in the cohort.
This boost in earning potential might stem directly from the interpersonal skills students develop when navigating diverse environments. Exposure to different cultures prepares young professionals to work effectively in a pluralistic society. Such adaptability is highly prized by large legal firms, public sector agencies, and corporate employers who serve a broad customer base.
As with any observational data, the results cannot definitively prove that diversity directly causes salaries to rise. A completely controlled experiment testing this dynamic is practically impossible in a university setting. Instead, the findings highlight a strong historical link between the two variables across decades of recorded behavior.
To further probe this relationship, the researchers used a statistical tool to check the sequence of events over time. They found that an incoming class’s diversity predicted the graduating class’s median salary years later.
The reverse was not statistically significant. An unusually high graduating salary did not successfully predict the next incoming class’s diversity level. This sequential check hints at a forward-moving relationship from school demographics to future pay.
The authors pointed out that the Supreme Court left a tiny opening for diversity initiatives. The justices allowed universities to consider an applicant’s discussion of how race affected their individual life. The court also exempted military academies from the affirmative action ban, acknowledging that diverse leadership might be necessary for national security.
The study authors suggested that similar exceptions could technically be argued for business and legal training. The research team noted several avenues for future investigation to build on these findings. They recommended exploring the potential financial benefits of gender diversity in these academic programs.
They also stated that future studies should examine how specific racial classifications interact with gender to influence career outcomes. In the meantime, the authors suggested that academic administrators and business leaders should take note of the economic metrics.
Retaining diversity programs may have direct financial benefits that go beyond ethical arguments for social equality. The study offers measurable evidence that varied perspectives in a classroom can translate into tangible economic advantages on payday.
The study, “Racial diversity in higher education is associated with higher student salaries,” was authored by Debanjan Mitra, Peter N. Golder, and Mariya Topchy.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/diversity-in-graduate-school-linked-to-higher-starting-salaries/
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #DiversityInEducation #HigherEducation #GraduateSalaries #RacialDiversity #DiversityPays #MBAPrograms #JDPrograms #CohortDiversity #EconomicImpactOfDiversity #WorkforceReadiness
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Scientists map the brain’s attention networks in children with ADHD
URL: https://www.psypost.org/brain-connectivity-for-attention-operates-on-a-unified-spectrum/
The brain systems that help children maintain focus seem to operate on a single shared spectrum, regardless of whether a child has an attention disorder. A large new study shows that the neurological markers of attention abilities do not differ between children with and without a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The research was published in the *Journal of Attention Disorders*.
Attention is not a simple all-or-nothing trait. People possess varying levels of what psychologists call inhibitory control of attention. This is the cognitive skill that allows someone to focus on a specific task or stimulus while tuning out background distractions.
Deficits in this specific type of attention are highly common in neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD. Because these attention difficulties can impact academic performance and daily life, medical researchers want to understand the underlying brain physiology. This knowledge can help guide clinical therapies for those who struggle the most.
Traditionally, psychiatric research has relied heavily on categorical diagnostic groups. This approach assumes that people with a condition like ADHD are fundamentally distinct from people without it. This traditional method helps doctors communicate efficiently about treatments, but it can mask the immense variability that exists within any single diagnostic group.
By contrast, modern frameworks propose studying human behavior along a continuous spectrum. Under this model, cognitive abilities and deficits are viewed as traits that everyone possesses to varying degrees. The new findings lend strong support to this dimensional approach for investigating neurodevelopmental outcomes.
To explore this concept, scientists use a tool called functional magnetic resonance imaging. Commonly known as fMRI, this technology measures brain activity by detecting subtle changes associated with blood flow. When neurons become active, they require more oxygen, which is transported by the blood.
Specifically, scientists look at functional connectivity, which maps how different regions of the brain communicate and synchronize their resting activity. When multiple brain areas activate together in an organized way, they form intricate functional networks. These networks manage everything from processing visual information to governing complex behaviors.
Prior research has linked particular brain networks to attention skills, while separate lines of research have linked other networks to ADHD diagnoses. Yet it remained unknown if having an official ADHD diagnosis changes the fundamental relationship between a person’s attention skills and their brain connectivity. Answering this question helps psychologists determine the most effective ways to model cognitive disorders.
Kelsey Harkness, a researcher at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute at the University of Calgary, led the new investigation to bridge this gap. Her team wanted to test if children with ADHD exist along the same continuum of brain and behavior associations as children without the diagnosis. They approached the investigation from a purely analytical standpoint to avoid past biases.
The researchers utilized information from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development database. This is a massive, long-term national project collecting neuroimaging and psychological data from children across the United States. The database aims to provide a highly representative sample of the nation’s youth for scientific inquiry.
For this large study, Harkness and her colleagues analyzed data from just over 7,000 children who were either nine or ten years old. Within this group, nearly 500 children had a current diagnosis of ADHD. The rest of the children served as a baseline control group.
To measure inhibitory control of attention, the subjects completed a standardized assessment called the Flanker task. During this test, children must identify the direction of a central arrow on a screen while ignoring surrounding arrows that point in either the same or opposite directions. The test determines a score based on both accuracy and reaction time.
The team also analyzed resting-state fMRI scans for all the children involved. Unlike traditional fMRI studies where subjects perform academic tasks while inside the scanner, resting-state scans observe the brain while a person is simply lying still and remaining awake. This allows the scanner to record the brain’s default communication patterns.
Task-based imaging can sometimes be complicated by how well or poorly a participant performs the required test while inside the machine. A child who is anxious about the loud, confined space of an MRI scanner might score poorly, skewing the functional connectivity data. Resting-state scans minimize this performance pressure, allowing scientists to identify the inherent communication routes within the nervous system.
The data analysis revealed independent patterns linking resting brain connectivity to both attention scores and diagnostic status. For instance, the children’s performance on the Flanker task correlated with connectivity in specific cortical circuits, such as the visual baseline networks. It also aligned with regions involved in sensory and motor processing, particularly those related to physical mouth or hand movements.
Separately, having an ADHD diagnosis was associated with connectivity patterns in entirely different brain regions. These connections primarily involved the ventral attention and auditory networks. These systems typically help the brain orient to unexpected sounds or new stimuli in the surrounding environment.
When the researchers compared the networks linked to attention scores with the networks linked to ADHD, they found no overlap. The brain connectivity differences associated with an ADHD diagnosis were completely distinct from the connectivity differences associated with basic attention skills. This divergence suggests that different behavioral traits depend on separate neurological pathways.
Most importantly, the team tested whether an ADHD diagnosis altered the relationship between a child’s attention score and their brain connectivity. The results of this specific test were not statistically significant.
This lack of an interaction means the neural wiring associated with inhibitory control looks essentially identical across both groups. A child with ADHD who scores poorly on the attention test has the same related brain connectivity as a neurotypical child who scores poorly.
The findings support the idea that attention abilities exist on a single, continuous spectrum for all children. It suggests that researchers can study fundamental cognitive traits across the entire population, rather than isolating individuals into rigid diagnostic categories. This framework aligns perfectly with transdiagnostic models of mental health.
The discovery that completely different brain networks relate to ADHD and attention also provides new insight into the disorder itself. It implies that the functional connectivity differences seen in children with ADHD might be driven by environmental factors or other symptoms. Diagnostic brain markers are likely influenced by a broad range of developmental variables beyond just the ability to tune out distractions.
Despite the large sample size, the researchers noted several limitations to their current analysis. The study only included children who were nine and ten years old, limiting the ability to generalize the results to younger children, teenagers, or adults.
Attention abilities and brain networks both develop and change rapidly as children grow. Certain networks become more robust during adolescence, while others scale back. Future developmental studies will need to track participants across different age ranges to see if this unified spectrum of attention stays consistent throughout the human lifespan.
The research team also relied on a single computer assessment, the Flanker task, to measure inhibitory control. Different types of attention tasks often engage slightly different brain networks. Using multiple assessments combined might yield a more rounded picture of childhood cognitive function in future projects.
Finally, the study calculated functional connectivity broadly across large, predefined cortical networks. This macro-level view prevented the researchers from examining the influence of smaller, deeper brain structures. Aggregating the data into twelve overarching networks simplifies the analysis but obscures fine-scale neurological mapping.
Deeper regions like the thalamus and striatum are known to play regulatory roles in attention. They are also frequent pharmacological targets for stimulant treatments prescribed to children with hyperactivity. Future investigations that look at the brain at a finer spatial scale could reveal additional details about the physiology of these conditions.
Ultimately, learning exactly how cognitive impairments relate to brain architecture can help medical professionals develop highly personalized interventions. By viewing attention as a continuum rather than a strictly binary trait, scientists hope to foster better long-term outcomes for all patients. Expanding on these transdiagnostic frameworks could redefine how developmental disorders are diagnosed and treated in the future.
The study, “The Relationship Between Inhibitory Control of Attention and fMRI Functional Connectivity in Children With and Without ADHD,” was authored by Kelsey Harkness, Matthias Wilms, Kate J. Godfrey, Signe Bray, and Kara Murias.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/brain-connectivity-for-attention-operates-on-a-unified-spectrum/
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #ADHD #AttentionNetworks #fMRIFunctionalConnectivity #InhibitoryControl #Neurodevelopment #RestingStatefMRI #BrainConnectivity #Transdiagnostic #AttentionSpectrum #PediatricNeuroscience
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Scientists map the brain’s attention networks in children with ADHD
URL: https://www.psypost.org/brain-connectivity-for-attention-operates-on-a-unified-spectrum/
The brain systems that help children maintain focus seem to operate on a single shared spectrum, regardless of whether a child has an attention disorder. A large new study shows that the neurological markers of attention abilities do not differ between children with and without a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The research was published in the *Journal of Attention Disorders*.
Attention is not a simple all-or-nothing trait. People possess varying levels of what psychologists call inhibitory control of attention. This is the cognitive skill that allows someone to focus on a specific task or stimulus while tuning out background distractions.
Deficits in this specific type of attention are highly common in neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD. Because these attention difficulties can impact academic performance and daily life, medical researchers want to understand the underlying brain physiology. This knowledge can help guide clinical therapies for those who struggle the most.
Traditionally, psychiatric research has relied heavily on categorical diagnostic groups. This approach assumes that people with a condition like ADHD are fundamentally distinct from people without it. This traditional method helps doctors communicate efficiently about treatments, but it can mask the immense variability that exists within any single diagnostic group.
By contrast, modern frameworks propose studying human behavior along a continuous spectrum. Under this model, cognitive abilities and deficits are viewed as traits that everyone possesses to varying degrees. The new findings lend strong support to this dimensional approach for investigating neurodevelopmental outcomes.
To explore this concept, scientists use a tool called functional magnetic resonance imaging. Commonly known as fMRI, this technology measures brain activity by detecting subtle changes associated with blood flow. When neurons become active, they require more oxygen, which is transported by the blood.
Specifically, scientists look at functional connectivity, which maps how different regions of the brain communicate and synchronize their resting activity. When multiple brain areas activate together in an organized way, they form intricate functional networks. These networks manage everything from processing visual information to governing complex behaviors.
Prior research has linked particular brain networks to attention skills, while separate lines of research have linked other networks to ADHD diagnoses. Yet it remained unknown if having an official ADHD diagnosis changes the fundamental relationship between a person’s attention skills and their brain connectivity. Answering this question helps psychologists determine the most effective ways to model cognitive disorders.
Kelsey Harkness, a researcher at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute at the University of Calgary, led the new investigation to bridge this gap. Her team wanted to test if children with ADHD exist along the same continuum of brain and behavior associations as children without the diagnosis. They approached the investigation from a purely analytical standpoint to avoid past biases.
The researchers utilized information from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development database. This is a massive, long-term national project collecting neuroimaging and psychological data from children across the United States. The database aims to provide a highly representative sample of the nation’s youth for scientific inquiry.
For this large study, Harkness and her colleagues analyzed data from just over 7,000 children who were either nine or ten years old. Within this group, nearly 500 children had a current diagnosis of ADHD. The rest of the children served as a baseline control group.
To measure inhibitory control of attention, the subjects completed a standardized assessment called the Flanker task. During this test, children must identify the direction of a central arrow on a screen while ignoring surrounding arrows that point in either the same or opposite directions. The test determines a score based on both accuracy and reaction time.
The team also analyzed resting-state fMRI scans for all the children involved. Unlike traditional fMRI studies where subjects perform academic tasks while inside the scanner, resting-state scans observe the brain while a person is simply lying still and remaining awake. This allows the scanner to record the brain’s default communication patterns.
Task-based imaging can sometimes be complicated by how well or poorly a participant performs the required test while inside the machine. A child who is anxious about the loud, confined space of an MRI scanner might score poorly, skewing the functional connectivity data. Resting-state scans minimize this performance pressure, allowing scientists to identify the inherent communication routes within the nervous system.
The data analysis revealed independent patterns linking resting brain connectivity to both attention scores and diagnostic status. For instance, the children’s performance on the Flanker task correlated with connectivity in specific cortical circuits, such as the visual baseline networks. It also aligned with regions involved in sensory and motor processing, particularly those related to physical mouth or hand movements.
Separately, having an ADHD diagnosis was associated with connectivity patterns in entirely different brain regions. These connections primarily involved the ventral attention and auditory networks. These systems typically help the brain orient to unexpected sounds or new stimuli in the surrounding environment.
When the researchers compared the networks linked to attention scores with the networks linked to ADHD, they found no overlap. The brain connectivity differences associated with an ADHD diagnosis were completely distinct from the connectivity differences associated with basic attention skills. This divergence suggests that different behavioral traits depend on separate neurological pathways.
Most importantly, the team tested whether an ADHD diagnosis altered the relationship between a child’s attention score and their brain connectivity. The results of this specific test were not statistically significant.
This lack of an interaction means the neural wiring associated with inhibitory control looks essentially identical across both groups. A child with ADHD who scores poorly on the attention test has the same related brain connectivity as a neurotypical child who scores poorly.
The findings support the idea that attention abilities exist on a single, continuous spectrum for all children. It suggests that researchers can study fundamental cognitive traits across the entire population, rather than isolating individuals into rigid diagnostic categories. This framework aligns perfectly with transdiagnostic models of mental health.
The discovery that completely different brain networks relate to ADHD and attention also provides new insight into the disorder itself. It implies that the functional connectivity differences seen in children with ADHD might be driven by environmental factors or other symptoms. Diagnostic brain markers are likely influenced by a broad range of developmental variables beyond just the ability to tune out distractions.
Despite the large sample size, the researchers noted several limitations to their current analysis. The study only included children who were nine and ten years old, limiting the ability to generalize the results to younger children, teenagers, or adults.
Attention abilities and brain networks both develop and change rapidly as children grow. Certain networks become more robust during adolescence, while others scale back. Future developmental studies will need to track participants across different age ranges to see if this unified spectrum of attention stays consistent throughout the human lifespan.
The research team also relied on a single computer assessment, the Flanker task, to measure inhibitory control. Different types of attention tasks often engage slightly different brain networks. Using multiple assessments combined might yield a more rounded picture of childhood cognitive function in future projects.
Finally, the study calculated functional connectivity broadly across large, predefined cortical networks. This macro-level view prevented the researchers from examining the influence of smaller, deeper brain structures. Aggregating the data into twelve overarching networks simplifies the analysis but obscures fine-scale neurological mapping.
Deeper regions like the thalamus and striatum are known to play regulatory roles in attention. They are also frequent pharmacological targets for stimulant treatments prescribed to children with hyperactivity. Future investigations that look at the brain at a finer spatial scale could reveal additional details about the physiology of these conditions.
Ultimately, learning exactly how cognitive impairments relate to brain architecture can help medical professionals develop highly personalized interventions. By viewing attention as a continuum rather than a strictly binary trait, scientists hope to foster better long-term outcomes for all patients. Expanding on these transdiagnostic frameworks could redefine how developmental disorders are diagnosed and treated in the future.
The study, “The Relationship Between Inhibitory Control of Attention and fMRI Functional Connectivity in Children With and Without ADHD,” was authored by Kelsey Harkness, Matthias Wilms, Kate J. Godfrey, Signe Bray, and Kara Murias.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/brain-connectivity-for-attention-operates-on-a-unified-spectrum/
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #ADHD #AttentionNetworks #fMRIFunctionalConnectivity #InhibitoryControl #Neurodevelopment #RestingStatefMRI #BrainConnectivity #Transdiagnostic #AttentionSpectrum #PediatricNeuroscience
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Scientists map the brain’s attention networks in children with ADHD
URL: https://www.psypost.org/brain-connectivity-for-attention-operates-on-a-unified-spectrum/
The brain systems that help children maintain focus seem to operate on a single shared spectrum, regardless of whether a child has an attention disorder. A large new study shows that the neurological markers of attention abilities do not differ between children with and without a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The research was published in the *Journal of Attention Disorders*.
Attention is not a simple all-or-nothing trait. People possess varying levels of what psychologists call inhibitory control of attention. This is the cognitive skill that allows someone to focus on a specific task or stimulus while tuning out background distractions.
Deficits in this specific type of attention are highly common in neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD. Because these attention difficulties can impact academic performance and daily life, medical researchers want to understand the underlying brain physiology. This knowledge can help guide clinical therapies for those who struggle the most.
Traditionally, psychiatric research has relied heavily on categorical diagnostic groups. This approach assumes that people with a condition like ADHD are fundamentally distinct from people without it. This traditional method helps doctors communicate efficiently about treatments, but it can mask the immense variability that exists within any single diagnostic group.
By contrast, modern frameworks propose studying human behavior along a continuous spectrum. Under this model, cognitive abilities and deficits are viewed as traits that everyone possesses to varying degrees. The new findings lend strong support to this dimensional approach for investigating neurodevelopmental outcomes.
To explore this concept, scientists use a tool called functional magnetic resonance imaging. Commonly known as fMRI, this technology measures brain activity by detecting subtle changes associated with blood flow. When neurons become active, they require more oxygen, which is transported by the blood.
Specifically, scientists look at functional connectivity, which maps how different regions of the brain communicate and synchronize their resting activity. When multiple brain areas activate together in an organized way, they form intricate functional networks. These networks manage everything from processing visual information to governing complex behaviors.
Prior research has linked particular brain networks to attention skills, while separate lines of research have linked other networks to ADHD diagnoses. Yet it remained unknown if having an official ADHD diagnosis changes the fundamental relationship between a person’s attention skills and their brain connectivity. Answering this question helps psychologists determine the most effective ways to model cognitive disorders.
Kelsey Harkness, a researcher at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute at the University of Calgary, led the new investigation to bridge this gap. Her team wanted to test if children with ADHD exist along the same continuum of brain and behavior associations as children without the diagnosis. They approached the investigation from a purely analytical standpoint to avoid past biases.
The researchers utilized information from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development database. This is a massive, long-term national project collecting neuroimaging and psychological data from children across the United States. The database aims to provide a highly representative sample of the nation’s youth for scientific inquiry.
For this large study, Harkness and her colleagues analyzed data from just over 7,000 children who were either nine or ten years old. Within this group, nearly 500 children had a current diagnosis of ADHD. The rest of the children served as a baseline control group.
To measure inhibitory control of attention, the subjects completed a standardized assessment called the Flanker task. During this test, children must identify the direction of a central arrow on a screen while ignoring surrounding arrows that point in either the same or opposite directions. The test determines a score based on both accuracy and reaction time.
The team also analyzed resting-state fMRI scans for all the children involved. Unlike traditional fMRI studies where subjects perform academic tasks while inside the scanner, resting-state scans observe the brain while a person is simply lying still and remaining awake. This allows the scanner to record the brain’s default communication patterns.
Task-based imaging can sometimes be complicated by how well or poorly a participant performs the required test while inside the machine. A child who is anxious about the loud, confined space of an MRI scanner might score poorly, skewing the functional connectivity data. Resting-state scans minimize this performance pressure, allowing scientists to identify the inherent communication routes within the nervous system.
The data analysis revealed independent patterns linking resting brain connectivity to both attention scores and diagnostic status. For instance, the children’s performance on the Flanker task correlated with connectivity in specific cortical circuits, such as the visual baseline networks. It also aligned with regions involved in sensory and motor processing, particularly those related to physical mouth or hand movements.
Separately, having an ADHD diagnosis was associated with connectivity patterns in entirely different brain regions. These connections primarily involved the ventral attention and auditory networks. These systems typically help the brain orient to unexpected sounds or new stimuli in the surrounding environment.
When the researchers compared the networks linked to attention scores with the networks linked to ADHD, they found no overlap. The brain connectivity differences associated with an ADHD diagnosis were completely distinct from the connectivity differences associated with basic attention skills. This divergence suggests that different behavioral traits depend on separate neurological pathways.
Most importantly, the team tested whether an ADHD diagnosis altered the relationship between a child’s attention score and their brain connectivity. The results of this specific test were not statistically significant.
This lack of an interaction means the neural wiring associated with inhibitory control looks essentially identical across both groups. A child with ADHD who scores poorly on the attention test has the same related brain connectivity as a neurotypical child who scores poorly.
The findings support the idea that attention abilities exist on a single, continuous spectrum for all children. It suggests that researchers can study fundamental cognitive traits across the entire population, rather than isolating individuals into rigid diagnostic categories. This framework aligns perfectly with transdiagnostic models of mental health.
The discovery that completely different brain networks relate to ADHD and attention also provides new insight into the disorder itself. It implies that the functional connectivity differences seen in children with ADHD might be driven by environmental factors or other symptoms. Diagnostic brain markers are likely influenced by a broad range of developmental variables beyond just the ability to tune out distractions.
Despite the large sample size, the researchers noted several limitations to their current analysis. The study only included children who were nine and ten years old, limiting the ability to generalize the results to younger children, teenagers, or adults.
Attention abilities and brain networks both develop and change rapidly as children grow. Certain networks become more robust during adolescence, while others scale back. Future developmental studies will need to track participants across different age ranges to see if this unified spectrum of attention stays consistent throughout the human lifespan.
The research team also relied on a single computer assessment, the Flanker task, to measure inhibitory control. Different types of attention tasks often engage slightly different brain networks. Using multiple assessments combined might yield a more rounded picture of childhood cognitive function in future projects.
Finally, the study calculated functional connectivity broadly across large, predefined cortical networks. This macro-level view prevented the researchers from examining the influence of smaller, deeper brain structures. Aggregating the data into twelve overarching networks simplifies the analysis but obscures fine-scale neurological mapping.
Deeper regions like the thalamus and striatum are known to play regulatory roles in attention. They are also frequent pharmacological targets for stimulant treatments prescribed to children with hyperactivity. Future investigations that look at the brain at a finer spatial scale could reveal additional details about the physiology of these conditions.
Ultimately, learning exactly how cognitive impairments relate to brain architecture can help medical professionals develop highly personalized interventions. By viewing attention as a continuum rather than a strictly binary trait, scientists hope to foster better long-term outcomes for all patients. Expanding on these transdiagnostic frameworks could redefine how developmental disorders are diagnosed and treated in the future.
The study, “The Relationship Between Inhibitory Control of Attention and fMRI Functional Connectivity in Children With and Without ADHD,” was authored by Kelsey Harkness, Matthias Wilms, Kate J. Godfrey, Signe Bray, and Kara Murias.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/brain-connectivity-for-attention-operates-on-a-unified-spectrum/
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DATE: July 26, 2026 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Abortion bans associated with increased suicidal thoughts in female teenagers
A study published in JAMA Network Open suggests that the implementation of state-level total abortion bans is associated with an increase in suicidal thoughts among female high school students. The findings indicate that severe legal restrictions on abortion care may negatively influence adolescent mental health in affected regions. This research highlights a potential link between major reproductive healthcare policy changes and youth psychological well-being across the United States.
Suicide represents one of the leading causes of death among young people aged 10 to 24 in the United States. In recent years, public health experts have increasingly examined how broad societal conditions and legal policies shape emotional health. Policy decisions that restrict access to basic healthcare services tend to increase personal uncertainty and reduce an individual’s sense of control over their future life events.
In June 2022, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned national constitutional protections for abortion access. Following this landmark ruling, multiple states swiftly passed total abortion bans that outlawed nearly all abortion services within their borders. Prior to this decision, public discussions rarely examined potential links between reproductive restrictions and suicide risk among adolescents.
“Right before the Dobbs decision, there was a lot of speculation about the effects of overturning Roe v. Wade, but almost no attention to suicide risk,” said Wendy R. Sheldon, founder and director of Verge Research. She noted that international observations helped inform the research team’s focus on youth mental health.
“Having worked in other countries where abortion was illegal, I knew that some women facing unwanted pregnancies would go to extraordinary lengths to end them, including risking their own lives,” Sheldon explained. “I also knew that young people are hit hardest by abortion restrictions and that an unwanted pregnancy at a young age can be especially devastating. So I wanted to explore whether there might be a connection between abortion restrictions and suicidality among young people.”
Female adolescents are often uniquely vulnerable to changes in reproductive healthcare law. Young women face significant financial, logistical, and social barriers when seeking healthcare services compared to older adults. Additionally, experiencing an unintended pregnancy during teenage years can dramatically alter a young person’s educational, financial, and social trajectory.
“Adolescents have largely been left out of the research and public discussion about the consequences of abortion bans,” Sheldon pointed out. “Young people face particular barriers to obtaining abortion care, including financial limitations, travel difficulties, and parental involvement requirements. Yet we still know very little about how and to what extent these barriers affect their mental health.”
Adolescence is a critical developmental stage characterized by heightened emotional reactivity and sensitivity to environmental stressors. Public awareness of legal restrictions can generate feelings of distress, anxiety, or helplessness among teenagers. Even for adolescents who are not currently pregnant, perceived loss of reproductive autonomy can act as a chronic psychological stressor that influences mental health outcomes.
To examine how these legal changes might influence youth mental health, the researchers analyzed data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this survey gathers national data on health behaviors among high school students using standardized, anonymous questionnaires. The scientists examined survey data collected across four different time points: 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023.
The final dataset included 338,324 public high school students in grades 9 through 12 across 15 states. Exactly 169,967 of these participants were female, and the overall median age was 16 years old. About 10 percent of the total sample resided in states that implemented total abortion bans following the 2022 Supreme Court ruling.
The researchers classified states into two distinct groups based on their legal environment. Five states in the dataset, including Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas, enacted total abortion bans during the 12 months preceding the 2023 survey. Ten other states in the dataset did not enact total bans during the study period and served as a baseline control group, including states such as Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.
To evaluate changes in mental health, the authors measured two specific outcomes: suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Suicidal ideation was defined as a student reporting that they had seriously considered or made a detailed plan to attempt suicide within the past 12 months. Suicide attempts were defined as reporting one or more actual attempts, or reporting an attempt that resulted in an injury or overdose requiring medical care.
The authors employed a statistical technique known as a difference-in-differences analysis. This method compares the change in outcomes over time among a group affected by a policy change to the change over time among an unaffected comparison group. By using this approach, scientists can separate the specific effect of a policy implementation from broader, national shifts in adolescent mental health trends.
The statistical models adjusted for individual student characteristics, including race, ethnicity, and grade level in school. The researchers also controlled for state-level COVID-19 death rates during each survey year to account for potential differences in pandemic severity that might have influenced mental well-being. Additionally, the authors analyzed data from male high school students as a secondary control group, as male teenagers were not directly subject to the legal limits placed on personal pregnancy options.
The statistical analysis demonstrated a distinct divergence in mental health trends after the implementation of total abortion bans. Prior to 2022, female students in states that later enacted bans showed similar mental health trends to female students in non-ban states. Following the policy changes in 2023, suicidal ideation among female students in ban states rose from 33 percent to 34 percent, whereas in non-ban states, ideation dropped from 33 percent to 29 percent.
After applying full statistical controls, the difference-in-differences model showed that total abortion bans were associated with an adjusted 4.3 percentage point increase in suicidal ideation among female high school students. This difference was statistically significant, indicating that the pattern was unlikely to be the result of random chance. The mathematical models confirmed that prepolicy trends were equivalent between the two state groups prior to the policy enactments.
For suicide attempts among female students, unadjusted trends rose from 15 percent in 2021 to 18 percent in 2023 in ban states, while remaining relatively flat in non-ban states at around 11 percent. The adjusted statistical model indicated a 3.2 percentage point increase in suicide attempts among female students in ban states compared to non-ban states, though this estimate was less mathematically precise. In contrast, male students showed no statistically significant changes in either suicidal ideation or suicide attempts following the legal shifts.
“The main takeaway is that abortion bans may have consequences that go well beyond access to abortion itself,” Sheldon said. “We found an increase of about 4 percentage points in suicidal thoughts among female high school students in states with total abortion bans, compared with female students in states without bans. We didn’t find anything comparable among male students. We also saw increases in suicide attempts of a similar magnitude, although those estimates were less precise.”
Sheldon expressed surprise at how rapidly these psychological patterns emerged across the population. “I was surprised by how large the increase in suicidal ideation was among female students in ban states and how quickly it appeared after the bans took effect,” Sheldon told PsyPost. “The contrast with male students in those same states also stood out. We didn’t see comparable changes in ideation or attempts among males, which makes the findings for females even more concerning.”
Some methodological factors should be kept in mind when reading these conclusions. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey gathers cross-sectional data, meaning different groups of students complete the survey during each cycle. Because researchers cannot track individual students over time, the study cannot measure how a specific student’s mental health changed directly before and after the policy shift.
The study design also means that individual motivations behind reported thoughts of suicide cannot be directly identified. “Our study wasn’t designed to tell us why suicidal ideation increased. There are likely multiple factors at play, and these may vary depending on young people’s different lived experiences,” Sheldon explained.
“We also don’t know whether the students reporting suicidal thoughts had personally experienced an unwanted pregnancy or ever sought an abortion,” Sheldon added. “Because we observed an increase at the population level, it’s likely that these policies are affecting young people more broadly, not only those who have personally needed abortion services.”
Data availability presented additional challenges across participating regions. Response rates for the suicide attempt questions were lower than those for suicidal ideation, which reduced statistical precision. Additionally, exposure to the policy was not completely uniform, as some students had lived under total abortion bans for longer periods than others when answering the questionnaire.
The survey sample was restricted to teenagers attending public high schools, meaning these findings may not automatically apply to home-schooled students, private school students, or youth who have left school. States that enacted total abortion bans may also differ from non-ban states in broader political or social climates that were not captured by the study’s demographic controls. Sheldon noted that “our study cannot tell us exactly why this happened, but it suggests we need to take the potential mental health effects of these policies seriously, especially for young people.”
To address these unanswered questions, the authors are pursuing further research to understand the direct experiences of affected youth. “Our next priority is understanding what’s driving this relationship,” Sheldon explained. “As a first step, we’re partnering with Advocates for Youth on workshops with young pregnancy-capable people living in ban states. We want to hear directly from them about how these policies are affecting mental health in their communities, and what kinds of support they think would make the biggest difference.”
The researchers hope to use these community insights to build practical support systems. “Ultimately, we hope to develop and evaluate an intervention designed by and for young people, to help address suicidality in communities with total abortion bans,” Sheldon said. “We’re also looking at whether the mental health effects of total abortion bans differ by race, age, or other characteristics. We’re continuing our analyses using CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey data and exploring collaborations that would allow us to explore these questions using other data sources.”
Sheldon emphasized the importance of including adolescent voices in broader policy evaluations moving forward. “I hope these findings encourage researchers, policymakers, clinicians, educators, and families to listen more closely to young people, and to consider their mental health when shaping abortion policies and assessing their consequences,” Sheldon remarked.
The study, “Adolescent Suicidality After State-Level Total Abortion Bans,” was authored by Wendy R. Sheldon, Rayan Ouaddi, Nicole Chen, and Jason M. Lindo.
-------------------------------------------------
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AbortionBansAndYouthMentalHealth #AdolescentSuicidality #MentalHealthPolicyImpact #ReproductiveHealthcarePolicy #YouthRiskBehaviorSurvey #SuicidalIdeationIn Teens #GenderDifferencesInPolicyEffects #PublicHealthResearch #DobbsAndBeyond # adolescentwellbeing
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Abortion bans associated with increased suicidal thoughts in female teenagers
A study published in JAMA Network Open suggests that the implementation of state-level total abortion bans is associated with an increase in suicidal thoughts among female high school students. The findings indicate that severe legal restrictions on abortion care may negatively influence adolescent mental health in affected regions. This research highlights a potential link between major reproductive healthcare policy changes and youth psychological well-being across the United States.
Suicide represents one of the leading causes of death among young people aged 10 to 24 in the United States. In recent years, public health experts have increasingly examined how broad societal conditions and legal policies shape emotional health. Policy decisions that restrict access to basic healthcare services tend to increase personal uncertainty and reduce an individual’s sense of control over their future life events.
In June 2022, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned national constitutional protections for abortion access. Following this landmark ruling, multiple states swiftly passed total abortion bans that outlawed nearly all abortion services within their borders. Prior to this decision, public discussions rarely examined potential links between reproductive restrictions and suicide risk among adolescents.
“Right before the Dobbs decision, there was a lot of speculation about the effects of overturning Roe v. Wade, but almost no attention to suicide risk,” said Wendy R. Sheldon, founder and director of Verge Research. She noted that international observations helped inform the research team’s focus on youth mental health.
“Having worked in other countries where abortion was illegal, I knew that some women facing unwanted pregnancies would go to extraordinary lengths to end them, including risking their own lives,” Sheldon explained. “I also knew that young people are hit hardest by abortion restrictions and that an unwanted pregnancy at a young age can be especially devastating. So I wanted to explore whether there might be a connection between abortion restrictions and suicidality among young people.”
Female adolescents are often uniquely vulnerable to changes in reproductive healthcare law. Young women face significant financial, logistical, and social barriers when seeking healthcare services compared to older adults. Additionally, experiencing an unintended pregnancy during teenage years can dramatically alter a young person’s educational, financial, and social trajectory.
“Adolescents have largely been left out of the research and public discussion about the consequences of abortion bans,” Sheldon pointed out. “Young people face particular barriers to obtaining abortion care, including financial limitations, travel difficulties, and parental involvement requirements. Yet we still know very little about how and to what extent these barriers affect their mental health.”
Adolescence is a critical developmental stage characterized by heightened emotional reactivity and sensitivity to environmental stressors. Public awareness of legal restrictions can generate feelings of distress, anxiety, or helplessness among teenagers. Even for adolescents who are not currently pregnant, perceived loss of reproductive autonomy can act as a chronic psychological stressor that influences mental health outcomes.
To examine how these legal changes might influence youth mental health, the researchers analyzed data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this survey gathers national data on health behaviors among high school students using standardized, anonymous questionnaires. The scientists examined survey data collected across four different time points: 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023.
The final dataset included 338,324 public high school students in grades 9 through 12 across 15 states. Exactly 169,967 of these participants were female, and the overall median age was 16 years old. About 10 percent of the total sample resided in states that implemented total abortion bans following the 2022 Supreme Court ruling.
The researchers classified states into two distinct groups based on their legal environment. Five states in the dataset, including Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas, enacted total abortion bans during the 12 months preceding the 2023 survey. Ten other states in the dataset did not enact total bans during the study period and served as a baseline control group, including states such as Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.
To evaluate changes in mental health, the authors measured two specific outcomes: suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Suicidal ideation was defined as a student reporting that they had seriously considered or made a detailed plan to attempt suicide within the past 12 months. Suicide attempts were defined as reporting one or more actual attempts, or reporting an attempt that resulted in an injury or overdose requiring medical care.
The authors employed a statistical technique known as a difference-in-differences analysis. This method compares the change in outcomes over time among a group affected by a policy change to the change over time among an unaffected comparison group. By using this approach, scientists can separate the specific effect of a policy implementation from broader, national shifts in adolescent mental health trends.
The statistical models adjusted for individual student characteristics, including race, ethnicity, and grade level in school. The researchers also controlled for state-level COVID-19 death rates during each survey year to account for potential differences in pandemic severity that might have influenced mental well-being. Additionally, the authors analyzed data from male high school students as a secondary control group, as male teenagers were not directly subject to the legal limits placed on personal pregnancy options.
The statistical analysis demonstrated a distinct divergence in mental health trends after the implementation of total abortion bans. Prior to 2022, female students in states that later enacted bans showed similar mental health trends to female students in non-ban states. Following the policy changes in 2023, suicidal ideation among female students in ban states rose from 33 percent to 34 percent, whereas in non-ban states, ideation dropped from 33 percent to 29 percent.
After applying full statistical controls, the difference-in-differences model showed that total abortion bans were associated with an adjusted 4.3 percentage point increase in suicidal ideation among female high school students. This difference was statistically significant, indicating that the pattern was unlikely to be the result of random chance. The mathematical models confirmed that prepolicy trends were equivalent between the two state groups prior to the policy enactments.
For suicide attempts among female students, unadjusted trends rose from 15 percent in 2021 to 18 percent in 2023 in ban states, while remaining relatively flat in non-ban states at around 11 percent. The adjusted statistical model indicated a 3.2 percentage point increase in suicide attempts among female students in ban states compared to non-ban states, though this estimate was less mathematically precise. In contrast, male students showed no statistically significant changes in either suicidal ideation or suicide attempts following the legal shifts.
“The main takeaway is that abortion bans may have consequences that go well beyond access to abortion itself,” Sheldon said. “We found an increase of about 4 percentage points in suicidal thoughts among female high school students in states with total abortion bans, compared with female students in states without bans. We didn’t find anything comparable among male students. We also saw increases in suicide attempts of a similar magnitude, although those estimates were less precise.”
Sheldon expressed surprise at how rapidly these psychological patterns emerged across the population. “I was surprised by how large the increase in suicidal ideation was among female students in ban states and how quickly it appeared after the bans took effect,” Sheldon told PsyPost. “The contrast with male students in those same states also stood out. We didn’t see comparable changes in ideation or attempts among males, which makes the findings for females even more concerning.”
Some methodological factors should be kept in mind when reading these conclusions. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey gathers cross-sectional data, meaning different groups of students complete the survey during each cycle. Because researchers cannot track individual students over time, the study cannot measure how a specific student’s mental health changed directly before and after the policy shift.
The study design also means that individual motivations behind reported thoughts of suicide cannot be directly identified. “Our study wasn’t designed to tell us why suicidal ideation increased. There are likely multiple factors at play, and these may vary depending on young people’s different lived experiences,” Sheldon explained.
“We also don’t know whether the students reporting suicidal thoughts had personally experienced an unwanted pregnancy or ever sought an abortion,” Sheldon added. “Because we observed an increase at the population level, it’s likely that these policies are affecting young people more broadly, not only those who have personally needed abortion services.”
Data availability presented additional challenges across participating regions. Response rates for the suicide attempt questions were lower than those for suicidal ideation, which reduced statistical precision. Additionally, exposure to the policy was not completely uniform, as some students had lived under total abortion bans for longer periods than others when answering the questionnaire.
The survey sample was restricted to teenagers attending public high schools, meaning these findings may not automatically apply to home-schooled students, private school students, or youth who have left school. States that enacted total abortion bans may also differ from non-ban states in broader political or social climates that were not captured by the study’s demographic controls. Sheldon noted that “our study cannot tell us exactly why this happened, but it suggests we need to take the potential mental health effects of these policies seriously, especially for young people.”
To address these unanswered questions, the authors are pursuing further research to understand the direct experiences of affected youth. “Our next priority is understanding what’s driving this relationship,” Sheldon explained. “As a first step, we’re partnering with Advocates for Youth on workshops with young pregnancy-capable people living in ban states. We want to hear directly from them about how these policies are affecting mental health in their communities, and what kinds of support they think would make the biggest difference.”
The researchers hope to use these community insights to build practical support systems. “Ultimately, we hope to develop and evaluate an intervention designed by and for young people, to help address suicidality in communities with total abortion bans,” Sheldon said. “We’re also looking at whether the mental health effects of total abortion bans differ by race, age, or other characteristics. We’re continuing our analyses using CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey data and exploring collaborations that would allow us to explore these questions using other data sources.”
Sheldon emphasized the importance of including adolescent voices in broader policy evaluations moving forward. “I hope these findings encourage researchers, policymakers, clinicians, educators, and families to listen more closely to young people, and to consider their mental health when shaping abortion policies and assessing their consequences,” Sheldon remarked.
The study, “Adolescent Suicidality After State-Level Total Abortion Bans,” was authored by Wendy R. Sheldon, Rayan Ouaddi, Nicole Chen, and Jason M. Lindo.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AbortionBansAndYouthMentalHealth #AdolescentSuicidality #MentalHealthPolicyImpact #ReproductiveHealthcarePolicy #YouthRiskBehaviorSurvey #SuicidalIdeationIn Teens #GenderDifferencesInPolicyEffects #PublicHealthResearch #DobbsAndBeyond # adolescentwellbeing
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Abortion bans associated with increased suicidal thoughts in female teenagers
A study published in JAMA Network Open suggests that the implementation of state-level total abortion bans is associated with an increase in suicidal thoughts among female high school students. The findings indicate that severe legal restrictions on abortion care may negatively influence adolescent mental health in affected regions. This research highlights a potential link between major reproductive healthcare policy changes and youth psychological well-being across the United States.
Suicide represents one of the leading causes of death among young people aged 10 to 24 in the United States. In recent years, public health experts have increasingly examined how broad societal conditions and legal policies shape emotional health. Policy decisions that restrict access to basic healthcare services tend to increase personal uncertainty and reduce an individual’s sense of control over their future life events.
In June 2022, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned national constitutional protections for abortion access. Following this landmark ruling, multiple states swiftly passed total abortion bans that outlawed nearly all abortion services within their borders. Prior to this decision, public discussions rarely examined potential links between reproductive restrictions and suicide risk among adolescents.
“Right before the Dobbs decision, there was a lot of speculation about the effects of overturning Roe v. Wade, but almost no attention to suicide risk,” said Wendy R. Sheldon, founder and director of Verge Research. She noted that international observations helped inform the research team’s focus on youth mental health.
“Having worked in other countries where abortion was illegal, I knew that some women facing unwanted pregnancies would go to extraordinary lengths to end them, including risking their own lives,” Sheldon explained. “I also knew that young people are hit hardest by abortion restrictions and that an unwanted pregnancy at a young age can be especially devastating. So I wanted to explore whether there might be a connection between abortion restrictions and suicidality among young people.”
Female adolescents are often uniquely vulnerable to changes in reproductive healthcare law. Young women face significant financial, logistical, and social barriers when seeking healthcare services compared to older adults. Additionally, experiencing an unintended pregnancy during teenage years can dramatically alter a young person’s educational, financial, and social trajectory.
“Adolescents have largely been left out of the research and public discussion about the consequences of abortion bans,” Sheldon pointed out. “Young people face particular barriers to obtaining abortion care, including financial limitations, travel difficulties, and parental involvement requirements. Yet we still know very little about how and to what extent these barriers affect their mental health.”
Adolescence is a critical developmental stage characterized by heightened emotional reactivity and sensitivity to environmental stressors. Public awareness of legal restrictions can generate feelings of distress, anxiety, or helplessness among teenagers. Even for adolescents who are not currently pregnant, perceived loss of reproductive autonomy can act as a chronic psychological stressor that influences mental health outcomes.
To examine how these legal changes might influence youth mental health, the researchers analyzed data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this survey gathers national data on health behaviors among high school students using standardized, anonymous questionnaires. The scientists examined survey data collected across four different time points: 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023.
The final dataset included 338,324 public high school students in grades 9 through 12 across 15 states. Exactly 169,967 of these participants were female, and the overall median age was 16 years old. About 10 percent of the total sample resided in states that implemented total abortion bans following the 2022 Supreme Court ruling.
The researchers classified states into two distinct groups based on their legal environment. Five states in the dataset, including Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas, enacted total abortion bans during the 12 months preceding the 2023 survey. Ten other states in the dataset did not enact total bans during the study period and served as a baseline control group, including states such as Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.
To evaluate changes in mental health, the authors measured two specific outcomes: suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Suicidal ideation was defined as a student reporting that they had seriously considered or made a detailed plan to attempt suicide within the past 12 months. Suicide attempts were defined as reporting one or more actual attempts, or reporting an attempt that resulted in an injury or overdose requiring medical care.
The authors employed a statistical technique known as a difference-in-differences analysis. This method compares the change in outcomes over time among a group affected by a policy change to the change over time among an unaffected comparison group. By using this approach, scientists can separate the specific effect of a policy implementation from broader, national shifts in adolescent mental health trends.
The statistical models adjusted for individual student characteristics, including race, ethnicity, and grade level in school. The researchers also controlled for state-level COVID-19 death rates during each survey year to account for potential differences in pandemic severity that might have influenced mental well-being. Additionally, the authors analyzed data from male high school students as a secondary control group, as male teenagers were not directly subject to the legal limits placed on personal pregnancy options.
The statistical analysis demonstrated a distinct divergence in mental health trends after the implementation of total abortion bans. Prior to 2022, female students in states that later enacted bans showed similar mental health trends to female students in non-ban states. Following the policy changes in 2023, suicidal ideation among female students in ban states rose from 33 percent to 34 percent, whereas in non-ban states, ideation dropped from 33 percent to 29 percent.
After applying full statistical controls, the difference-in-differences model showed that total abortion bans were associated with an adjusted 4.3 percentage point increase in suicidal ideation among female high school students. This difference was statistically significant, indicating that the pattern was unlikely to be the result of random chance. The mathematical models confirmed that prepolicy trends were equivalent between the two state groups prior to the policy enactments.
For suicide attempts among female students, unadjusted trends rose from 15 percent in 2021 to 18 percent in 2023 in ban states, while remaining relatively flat in non-ban states at around 11 percent. The adjusted statistical model indicated a 3.2 percentage point increase in suicide attempts among female students in ban states compared to non-ban states, though this estimate was less mathematically precise. In contrast, male students showed no statistically significant changes in either suicidal ideation or suicide attempts following the legal shifts.
“The main takeaway is that abortion bans may have consequences that go well beyond access to abortion itself,” Sheldon said. “We found an increase of about 4 percentage points in suicidal thoughts among female high school students in states with total abortion bans, compared with female students in states without bans. We didn’t find anything comparable among male students. We also saw increases in suicide attempts of a similar magnitude, although those estimates were less precise.”
Sheldon expressed surprise at how rapidly these psychological patterns emerged across the population. “I was surprised by how large the increase in suicidal ideation was among female students in ban states and how quickly it appeared after the bans took effect,” Sheldon told PsyPost. “The contrast with male students in those same states also stood out. We didn’t see comparable changes in ideation or attempts among males, which makes the findings for females even more concerning.”
Some methodological factors should be kept in mind when reading these conclusions. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey gathers cross-sectional data, meaning different groups of students complete the survey during each cycle. Because researchers cannot track individual students over time, the study cannot measure how a specific student’s mental health changed directly before and after the policy shift.
The study design also means that individual motivations behind reported thoughts of suicide cannot be directly identified. “Our study wasn’t designed to tell us why suicidal ideation increased. There are likely multiple factors at play, and these may vary depending on young people’s different lived experiences,” Sheldon explained.
“We also don’t know whether the students reporting suicidal thoughts had personally experienced an unwanted pregnancy or ever sought an abortion,” Sheldon added. “Because we observed an increase at the population level, it’s likely that these policies are affecting young people more broadly, not only those who have personally needed abortion services.”
Data availability presented additional challenges across participating regions. Response rates for the suicide attempt questions were lower than those for suicidal ideation, which reduced statistical precision. Additionally, exposure to the policy was not completely uniform, as some students had lived under total abortion bans for longer periods than others when answering the questionnaire.
The survey sample was restricted to teenagers attending public high schools, meaning these findings may not automatically apply to home-schooled students, private school students, or youth who have left school. States that enacted total abortion bans may also differ from non-ban states in broader political or social climates that were not captured by the study’s demographic controls. Sheldon noted that “our study cannot tell us exactly why this happened, but it suggests we need to take the potential mental health effects of these policies seriously, especially for young people.”
To address these unanswered questions, the authors are pursuing further research to understand the direct experiences of affected youth. “Our next priority is understanding what’s driving this relationship,” Sheldon explained. “As a first step, we’re partnering with Advocates for Youth on workshops with young pregnancy-capable people living in ban states. We want to hear directly from them about how these policies are affecting mental health in their communities, and what kinds of support they think would make the biggest difference.”
The researchers hope to use these community insights to build practical support systems. “Ultimately, we hope to develop and evaluate an intervention designed by and for young people, to help address suicidality in communities with total abortion bans,” Sheldon said. “We’re also looking at whether the mental health effects of total abortion bans differ by race, age, or other characteristics. We’re continuing our analyses using CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey data and exploring collaborations that would allow us to explore these questions using other data sources.”
Sheldon emphasized the importance of including adolescent voices in broader policy evaluations moving forward. “I hope these findings encourage researchers, policymakers, clinicians, educators, and families to listen more closely to young people, and to consider their mental health when shaping abortion policies and assessing their consequences,” Sheldon remarked.
The study, “Adolescent Suicidality After State-Level Total Abortion Bans,” was authored by Wendy R. Sheldon, Rayan Ouaddi, Nicole Chen, and Jason M. Lindo.
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DATE: July 26, 2026 at 09:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Digital cognitive training improves quality of life for adults with ADHD
URL: https://www.psypost.org/digital-cognitive-training-improves-quality-of-life-for-adults-with-adhd/
A randomized controlled trial examining the effects of a digital cognitive training app called NeuroNation MED showed that the program may improve psychological quality of life for adults with ADHD. Compared to a group receiving standard treatment, the app users did not show better performance on objective cognitive tests. However, they did tend to report feeling that their own cognitive functioning had improved. The paper was published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a neurodevelopmental condition. This means it is tied to differences in how the brain grows and develops. It is characterized by persistent difficulties with attention, impulse control, and activity regulation. People with ADHD tend to struggle to stay focused, organize tasks, and manage time.
They may also find it hard to remember obligations or complete work that requires sustained mental effort. Some individuals also experience hyperactivity, such as restlessness, excessive talking, or a constant need for movement. Impulse control difficulties can appear as interrupting others, making hasty decisions, or acting before considering the consequences.
Symptoms usually begin in childhood, but they may continue into adolescence and adulthood. ADHD can negatively affect performance in school, work, relationships, finances, and everyday routines. It is most often diagnosed when a child starts school and their behaviors come into conflict with classroom rules.
Study author Moritz Bergmann and his colleagues evaluated the effects of an adaptive digital training program called NeuroNation MED on ADHD-related cognitive challenges. The app-based program targets executive functions, which are a set of mental skills that help people plan, focus attention, and juggle multiple tasks. Specifically, the training focuses on working memory, processing speed, and the ability to control attention.
The app contains 23 exercises that adapt dynamically to individual performance. It specifically addresses areas where people with ADHD often struggle, such as attentional flexibility, which is the ability to shift focus between different tasks, and response inhibition, which is the ability to suppress impulsive actions. The app also includes game-like elements such as progress indicators, milestones, and rewards to keep users engaged.
The researchers recruited 77 adults between 18 and 60 years of age who had a clinical diagnosis of ADHD. The participants came from an outpatient clinic at the University Hospital Bonn in Germany. Individuals who had diagnoses of certain other mental health conditions were excluded. During the study, participants were permitted to continue taking their existing ADHD medication, but they were asked to skip their medication on testing days.
At the start of the study, participants were randomly divided into two groups. One group completed cognitive training using the NeuroNation MED app for 12 weeks. The other group continued their standard treatment as usual during that same timeframe. After this initial period, the standard treatment group crossed over and received access to the app.
Training began with a 15-minute baseline assessment within the app. The results were used to create a customized training profile that determined the starting difficulty and the specific mental skills to emphasize. Each subsequent training session consisted of a sequence of several short exercises, with each task lasting a few minutes.
The exercises were repeated across sessions but appeared in varying combinations. A built-in algorithm continuously adjusted the difficulty based on the participant’s performance. Participants were instructed to complete three training sessions per week over the 12-week period. Each session lasted approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
Before and after the 12-week period, participants completed a series of mental tests that lasted about two hours. The researchers scheduled a third follow-up test 12 weeks after the cognitive training ended. However, the drop-out rate for this final assessment was very high. This left the researchers with too little data to analyze the long-term effects of the training.
The two-hour assessments included a variety of objective cognitive tests to measure actual brain performance. The participants also filled out questionnaires to gauge their subjective quality of life, daily functional impairments, and symptoms of depression. Other surveys asked the participants to rate their own ADHD symptoms and perceived cognitive abilities.
Over the course of the study, 14 participants dropped out after the initial assessment. Three more individuals were excluded from the final analysis because they changed their medication routines during the trial. This left a final group of 60 participants for the initial comparison.
The scientists found that the cognitive training app produced an improvement in psychological quality of life compared to standard treatment. There were no differences between the two groups in their performance on the objective cognitive tests. Despite this lack of measurable change, participants in the training group tended to report that their memory, attention, and language skills had improved. They simply felt that their brains were working better.
The authors noted that the program demonstrated promising effects on perceived cognition and psychological well-being. However, they pointed out that objective cognitive improvements were not observed. They explained that this discrepancy highlights the importance of considering both perceived and measured outcomes in ADHD treatments.
The study explores the effectiveness of a digital training program for improving ADHD-related cognitive issues. However, the app group started the study with a somewhat lower subjective quality of life than the control group. Although this initial difference was not statistically significant, it was moderate in size. This suggests that some of the apparent improvement might reflect a natural return to average levels rather than an effect of the training itself.
It is also important to note that the reported cognitive improvements were not detected on objective tests. Instead, the gains were seen entirely on self-report assessments. This leaves room for reporting bias, which happens when participants feel or claim they are doing better simply because they are receiving a new treatment. Additionally, the study was supported by Synaptikon GmbH, the developer of the NeuroNation MED application.
The study, “Effects of a novel individualized digital cognitive training on ADHD characteristics, quality of life, and cognitive functioning in adults with ADHD: A randomized controlled trial,” was authored by Moritz Bergmann, Julia Schröfel, Laura Zimmermann, Anke Fastenau, Sara Pafel, Peter Sauermann, Jana Fecht, Alexandra Philipsen, and Silke Lux.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/digital-cognitive-training-improves-quality-of-life-for-adults-with-adhd/
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #ADHD #digitalcognition #cognitivetraining #NeuroNationMED #qualityoflife #executivefunction #workingmemory #ADHDresearch #mentalhealthtech #selfreportedoutcomes
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 09:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Digital cognitive training improves quality of life for adults with ADHD
URL: https://www.psypost.org/digital-cognitive-training-improves-quality-of-life-for-adults-with-adhd/
A randomized controlled trial examining the effects of a digital cognitive training app called NeuroNation MED showed that the program may improve psychological quality of life for adults with ADHD. Compared to a group receiving standard treatment, the app users did not show better performance on objective cognitive tests. However, they did tend to report feeling that their own cognitive functioning had improved. The paper was published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a neurodevelopmental condition. This means it is tied to differences in how the brain grows and develops. It is characterized by persistent difficulties with attention, impulse control, and activity regulation. People with ADHD tend to struggle to stay focused, organize tasks, and manage time.
They may also find it hard to remember obligations or complete work that requires sustained mental effort. Some individuals also experience hyperactivity, such as restlessness, excessive talking, or a constant need for movement. Impulse control difficulties can appear as interrupting others, making hasty decisions, or acting before considering the consequences.
Symptoms usually begin in childhood, but they may continue into adolescence and adulthood. ADHD can negatively affect performance in school, work, relationships, finances, and everyday routines. It is most often diagnosed when a child starts school and their behaviors come into conflict with classroom rules.
Study author Moritz Bergmann and his colleagues evaluated the effects of an adaptive digital training program called NeuroNation MED on ADHD-related cognitive challenges. The app-based program targets executive functions, which are a set of mental skills that help people plan, focus attention, and juggle multiple tasks. Specifically, the training focuses on working memory, processing speed, and the ability to control attention.
The app contains 23 exercises that adapt dynamically to individual performance. It specifically addresses areas where people with ADHD often struggle, such as attentional flexibility, which is the ability to shift focus between different tasks, and response inhibition, which is the ability to suppress impulsive actions. The app also includes game-like elements such as progress indicators, milestones, and rewards to keep users engaged.
The researchers recruited 77 adults between 18 and 60 years of age who had a clinical diagnosis of ADHD. The participants came from an outpatient clinic at the University Hospital Bonn in Germany. Individuals who had diagnoses of certain other mental health conditions were excluded. During the study, participants were permitted to continue taking their existing ADHD medication, but they were asked to skip their medication on testing days.
At the start of the study, participants were randomly divided into two groups. One group completed cognitive training using the NeuroNation MED app for 12 weeks. The other group continued their standard treatment as usual during that same timeframe. After this initial period, the standard treatment group crossed over and received access to the app.
Training began with a 15-minute baseline assessment within the app. The results were used to create a customized training profile that determined the starting difficulty and the specific mental skills to emphasize. Each subsequent training session consisted of a sequence of several short exercises, with each task lasting a few minutes.
The exercises were repeated across sessions but appeared in varying combinations. A built-in algorithm continuously adjusted the difficulty based on the participant’s performance. Participants were instructed to complete three training sessions per week over the 12-week period. Each session lasted approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
Before and after the 12-week period, participants completed a series of mental tests that lasted about two hours. The researchers scheduled a third follow-up test 12 weeks after the cognitive training ended. However, the drop-out rate for this final assessment was very high. This left the researchers with too little data to analyze the long-term effects of the training.
The two-hour assessments included a variety of objective cognitive tests to measure actual brain performance. The participants also filled out questionnaires to gauge their subjective quality of life, daily functional impairments, and symptoms of depression. Other surveys asked the participants to rate their own ADHD symptoms and perceived cognitive abilities.
Over the course of the study, 14 participants dropped out after the initial assessment. Three more individuals were excluded from the final analysis because they changed their medication routines during the trial. This left a final group of 60 participants for the initial comparison.
The scientists found that the cognitive training app produced an improvement in psychological quality of life compared to standard treatment. There were no differences between the two groups in their performance on the objective cognitive tests. Despite this lack of measurable change, participants in the training group tended to report that their memory, attention, and language skills had improved. They simply felt that their brains were working better.
The authors noted that the program demonstrated promising effects on perceived cognition and psychological well-being. However, they pointed out that objective cognitive improvements were not observed. They explained that this discrepancy highlights the importance of considering both perceived and measured outcomes in ADHD treatments.
The study explores the effectiveness of a digital training program for improving ADHD-related cognitive issues. However, the app group started the study with a somewhat lower subjective quality of life than the control group. Although this initial difference was not statistically significant, it was moderate in size. This suggests that some of the apparent improvement might reflect a natural return to average levels rather than an effect of the training itself.
It is also important to note that the reported cognitive improvements were not detected on objective tests. Instead, the gains were seen entirely on self-report assessments. This leaves room for reporting bias, which happens when participants feel or claim they are doing better simply because they are receiving a new treatment. Additionally, the study was supported by Synaptikon GmbH, the developer of the NeuroNation MED application.
The study, “Effects of a novel individualized digital cognitive training on ADHD characteristics, quality of life, and cognitive functioning in adults with ADHD: A randomized controlled trial,” was authored by Moritz Bergmann, Julia Schröfel, Laura Zimmermann, Anke Fastenau, Sara Pafel, Peter Sauermann, Jana Fecht, Alexandra Philipsen, and Silke Lux.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/digital-cognitive-training-improves-quality-of-life-for-adults-with-adhd/
-------------------------------------------------
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-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #ADHD #digitalcognition #cognitivetraining #NeuroNationMED #qualityoflife #executivefunction #workingmemory #ADHDresearch #mentalhealthtech #selfreportedoutcomes
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 09:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Digital cognitive training improves quality of life for adults with ADHD
URL: https://www.psypost.org/digital-cognitive-training-improves-quality-of-life-for-adults-with-adhd/
A randomized controlled trial examining the effects of a digital cognitive training app called NeuroNation MED showed that the program may improve psychological quality of life for adults with ADHD. Compared to a group receiving standard treatment, the app users did not show better performance on objective cognitive tests. However, they did tend to report feeling that their own cognitive functioning had improved. The paper was published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a neurodevelopmental condition. This means it is tied to differences in how the brain grows and develops. It is characterized by persistent difficulties with attention, impulse control, and activity regulation. People with ADHD tend to struggle to stay focused, organize tasks, and manage time.
They may also find it hard to remember obligations or complete work that requires sustained mental effort. Some individuals also experience hyperactivity, such as restlessness, excessive talking, or a constant need for movement. Impulse control difficulties can appear as interrupting others, making hasty decisions, or acting before considering the consequences.
Symptoms usually begin in childhood, but they may continue into adolescence and adulthood. ADHD can negatively affect performance in school, work, relationships, finances, and everyday routines. It is most often diagnosed when a child starts school and their behaviors come into conflict with classroom rules.
Study author Moritz Bergmann and his colleagues evaluated the effects of an adaptive digital training program called NeuroNation MED on ADHD-related cognitive challenges. The app-based program targets executive functions, which are a set of mental skills that help people plan, focus attention, and juggle multiple tasks. Specifically, the training focuses on working memory, processing speed, and the ability to control attention.
The app contains 23 exercises that adapt dynamically to individual performance. It specifically addresses areas where people with ADHD often struggle, such as attentional flexibility, which is the ability to shift focus between different tasks, and response inhibition, which is the ability to suppress impulsive actions. The app also includes game-like elements such as progress indicators, milestones, and rewards to keep users engaged.
The researchers recruited 77 adults between 18 and 60 years of age who had a clinical diagnosis of ADHD. The participants came from an outpatient clinic at the University Hospital Bonn in Germany. Individuals who had diagnoses of certain other mental health conditions were excluded. During the study, participants were permitted to continue taking their existing ADHD medication, but they were asked to skip their medication on testing days.
At the start of the study, participants were randomly divided into two groups. One group completed cognitive training using the NeuroNation MED app for 12 weeks. The other group continued their standard treatment as usual during that same timeframe. After this initial period, the standard treatment group crossed over and received access to the app.
Training began with a 15-minute baseline assessment within the app. The results were used to create a customized training profile that determined the starting difficulty and the specific mental skills to emphasize. Each subsequent training session consisted of a sequence of several short exercises, with each task lasting a few minutes.
The exercises were repeated across sessions but appeared in varying combinations. A built-in algorithm continuously adjusted the difficulty based on the participant’s performance. Participants were instructed to complete three training sessions per week over the 12-week period. Each session lasted approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
Before and after the 12-week period, participants completed a series of mental tests that lasted about two hours. The researchers scheduled a third follow-up test 12 weeks after the cognitive training ended. However, the drop-out rate for this final assessment was very high. This left the researchers with too little data to analyze the long-term effects of the training.
The two-hour assessments included a variety of objective cognitive tests to measure actual brain performance. The participants also filled out questionnaires to gauge their subjective quality of life, daily functional impairments, and symptoms of depression. Other surveys asked the participants to rate their own ADHD symptoms and perceived cognitive abilities.
Over the course of the study, 14 participants dropped out after the initial assessment. Three more individuals were excluded from the final analysis because they changed their medication routines during the trial. This left a final group of 60 participants for the initial comparison.
The scientists found that the cognitive training app produced an improvement in psychological quality of life compared to standard treatment. There were no differences between the two groups in their performance on the objective cognitive tests. Despite this lack of measurable change, participants in the training group tended to report that their memory, attention, and language skills had improved. They simply felt that their brains were working better.
The authors noted that the program demonstrated promising effects on perceived cognition and psychological well-being. However, they pointed out that objective cognitive improvements were not observed. They explained that this discrepancy highlights the importance of considering both perceived and measured outcomes in ADHD treatments.
The study explores the effectiveness of a digital training program for improving ADHD-related cognitive issues. However, the app group started the study with a somewhat lower subjective quality of life than the control group. Although this initial difference was not statistically significant, it was moderate in size. This suggests that some of the apparent improvement might reflect a natural return to average levels rather than an effect of the training itself.
It is also important to note that the reported cognitive improvements were not detected on objective tests. Instead, the gains were seen entirely on self-report assessments. This leaves room for reporting bias, which happens when participants feel or claim they are doing better simply because they are receiving a new treatment. Additionally, the study was supported by Synaptikon GmbH, the developer of the NeuroNation MED application.
The study, “Effects of a novel individualized digital cognitive training on ADHD characteristics, quality of life, and cognitive functioning in adults with ADHD: A randomized controlled trial,” was authored by Moritz Bergmann, Julia Schröfel, Laura Zimmermann, Anke Fastenau, Sara Pafel, Peter Sauermann, Jana Fecht, Alexandra Philipsen, and Silke Lux.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/digital-cognitive-training-improves-quality-of-life-for-adults-with-adhd/
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-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 08:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Newborn brains respond more strongly to crying than to speech, study finds
URL: https://www.psypost.org/newborn-brains-respond-more-strongly-to-crying-than-to-speech-study-finds/
A new study published in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience indicates that newborn babies show stronger brain responses to the sound of infant cries than to spoken sentences. The findings suggest that an infant’s biological ability to produce a specific sound may shape how their brain processes auditory information from the moment they are born. This discovery provides evidence that the biological link between vocal production and speech perception begins much earlier in human development than scientists previously assumed.
In adult human communication, listening to speech and producing vocal sounds are deeply interconnected processes. When adults hear language, the regions of the brain responsible for moving the mouth, tongue, and throat tend to activate alongside the regions that process hearing. Scientists refer to this interaction as the perception-production link, which allows individuals to compare the sounds they hear with the physical movements needed to recreate them.
Human infants enter the world with sophisticated listening abilities despite their inability to speak words. Expectant mothers pass speech sounds through the uterine wall, allowing fetuses to hear language starting around the twentieth to twenty-fourth week of pregnancy. Because of this early exposure, newborns show a strong preference for listening to human speech over many other environmental noises.
Spoken language represents an acoustically complex signal that infants have heard for months before birth. Infant crying, on the other hand, is a simpler sound that babies only begin hearing after they enter the world. However, crying is unique because it is the only communicative sound that newborn babies are physically capable of generating on their own.
To explore how early physical capabilities influence auditory development, researchers evaluated whether newborns process cries in a manner similar to speech. Judit Gervain, a professor of developmental psychology at the University of Padua and a senior research scientist at the Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center in Paris, detailed the rationale behind the study. She noted that an expanding body of research indicates that even before babies can speak, they remain sensitive to the movements of their mouth and tongue, which can shape how they process sounds.
“In other words, their growing abilities to produce speech go hand in hand with their abilities to perceive speech,” Gervain explained. “We wanted to test how early this production-perception link begins, and since the earliest communicative sounds babies can make are cries, indeed, the very first sounds a newborn infant makes immediately at birth are cries, we decided to test how babies perceive cries and whether it is similar to how they perceive speech.”
To test this idea, researchers examined twenty-five healthy full-term newborn infants who had been exposed to the French language during pregnancy. The group included fifteen females and ten males, with an average age of approximately two days old, ranging from one to four days. The infants had an average gestational age of thirty-nine weeks and six days, with a mean birth weight of 3,320 grams and strong health scores at birth.
An additional forty-five infants participated in the experiment but were excluded from the final analysis due to movement, crying, or technical issues. A major reason for this high exclusion rate involves a natural reaction known as emotional contagion, which occurs when newborns become distressed and start crying upon hearing the sound of other infants crying. The researchers also tested twenty-seven adult native Italian speakers who had no prior knowledge of the French language.
The research team measured brain activity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, a non-invasive imaging technology often abbreviated as fNIRS. This technique uses caps fitted with special lights and sensors to measure changes in blood oxygen levels through the skull. When specific brain regions become active, they consume more oxygen, allowing sensors to track neural responses across the frontal, temporal, and parietal areas of the brain.
The auditory stimuli consisted of cry recordings from ten French newborns and spoken French sentences recorded by ten adult French women. Each cry sound was paired with a spoken sentence of equal length, averaging roughly 1.09 seconds per item. The volume of all recordings was normalized to ensure consistency, though the infant cries had a higher average pitch of 430 hertz compared to 233 hertz for adult speech.
During the experiment, participants listened to twenty blocks of auditory stimuli, with ten blocks containing crying sounds and ten blocks containing spoken sentences. Each block lasted approximately twenty seconds and contained ten different audio samples presented in a randomized order. Silent rest periods lasting between twenty-five and thirty seconds were placed between the blocks to give the brain time to reset.
When comparing the neural activity triggered by both sound types, the authors observed that newborns showed greater activity in response to crying than to speech within the right temporal region of the brain. The temporal regions are primarily involved in processing sound and acoustic patterns. When listening to spoken language alone, the infants exhibited heightened activity in the left temporal and right temporo-parietal areas compared to silent baseline periods.
When listening to crying sounds, the newborns demonstrated increased activity in left fronto-temporo-parietal regions as well as right temporal regions. The activation in the frontal cortex is notable because this area contains the motor regions that control physical movement. Spoken language did not trigger this motor region activity in the newborns, suggesting that brain areas tied to movement respond specifically to sounds the infants can produce.
These results contradicted the research team’s initial expectations regarding early language processing. “Since language is so important and babies learn it so fast, in just a few years, we originally expected to see stronger brain responses to speech than to cries,” Gervain told PsyPost. “We were actually surprised to see that newborns respond to cries more strongly, suggesting that what they can produce is important for them.”
The adult participants exhibited a different pattern of neural responses compared to the infants. In adults, spoken language generated significantly greater brain activity than infant crying across the left temporo-parietal and right temporal regions. Because the adult participants spoke Italian and did not understand French, their temporal lobes processed the unfamiliar speech sounds based on their acoustic structures rather than their word meanings.
The adults showed activation within frontal motor regions when listening to both spoken sentences and newborn crying, reflecting their physical capability to produce both sound types. Gervain emphasized the primary takeaway from how newborn brains handle these signals. “Our findings show that the brains of newborn babies, just after a day or two after birth, respond more strongly to cries, so to the communicative sounds they themselves can produce, than to speech,” Gervain observed. “This suggests that producing sounds may play a stronger role in perception than we previously believed.”
She added that self-produced vocalizations serve a practical purpose in early human development. “The sounds babies themselves can produce are very important for them and can help them learn more about the sounds themselves and about communication more generally,” Gervain stated.
The emotional intensity of crying represents one potential factor that requires thoughtful consideration when interpreting these findings. Crying naturally conveys distress, which tends to heighten emotional arousal in listeners and could potentially increase brain activity independently of vocal production. Emotional arousal alone does not fully account for why motor regions of the brain were activated exclusively by crying in newborns and by both sounds in adults.
Future research could build upon these findings by evaluating how infants respond to cries produced by newborns from different language backgrounds or by testing whether babies display unique brain patterns when hearing recordings of their own cries. Gervain and her colleagues are currently extending this line of research to older infants to see how brain responses evolve alongside developing vocal abilities.
“Continuing this line, we are now looking at somewhat older infants, 6-to-10-month-olds, and seeing how they respond to babbling,” Gervain said. “Following the logic of the current study, 6-to-10-month-olds just begin to produce speech, and their production, that is babbling, is not yet like adult speech, but this is what they themselves can produce, so babbling may be particularly important for them.”
She noted that her team is currently recording brain activity to track these changes across development. “So we are now testing how babies’ brains react to babbling as compared to speech between 6 and 10 months, and whether this changes with their increasing ability to babble or speak,” Gervain explained.
The study, “Do babies perceive cries as speech?,” was authored by Gaia Lucarini, Irene de la Cruz-Pavía, Jessica Gemignani, Caroline Nallet, Alexandre Lapillonne, and Judit Gervain.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/newborn-brains-respond-more-strongly-to-crying-than-to-speech-study-finds/
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DATE: July 26, 2026 at 08:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Newborn brains respond more strongly to crying than to speech, study finds
URL: https://www.psypost.org/newborn-brains-respond-more-strongly-to-crying-than-to-speech-study-finds/
A new study published in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience indicates that newborn babies show stronger brain responses to the sound of infant cries than to spoken sentences. The findings suggest that an infant’s biological ability to produce a specific sound may shape how their brain processes auditory information from the moment they are born. This discovery provides evidence that the biological link between vocal production and speech perception begins much earlier in human development than scientists previously assumed.
In adult human communication, listening to speech and producing vocal sounds are deeply interconnected processes. When adults hear language, the regions of the brain responsible for moving the mouth, tongue, and throat tend to activate alongside the regions that process hearing. Scientists refer to this interaction as the perception-production link, which allows individuals to compare the sounds they hear with the physical movements needed to recreate them.
Human infants enter the world with sophisticated listening abilities despite their inability to speak words. Expectant mothers pass speech sounds through the uterine wall, allowing fetuses to hear language starting around the twentieth to twenty-fourth week of pregnancy. Because of this early exposure, newborns show a strong preference for listening to human speech over many other environmental noises.
Spoken language represents an acoustically complex signal that infants have heard for months before birth. Infant crying, on the other hand, is a simpler sound that babies only begin hearing after they enter the world. However, crying is unique because it is the only communicative sound that newborn babies are physically capable of generating on their own.
To explore how early physical capabilities influence auditory development, researchers evaluated whether newborns process cries in a manner similar to speech. Judit Gervain, a professor of developmental psychology at the University of Padua and a senior research scientist at the Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center in Paris, detailed the rationale behind the study. She noted that an expanding body of research indicates that even before babies can speak, they remain sensitive to the movements of their mouth and tongue, which can shape how they process sounds.
“In other words, their growing abilities to produce speech go hand in hand with their abilities to perceive speech,” Gervain explained. “We wanted to test how early this production-perception link begins, and since the earliest communicative sounds babies can make are cries, indeed, the very first sounds a newborn infant makes immediately at birth are cries, we decided to test how babies perceive cries and whether it is similar to how they perceive speech.”
To test this idea, researchers examined twenty-five healthy full-term newborn infants who had been exposed to the French language during pregnancy. The group included fifteen females and ten males, with an average age of approximately two days old, ranging from one to four days. The infants had an average gestational age of thirty-nine weeks and six days, with a mean birth weight of 3,320 grams and strong health scores at birth.
An additional forty-five infants participated in the experiment but were excluded from the final analysis due to movement, crying, or technical issues. A major reason for this high exclusion rate involves a natural reaction known as emotional contagion, which occurs when newborns become distressed and start crying upon hearing the sound of other infants crying. The researchers also tested twenty-seven adult native Italian speakers who had no prior knowledge of the French language.
The research team measured brain activity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, a non-invasive imaging technology often abbreviated as fNIRS. This technique uses caps fitted with special lights and sensors to measure changes in blood oxygen levels through the skull. When specific brain regions become active, they consume more oxygen, allowing sensors to track neural responses across the frontal, temporal, and parietal areas of the brain.
The auditory stimuli consisted of cry recordings from ten French newborns and spoken French sentences recorded by ten adult French women. Each cry sound was paired with a spoken sentence of equal length, averaging roughly 1.09 seconds per item. The volume of all recordings was normalized to ensure consistency, though the infant cries had a higher average pitch of 430 hertz compared to 233 hertz for adult speech.
During the experiment, participants listened to twenty blocks of auditory stimuli, with ten blocks containing crying sounds and ten blocks containing spoken sentences. Each block lasted approximately twenty seconds and contained ten different audio samples presented in a randomized order. Silent rest periods lasting between twenty-five and thirty seconds were placed between the blocks to give the brain time to reset.
When comparing the neural activity triggered by both sound types, the authors observed that newborns showed greater activity in response to crying than to speech within the right temporal region of the brain. The temporal regions are primarily involved in processing sound and acoustic patterns. When listening to spoken language alone, the infants exhibited heightened activity in the left temporal and right temporo-parietal areas compared to silent baseline periods.
When listening to crying sounds, the newborns demonstrated increased activity in left fronto-temporo-parietal regions as well as right temporal regions. The activation in the frontal cortex is notable because this area contains the motor regions that control physical movement. Spoken language did not trigger this motor region activity in the newborns, suggesting that brain areas tied to movement respond specifically to sounds the infants can produce.
These results contradicted the research team’s initial expectations regarding early language processing. “Since language is so important and babies learn it so fast, in just a few years, we originally expected to see stronger brain responses to speech than to cries,” Gervain told PsyPost. “We were actually surprised to see that newborns respond to cries more strongly, suggesting that what they can produce is important for them.”
The adult participants exhibited a different pattern of neural responses compared to the infants. In adults, spoken language generated significantly greater brain activity than infant crying across the left temporo-parietal and right temporal regions. Because the adult participants spoke Italian and did not understand French, their temporal lobes processed the unfamiliar speech sounds based on their acoustic structures rather than their word meanings.
The adults showed activation within frontal motor regions when listening to both spoken sentences and newborn crying, reflecting their physical capability to produce both sound types. Gervain emphasized the primary takeaway from how newborn brains handle these signals. “Our findings show that the brains of newborn babies, just after a day or two after birth, respond more strongly to cries, so to the communicative sounds they themselves can produce, than to speech,” Gervain observed. “This suggests that producing sounds may play a stronger role in perception than we previously believed.”
She added that self-produced vocalizations serve a practical purpose in early human development. “The sounds babies themselves can produce are very important for them and can help them learn more about the sounds themselves and about communication more generally,” Gervain stated.
The emotional intensity of crying represents one potential factor that requires thoughtful consideration when interpreting these findings. Crying naturally conveys distress, which tends to heighten emotional arousal in listeners and could potentially increase brain activity independently of vocal production. Emotional arousal alone does not fully account for why motor regions of the brain were activated exclusively by crying in newborns and by both sounds in adults.
Future research could build upon these findings by evaluating how infants respond to cries produced by newborns from different language backgrounds or by testing whether babies display unique brain patterns when hearing recordings of their own cries. Gervain and her colleagues are currently extending this line of research to older infants to see how brain responses evolve alongside developing vocal abilities.
“Continuing this line, we are now looking at somewhat older infants, 6-to-10-month-olds, and seeing how they respond to babbling,” Gervain said. “Following the logic of the current study, 6-to-10-month-olds just begin to produce speech, and their production, that is babbling, is not yet like adult speech, but this is what they themselves can produce, so babbling may be particularly important for them.”
She noted that her team is currently recording brain activity to track these changes across development. “So we are now testing how babies’ brains react to babbling as compared to speech between 6 and 10 months, and whether this changes with their increasing ability to babble or speak,” Gervain explained.
The study, “Do babies perceive cries as speech?,” was authored by Gaia Lucarini, Irene de la Cruz-Pavía, Jessica Gemignani, Caroline Nallet, Alexandre Lapillonne, and Judit Gervain.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/newborn-brains-respond-more-strongly-to-crying-than-to-speech-study-finds/
-------------------------------------------------
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-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 08:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Newborn brains respond more strongly to crying than to speech, study finds
URL: https://www.psypost.org/newborn-brains-respond-more-strongly-to-crying-than-to-speech-study-finds/
A new study published in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience indicates that newborn babies show stronger brain responses to the sound of infant cries than to spoken sentences. The findings suggest that an infant’s biological ability to produce a specific sound may shape how their brain processes auditory information from the moment they are born. This discovery provides evidence that the biological link between vocal production and speech perception begins much earlier in human development than scientists previously assumed.
In adult human communication, listening to speech and producing vocal sounds are deeply interconnected processes. When adults hear language, the regions of the brain responsible for moving the mouth, tongue, and throat tend to activate alongside the regions that process hearing. Scientists refer to this interaction as the perception-production link, which allows individuals to compare the sounds they hear with the physical movements needed to recreate them.
Human infants enter the world with sophisticated listening abilities despite their inability to speak words. Expectant mothers pass speech sounds through the uterine wall, allowing fetuses to hear language starting around the twentieth to twenty-fourth week of pregnancy. Because of this early exposure, newborns show a strong preference for listening to human speech over many other environmental noises.
Spoken language represents an acoustically complex signal that infants have heard for months before birth. Infant crying, on the other hand, is a simpler sound that babies only begin hearing after they enter the world. However, crying is unique because it is the only communicative sound that newborn babies are physically capable of generating on their own.
To explore how early physical capabilities influence auditory development, researchers evaluated whether newborns process cries in a manner similar to speech. Judit Gervain, a professor of developmental psychology at the University of Padua and a senior research scientist at the Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center in Paris, detailed the rationale behind the study. She noted that an expanding body of research indicates that even before babies can speak, they remain sensitive to the movements of their mouth and tongue, which can shape how they process sounds.
“In other words, their growing abilities to produce speech go hand in hand with their abilities to perceive speech,” Gervain explained. “We wanted to test how early this production-perception link begins, and since the earliest communicative sounds babies can make are cries, indeed, the very first sounds a newborn infant makes immediately at birth are cries, we decided to test how babies perceive cries and whether it is similar to how they perceive speech.”
To test this idea, researchers examined twenty-five healthy full-term newborn infants who had been exposed to the French language during pregnancy. The group included fifteen females and ten males, with an average age of approximately two days old, ranging from one to four days. The infants had an average gestational age of thirty-nine weeks and six days, with a mean birth weight of 3,320 grams and strong health scores at birth.
An additional forty-five infants participated in the experiment but were excluded from the final analysis due to movement, crying, or technical issues. A major reason for this high exclusion rate involves a natural reaction known as emotional contagion, which occurs when newborns become distressed and start crying upon hearing the sound of other infants crying. The researchers also tested twenty-seven adult native Italian speakers who had no prior knowledge of the French language.
The research team measured brain activity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, a non-invasive imaging technology often abbreviated as fNIRS. This technique uses caps fitted with special lights and sensors to measure changes in blood oxygen levels through the skull. When specific brain regions become active, they consume more oxygen, allowing sensors to track neural responses across the frontal, temporal, and parietal areas of the brain.
The auditory stimuli consisted of cry recordings from ten French newborns and spoken French sentences recorded by ten adult French women. Each cry sound was paired with a spoken sentence of equal length, averaging roughly 1.09 seconds per item. The volume of all recordings was normalized to ensure consistency, though the infant cries had a higher average pitch of 430 hertz compared to 233 hertz for adult speech.
During the experiment, participants listened to twenty blocks of auditory stimuli, with ten blocks containing crying sounds and ten blocks containing spoken sentences. Each block lasted approximately twenty seconds and contained ten different audio samples presented in a randomized order. Silent rest periods lasting between twenty-five and thirty seconds were placed between the blocks to give the brain time to reset.
When comparing the neural activity triggered by both sound types, the authors observed that newborns showed greater activity in response to crying than to speech within the right temporal region of the brain. The temporal regions are primarily involved in processing sound and acoustic patterns. When listening to spoken language alone, the infants exhibited heightened activity in the left temporal and right temporo-parietal areas compared to silent baseline periods.
When listening to crying sounds, the newborns demonstrated increased activity in left fronto-temporo-parietal regions as well as right temporal regions. The activation in the frontal cortex is notable because this area contains the motor regions that control physical movement. Spoken language did not trigger this motor region activity in the newborns, suggesting that brain areas tied to movement respond specifically to sounds the infants can produce.
These results contradicted the research team’s initial expectations regarding early language processing. “Since language is so important and babies learn it so fast, in just a few years, we originally expected to see stronger brain responses to speech than to cries,” Gervain told PsyPost. “We were actually surprised to see that newborns respond to cries more strongly, suggesting that what they can produce is important for them.”
The adult participants exhibited a different pattern of neural responses compared to the infants. In adults, spoken language generated significantly greater brain activity than infant crying across the left temporo-parietal and right temporal regions. Because the adult participants spoke Italian and did not understand French, their temporal lobes processed the unfamiliar speech sounds based on their acoustic structures rather than their word meanings.
The adults showed activation within frontal motor regions when listening to both spoken sentences and newborn crying, reflecting their physical capability to produce both sound types. Gervain emphasized the primary takeaway from how newborn brains handle these signals. “Our findings show that the brains of newborn babies, just after a day or two after birth, respond more strongly to cries, so to the communicative sounds they themselves can produce, than to speech,” Gervain observed. “This suggests that producing sounds may play a stronger role in perception than we previously believed.”
She added that self-produced vocalizations serve a practical purpose in early human development. “The sounds babies themselves can produce are very important for them and can help them learn more about the sounds themselves and about communication more generally,” Gervain stated.
The emotional intensity of crying represents one potential factor that requires thoughtful consideration when interpreting these findings. Crying naturally conveys distress, which tends to heighten emotional arousal in listeners and could potentially increase brain activity independently of vocal production. Emotional arousal alone does not fully account for why motor regions of the brain were activated exclusively by crying in newborns and by both sounds in adults.
Future research could build upon these findings by evaluating how infants respond to cries produced by newborns from different language backgrounds or by testing whether babies display unique brain patterns when hearing recordings of their own cries. Gervain and her colleagues are currently extending this line of research to older infants to see how brain responses evolve alongside developing vocal abilities.
“Continuing this line, we are now looking at somewhat older infants, 6-to-10-month-olds, and seeing how they respond to babbling,” Gervain said. “Following the logic of the current study, 6-to-10-month-olds just begin to produce speech, and their production, that is babbling, is not yet like adult speech, but this is what they themselves can produce, so babbling may be particularly important for them.”
She noted that her team is currently recording brain activity to track these changes across development. “So we are now testing how babies’ brains react to babbling as compared to speech between 6 and 10 months, and whether this changes with their increasing ability to babble or speak,” Gervain explained.
The study, “Do babies perceive cries as speech?,” was authored by Gaia Lucarini, Irene de la Cruz-Pavía, Jessica Gemignani, Caroline Nallet, Alexandre Lapillonne, and Judit Gervain.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/newborn-brains-respond-more-strongly-to-crying-than-to-speech-study-finds/
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #newborneysbrains #criesvsspeech #productionperceptionlink #earlylanguagedevelopment #infanthearing #cryofthebrain #fNIRS #neuroscienceofspeech #babiesbabble #languageacquisition
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 07:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Memory retrieval deficits tied to worse symptoms in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder
People diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder often struggle to recall specific personal memories, a cognitive trait that appears to worsen the severity of their symptoms. New research reveals this memory pattern is tied to deficits in mental flexibility and working memory, offering potential novel targets for psychological therapies. The study was published in the journal Behaviour Research and Therapy.
Autobiographical memory allows people to mentally travel back in time to retrieve detailed experiences from their past. A specific memory usually involves an event that happened on a particular day in a definite location. People who experience overgeneral memory retrieve broader, less detailed summaries of events instead.
For example, a specific memory might be recalling a specific dinner eaten with a friend last Friday evening. An overgeneral memory would involve stating that one frequently eats dinner with friends on weekends. This tendency to recall categorical information rather than specific moments is a recognized cognitive trait in several mental health conditions.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an often debilitating mental health condition marked by intrusive, unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviors. People living with the condition often struggle with various mental tasks collectively known as executive functions. Executive functions act as the brain’s management system, directing focus, holding information in mind, and stopping impulsive actions.
Previous research on how overgeneral memory affects people with obsessive-compulsive disorder yielded mixed results. Some early studies suggested that the memory issues observed in these patients were actually the result of overlapping symptoms of depression or anxiety. The exact ways that executive functions relate to memory recall in this specific population remained a mystery.
Liru Qian, a researcher at Central South University in China, and colleagues designed an investigation to resolve these ambiguities. The research team wanted to see if overgeneral memory exists independently of mood disturbances in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder. They also aimed to map out how specific elements of executive function connect to these memory patterns and overall symptom severity.
To explore these relationships, the researchers recruited 112 patients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and 101 healthy subjects from the local community. The patients underwent diagnostic interviews to confirm their condition and rule out other severe psychiatric illnesses, like major depressive disorder or schizophrenia. The total group of roughly 200 participants completed a series of computerized behavioral tests and clinical assessments.
The team used a specialized autobiographical memory test to measure how well participants could recall specific events. The test presented individuals with a series of positive, negative, and neutral cue words. Participants had one minute per word to describe a specific personal event related to the prompt. Trained raters later scored the responses based on how specific or broad the recounted memories were.
Researchers also assessed three individual types of executive function using distinct behavioral tasks. They used a memory sequence challenge to measure working memory, which requires holding and updating information over short periods. During this test, participants monitored a sequence of numbers and had to identify when a current number matched one presented a few steps earlier.
To measure cognitive flexibility, the team used a task-switching game. Cognitive flexibility is the mental agility required to shift attention between different rules or concepts. Participants looked at numbers inside geometric shapes and had to alter how they judged the numbers depending on the shape surrounding them.
Finally, the researchers evaluated inhibitory control using a stop-signal task. Inhibitory control is the ability to suppress an action that has already been initiated. Participants pressed designated buttons in response to specific letters but were instructed to hold back their physical response if the letter suddenly changed color on the screen.
The research team also recorded the severity of symptoms for the group with obsessive-compulsive disorder. They used a standardized clinical questionnaire that grades the intensity of invasive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
The study revealed noticeable differences in how the groups recalled their pasts. Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder exhibited much higher rates of overgeneral memory when presented with positive and negative cue words. They recalled broad categories of emotional events rather than specific, pinned-down moments.
This pattern did not extend to neutral cue words. Both the clinical group and the healthy control group recalled similar levels of specific detail when the prompts lacked an emotional charge.
The researchers theorize that this response to emotional cues is linked to the chronic cognitive state of the patients. Intrusive negative thoughts might activate a persistent negative mental framework. This framework takes over the retrieval process when a negative word appears, leading to a loop of rumination rather than a specific memory search.
The dampened ability to recall specific positive memories might result from a mismatch in emotional states. Because the patients often experience persistent distress, positive prompts clash with their internal mood. This emotional incongruence makes specific happy memories harder to access, prompting the brain to supply generic answers instead.
The researchers used statistical models to account for baseline levels of depression and anxiety among the participants. The memory differences between the groups remained robust even after adjusting for these mood factors. This indicates that the overgeneral memory trait is tied directly to the pathology of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
By analyzing the executive function scores, the team mapped out how mental management skills relate to memory retrieval. Cognitive flexibility proved to be the strongest predictor of overgeneral memory among the clinical group. Patients who struggled the most to adapt to changing rules during the task-switching game also had the hardest time recalling specific memories.
Working memory deficits also predicted a higher rate of overgeneral memory. The ability to monitor and update information appears to aid the mind in filtering through broad experiences to find a specific event. Noticeably, the scores from the stop-signal task did not yield statistically significant associations with memory recall.
The specific inability to suppress behavioral responses does not appear to dictate memory specificity in this context. The memory issues seem rooted in a failure to strategically build and shift a memory search, rather than a failure to block out intrusive information.
The research team then looked at how these cognitive challenges relate to a patient’s daily struggles. They found that a higher tendency toward overgeneral memory predicted worse overall symptom severity. Patients who recalled the least specific detail about their pasts experienced the most intense obsessive thoughts and compulsions.
A moderated relationship emerged between cognitive flexibility, memory, and symptom severity. The association between overgeneral memory and worse symptoms peaked specifically among patients with the lowest cognitive flexibility. The mental rigidity seems to compound the negative effects of the memory deficits.
The authors noted several limitations in their research methodology. The study utilized a cross-sectional design, which captures data at a single point in time. This approach prevents any definitive conclusions about causality.
It is impossible to say whether the cognitive deficits cause the severe symptoms, or if severe symptoms degrade the cognitive abilities over time. Tracking patients over long periods could help establish the exact direction of these psychological relationships.
The researchers also pointed out a limitation with their measure of inhibitory control. The stop-signal task only measures behavioral inhibition, missing out on internal cognitive mechanisms. A broader battery of tests might reveal different associations between memory and the ability to suppress specific thoughts.
Because the study relied entirely on behavioral game performance, the underlying brain biology remains unmapped. Subsequent investigations could use brain imaging technology to observe the neural activity taking place while patients attempt to recall personal events. Understanding these physiological mechanisms could refine targeted psychological therapies to ease the functional burden of severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The study, “Overgeneral autobiographical memory in obsessive-compulsive disorder: the differential roles of executive function subcomponents and the impact on symptom severity,” was authored by Liru Qian, Huihui Yang, Guojuan Jiao, Meiqian Tang, Xiaoshuang Gu, Mingtian Zhong, Ming Cheng, and Jinyao Yi.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #OCDmemory #OvergeneralMemory #ExecutiveFunction #CognitiveFlexibility #WorkingMemory #AutobiographicalMemory #MentalHealthResearch # OCDsymptoms #MemoryRetrieval #BehavioralTherapy
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 07:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Memory retrieval deficits tied to worse symptoms in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder
People diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder often struggle to recall specific personal memories, a cognitive trait that appears to worsen the severity of their symptoms. New research reveals this memory pattern is tied to deficits in mental flexibility and working memory, offering potential novel targets for psychological therapies. The study was published in the journal Behaviour Research and Therapy.
Autobiographical memory allows people to mentally travel back in time to retrieve detailed experiences from their past. A specific memory usually involves an event that happened on a particular day in a definite location. People who experience overgeneral memory retrieve broader, less detailed summaries of events instead.
For example, a specific memory might be recalling a specific dinner eaten with a friend last Friday evening. An overgeneral memory would involve stating that one frequently eats dinner with friends on weekends. This tendency to recall categorical information rather than specific moments is a recognized cognitive trait in several mental health conditions.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an often debilitating mental health condition marked by intrusive, unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviors. People living with the condition often struggle with various mental tasks collectively known as executive functions. Executive functions act as the brain’s management system, directing focus, holding information in mind, and stopping impulsive actions.
Previous research on how overgeneral memory affects people with obsessive-compulsive disorder yielded mixed results. Some early studies suggested that the memory issues observed in these patients were actually the result of overlapping symptoms of depression or anxiety. The exact ways that executive functions relate to memory recall in this specific population remained a mystery.
Liru Qian, a researcher at Central South University in China, and colleagues designed an investigation to resolve these ambiguities. The research team wanted to see if overgeneral memory exists independently of mood disturbances in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder. They also aimed to map out how specific elements of executive function connect to these memory patterns and overall symptom severity.
To explore these relationships, the researchers recruited 112 patients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and 101 healthy subjects from the local community. The patients underwent diagnostic interviews to confirm their condition and rule out other severe psychiatric illnesses, like major depressive disorder or schizophrenia. The total group of roughly 200 participants completed a series of computerized behavioral tests and clinical assessments.
The team used a specialized autobiographical memory test to measure how well participants could recall specific events. The test presented individuals with a series of positive, negative, and neutral cue words. Participants had one minute per word to describe a specific personal event related to the prompt. Trained raters later scored the responses based on how specific or broad the recounted memories were.
Researchers also assessed three individual types of executive function using distinct behavioral tasks. They used a memory sequence challenge to measure working memory, which requires holding and updating information over short periods. During this test, participants monitored a sequence of numbers and had to identify when a current number matched one presented a few steps earlier.
To measure cognitive flexibility, the team used a task-switching game. Cognitive flexibility is the mental agility required to shift attention between different rules or concepts. Participants looked at numbers inside geometric shapes and had to alter how they judged the numbers depending on the shape surrounding them.
Finally, the researchers evaluated inhibitory control using a stop-signal task. Inhibitory control is the ability to suppress an action that has already been initiated. Participants pressed designated buttons in response to specific letters but were instructed to hold back their physical response if the letter suddenly changed color on the screen.
The research team also recorded the severity of symptoms for the group with obsessive-compulsive disorder. They used a standardized clinical questionnaire that grades the intensity of invasive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
The study revealed noticeable differences in how the groups recalled their pasts. Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder exhibited much higher rates of overgeneral memory when presented with positive and negative cue words. They recalled broad categories of emotional events rather than specific, pinned-down moments.
This pattern did not extend to neutral cue words. Both the clinical group and the healthy control group recalled similar levels of specific detail when the prompts lacked an emotional charge.
The researchers theorize that this response to emotional cues is linked to the chronic cognitive state of the patients. Intrusive negative thoughts might activate a persistent negative mental framework. This framework takes over the retrieval process when a negative word appears, leading to a loop of rumination rather than a specific memory search.
The dampened ability to recall specific positive memories might result from a mismatch in emotional states. Because the patients often experience persistent distress, positive prompts clash with their internal mood. This emotional incongruence makes specific happy memories harder to access, prompting the brain to supply generic answers instead.
The researchers used statistical models to account for baseline levels of depression and anxiety among the participants. The memory differences between the groups remained robust even after adjusting for these mood factors. This indicates that the overgeneral memory trait is tied directly to the pathology of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
By analyzing the executive function scores, the team mapped out how mental management skills relate to memory retrieval. Cognitive flexibility proved to be the strongest predictor of overgeneral memory among the clinical group. Patients who struggled the most to adapt to changing rules during the task-switching game also had the hardest time recalling specific memories.
Working memory deficits also predicted a higher rate of overgeneral memory. The ability to monitor and update information appears to aid the mind in filtering through broad experiences to find a specific event. Noticeably, the scores from the stop-signal task did not yield statistically significant associations with memory recall.
The specific inability to suppress behavioral responses does not appear to dictate memory specificity in this context. The memory issues seem rooted in a failure to strategically build and shift a memory search, rather than a failure to block out intrusive information.
The research team then looked at how these cognitive challenges relate to a patient’s daily struggles. They found that a higher tendency toward overgeneral memory predicted worse overall symptom severity. Patients who recalled the least specific detail about their pasts experienced the most intense obsessive thoughts and compulsions.
A moderated relationship emerged between cognitive flexibility, memory, and symptom severity. The association between overgeneral memory and worse symptoms peaked specifically among patients with the lowest cognitive flexibility. The mental rigidity seems to compound the negative effects of the memory deficits.
The authors noted several limitations in their research methodology. The study utilized a cross-sectional design, which captures data at a single point in time. This approach prevents any definitive conclusions about causality.
It is impossible to say whether the cognitive deficits cause the severe symptoms, or if severe symptoms degrade the cognitive abilities over time. Tracking patients over long periods could help establish the exact direction of these psychological relationships.
The researchers also pointed out a limitation with their measure of inhibitory control. The stop-signal task only measures behavioral inhibition, missing out on internal cognitive mechanisms. A broader battery of tests might reveal different associations between memory and the ability to suppress specific thoughts.
Because the study relied entirely on behavioral game performance, the underlying brain biology remains unmapped. Subsequent investigations could use brain imaging technology to observe the neural activity taking place while patients attempt to recall personal events. Understanding these physiological mechanisms could refine targeted psychological therapies to ease the functional burden of severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The study, “Overgeneral autobiographical memory in obsessive-compulsive disorder: the differential roles of executive function subcomponents and the impact on symptom severity,” was authored by Liru Qian, Huihui Yang, Guojuan Jiao, Meiqian Tang, Xiaoshuang Gu, Mingtian Zhong, Ming Cheng, and Jinyao Yi.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #OCDmemory #OvergeneralMemory #ExecutiveFunction #CognitiveFlexibility #WorkingMemory #AutobiographicalMemory #MentalHealthResearch # OCDsymptoms #MemoryRetrieval #BehavioralTherapy
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 07:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Memory retrieval deficits tied to worse symptoms in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder
People diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder often struggle to recall specific personal memories, a cognitive trait that appears to worsen the severity of their symptoms. New research reveals this memory pattern is tied to deficits in mental flexibility and working memory, offering potential novel targets for psychological therapies. The study was published in the journal Behaviour Research and Therapy.
Autobiographical memory allows people to mentally travel back in time to retrieve detailed experiences from their past. A specific memory usually involves an event that happened on a particular day in a definite location. People who experience overgeneral memory retrieve broader, less detailed summaries of events instead.
For example, a specific memory might be recalling a specific dinner eaten with a friend last Friday evening. An overgeneral memory would involve stating that one frequently eats dinner with friends on weekends. This tendency to recall categorical information rather than specific moments is a recognized cognitive trait in several mental health conditions.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an often debilitating mental health condition marked by intrusive, unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviors. People living with the condition often struggle with various mental tasks collectively known as executive functions. Executive functions act as the brain’s management system, directing focus, holding information in mind, and stopping impulsive actions.
Previous research on how overgeneral memory affects people with obsessive-compulsive disorder yielded mixed results. Some early studies suggested that the memory issues observed in these patients were actually the result of overlapping symptoms of depression or anxiety. The exact ways that executive functions relate to memory recall in this specific population remained a mystery.
Liru Qian, a researcher at Central South University in China, and colleagues designed an investigation to resolve these ambiguities. The research team wanted to see if overgeneral memory exists independently of mood disturbances in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder. They also aimed to map out how specific elements of executive function connect to these memory patterns and overall symptom severity.
To explore these relationships, the researchers recruited 112 patients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and 101 healthy subjects from the local community. The patients underwent diagnostic interviews to confirm their condition and rule out other severe psychiatric illnesses, like major depressive disorder or schizophrenia. The total group of roughly 200 participants completed a series of computerized behavioral tests and clinical assessments.
The team used a specialized autobiographical memory test to measure how well participants could recall specific events. The test presented individuals with a series of positive, negative, and neutral cue words. Participants had one minute per word to describe a specific personal event related to the prompt. Trained raters later scored the responses based on how specific or broad the recounted memories were.
Researchers also assessed three individual types of executive function using distinct behavioral tasks. They used a memory sequence challenge to measure working memory, which requires holding and updating information over short periods. During this test, participants monitored a sequence of numbers and had to identify when a current number matched one presented a few steps earlier.
To measure cognitive flexibility, the team used a task-switching game. Cognitive flexibility is the mental agility required to shift attention between different rules or concepts. Participants looked at numbers inside geometric shapes and had to alter how they judged the numbers depending on the shape surrounding them.
Finally, the researchers evaluated inhibitory control using a stop-signal task. Inhibitory control is the ability to suppress an action that has already been initiated. Participants pressed designated buttons in response to specific letters but were instructed to hold back their physical response if the letter suddenly changed color on the screen.
The research team also recorded the severity of symptoms for the group with obsessive-compulsive disorder. They used a standardized clinical questionnaire that grades the intensity of invasive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
The study revealed noticeable differences in how the groups recalled their pasts. Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder exhibited much higher rates of overgeneral memory when presented with positive and negative cue words. They recalled broad categories of emotional events rather than specific, pinned-down moments.
This pattern did not extend to neutral cue words. Both the clinical group and the healthy control group recalled similar levels of specific detail when the prompts lacked an emotional charge.
The researchers theorize that this response to emotional cues is linked to the chronic cognitive state of the patients. Intrusive negative thoughts might activate a persistent negative mental framework. This framework takes over the retrieval process when a negative word appears, leading to a loop of rumination rather than a specific memory search.
The dampened ability to recall specific positive memories might result from a mismatch in emotional states. Because the patients often experience persistent distress, positive prompts clash with their internal mood. This emotional incongruence makes specific happy memories harder to access, prompting the brain to supply generic answers instead.
The researchers used statistical models to account for baseline levels of depression and anxiety among the participants. The memory differences between the groups remained robust even after adjusting for these mood factors. This indicates that the overgeneral memory trait is tied directly to the pathology of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
By analyzing the executive function scores, the team mapped out how mental management skills relate to memory retrieval. Cognitive flexibility proved to be the strongest predictor of overgeneral memory among the clinical group. Patients who struggled the most to adapt to changing rules during the task-switching game also had the hardest time recalling specific memories.
Working memory deficits also predicted a higher rate of overgeneral memory. The ability to monitor and update information appears to aid the mind in filtering through broad experiences to find a specific event. Noticeably, the scores from the stop-signal task did not yield statistically significant associations with memory recall.
The specific inability to suppress behavioral responses does not appear to dictate memory specificity in this context. The memory issues seem rooted in a failure to strategically build and shift a memory search, rather than a failure to block out intrusive information.
The research team then looked at how these cognitive challenges relate to a patient’s daily struggles. They found that a higher tendency toward overgeneral memory predicted worse overall symptom severity. Patients who recalled the least specific detail about their pasts experienced the most intense obsessive thoughts and compulsions.
A moderated relationship emerged between cognitive flexibility, memory, and symptom severity. The association between overgeneral memory and worse symptoms peaked specifically among patients with the lowest cognitive flexibility. The mental rigidity seems to compound the negative effects of the memory deficits.
The authors noted several limitations in their research methodology. The study utilized a cross-sectional design, which captures data at a single point in time. This approach prevents any definitive conclusions about causality.
It is impossible to say whether the cognitive deficits cause the severe symptoms, or if severe symptoms degrade the cognitive abilities over time. Tracking patients over long periods could help establish the exact direction of these psychological relationships.
The researchers also pointed out a limitation with their measure of inhibitory control. The stop-signal task only measures behavioral inhibition, missing out on internal cognitive mechanisms. A broader battery of tests might reveal different associations between memory and the ability to suppress specific thoughts.
Because the study relied entirely on behavioral game performance, the underlying brain biology remains unmapped. Subsequent investigations could use brain imaging technology to observe the neural activity taking place while patients attempt to recall personal events. Understanding these physiological mechanisms could refine targeted psychological therapies to ease the functional burden of severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The study, “Overgeneral autobiographical memory in obsessive-compulsive disorder: the differential roles of executive function subcomponents and the impact on symptom severity,” was authored by Liru Qian, Huihui Yang, Guojuan Jiao, Meiqian Tang, Xiaoshuang Gu, Mingtian Zhong, Ming Cheng, and Jinyao Yi.
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DATE: July 26, 2026 at 07:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Memory retrieval deficits tied to worse symptoms in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder
People diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder often struggle to recall specific personal memories, a cognitive trait that appears to worsen the severity of their symptoms. New research reveals this memory pattern is tied to deficits in mental flexibility and working memory, offering potential novel targets for psychological therapies. The study was published in the journal Behaviour Research and Therapy.
Autobiographical memory allows people to mentally travel back in time to retrieve detailed experiences from their past. A specific memory usually involves an event that happened on a particular day in a definite location. People who experience overgeneral memory retrieve broader, less detailed summaries of events instead.
For example, a specific memory might be recalling a specific dinner eaten with a friend last Friday evening. An overgeneral memory would involve stating that one frequently eats dinner with friends on weekends. This tendency to recall categorical information rather than specific moments is a recognized cognitive trait in several mental health conditions.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an often debilitating mental health condition marked by intrusive, unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviors. People living with the condition often struggle with various mental tasks collectively known as executive functions. Executive functions act as the brain’s management system, directing focus, holding information in mind, and stopping impulsive actions.
Previous research on how overgeneral memory affects people with obsessive-compulsive disorder yielded mixed results. Some early studies suggested that the memory issues observed in these patients were actually the result of overlapping symptoms of depression or anxiety. The exact ways that executive functions relate to memory recall in this specific population remained a mystery.
Liru Qian, a researcher at Central South University in China, and colleagues designed an investigation to resolve these ambiguities. The research team wanted to see if overgeneral memory exists independently of mood disturbances in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder. They also aimed to map out how specific elements of executive function connect to these memory patterns and overall symptom severity.
To explore these relationships, the researchers recruited 112 patients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and 101 healthy subjects from the local community. The patients underwent diagnostic interviews to confirm their condition and rule out other severe psychiatric illnesses, like major depressive disorder or schizophrenia. The total group of roughly 200 participants completed a series of computerized behavioral tests and clinical assessments.
The team used a specialized autobiographical memory test to measure how well participants could recall specific events. The test presented individuals with a series of positive, negative, and neutral cue words. Participants had one minute per word to describe a specific personal event related to the prompt. Trained raters later scored the responses based on how specific or broad the recounted memories were.
Researchers also assessed three individual types of executive function using distinct behavioral tasks. They used a memory sequence challenge to measure working memory, which requires holding and updating information over short periods. During this test, participants monitored a sequence of numbers and had to identify when a current number matched one presented a few steps earlier.
To measure cognitive flexibility, the team used a task-switching game. Cognitive flexibility is the mental agility required to shift attention between different rules or concepts. Participants looked at numbers inside geometric shapes and had to alter how they judged the numbers depending on the shape surrounding them.
Finally, the researchers evaluated inhibitory control using a stop-signal task. Inhibitory control is the ability to suppress an action that has already been initiated. Participants pressed designated buttons in response to specific letters but were instructed to hold back their physical response if the letter suddenly changed color on the screen.
The research team also recorded the severity of symptoms for the group with obsessive-compulsive disorder. They used a standardized clinical questionnaire that grades the intensity of invasive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
The study revealed noticeable differences in how the groups recalled their pasts. Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder exhibited much higher rates of overgeneral memory when presented with positive and negative cue words. They recalled broad categories of emotional events rather than specific, pinned-down moments.
This pattern did not extend to neutral cue words. Both the clinical group and the healthy control group recalled similar levels of specific detail when the prompts lacked an emotional charge.
The researchers theorize that this response to emotional cues is linked to the chronic cognitive state of the patients. Intrusive negative thoughts might activate a persistent negative mental framework. This framework takes over the retrieval process when a negative word appears, leading to a loop of rumination rather than a specific memory search.
The dampened ability to recall specific positive memories might result from a mismatch in emotional states. Because the patients often experience persistent distress, positive prompts clash with their internal mood. This emotional incongruence makes specific happy memories harder to access, prompting the brain to supply generic answers instead.
The researchers used statistical models to account for baseline levels of depression and anxiety among the participants. The memory differences between the groups remained robust even after adjusting for these mood factors. This indicates that the overgeneral memory trait is tied directly to the pathology of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
By analyzing the executive function scores, the team mapped out how mental management skills relate to memory retrieval. Cognitive flexibility proved to be the strongest predictor of overgeneral memory among the clinical group. Patients who struggled the most to adapt to changing rules during the task-switching game also had the hardest time recalling specific memories.
Working memory deficits also predicted a higher rate of overgeneral memory. The ability to monitor and update information appears to aid the mind in filtering through broad experiences to find a specific event. Noticeably, the scores from the stop-signal task did not yield statistically significant associations with memory recall.
The specific inability to suppress behavioral responses does not appear to dictate memory specificity in this context. The memory issues seem rooted in a failure to strategically build and shift a memory search, rather than a failure to block out intrusive information.
The research team then looked at how these cognitive challenges relate to a patient’s daily struggles. They found that a higher tendency toward overgeneral memory predicted worse overall symptom severity. Patients who recalled the least specific detail about their pasts experienced the most intense obsessive thoughts and compulsions.
A moderated relationship emerged between cognitive flexibility, memory, and symptom severity. The association between overgeneral memory and worse symptoms peaked specifically among patients with the lowest cognitive flexibility. The mental rigidity seems to compound the negative effects of the memory deficits.
The authors noted several limitations in their research methodology. The study utilized a cross-sectional design, which captures data at a single point in time. This approach prevents any definitive conclusions about causality.
It is impossible to say whether the cognitive deficits cause the severe symptoms, or if severe symptoms degrade the cognitive abilities over time. Tracking patients over long periods could help establish the exact direction of these psychological relationships.
The researchers also pointed out a limitation with their measure of inhibitory control. The stop-signal task only measures behavioral inhibition, missing out on internal cognitive mechanisms. A broader battery of tests might reveal different associations between memory and the ability to suppress specific thoughts.
Because the study relied entirely on behavioral game performance, the underlying brain biology remains unmapped. Subsequent investigations could use brain imaging technology to observe the neural activity taking place while patients attempt to recall personal events. Understanding these physiological mechanisms could refine targeted psychological therapies to ease the functional burden of severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The study, “Overgeneral autobiographical memory in obsessive-compulsive disorder: the differential roles of executive function subcomponents and the impact on symptom severity,” was authored by Liru Qian, Huihui Yang, Guojuan Jiao, Meiqian Tang, Xiaoshuang Gu, Mingtian Zhong, Ming Cheng, and Jinyao Yi.
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Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #OCDmemory #OvergeneralMemory #ExecutiveFunction #CognitiveFlexibility #WorkingMemory #AutobiographicalMemory #MentalHealthResearch # OCDsymptoms #MemoryRetrieval #BehavioralTherapy
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DATE: July 26, 2026 at 04:16AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY PSYCHOLOGY FEEDTITLE: Inside the Backrooms: The internet’s creepiest place is becoming a tourist attraction
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260726015254.htm
The Backrooms began as a single eerie image of empty yellow rooms, but internet users transformed it into a vast fictional world that feels disturbingly real. Through videos, games, maps, survival guides and social media stories, audiences do more than watch the horror unfold. They help build and explore it. Researchers suggest this popularity reflects a new kind of digital tourism, where people emotionally enter imaginary places filled with mystery, nostalgia and unease.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260726015254.htm
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Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #Backrooms #CreepyTourism #DigitalTourism #InternetHorror #Creepypasta #ImaginaryWorlds #HorrorGaming #SurvivalGuides #OnlineLegends #MysteryNostalgia
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DATE: July 26, 2026 at 04:16AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY PSYCHOLOGY FEEDTITLE: Inside the Backrooms: The internet’s creepiest place is becoming a tourist attraction
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260726015254.htm
The Backrooms began as a single eerie image of empty yellow rooms, but internet users transformed it into a vast fictional world that feels disturbingly real. Through videos, games, maps, survival guides and social media stories, audiences do more than watch the horror unfold. They help build and explore it. Researchers suggest this popularity reflects a new kind of digital tourism, where people emotionally enter imaginary places filled with mystery, nostalgia and unease.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260726015254.htm
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Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #Backrooms #CreepyTourism #DigitalTourism #InternetHorror #Creepypasta #ImaginaryWorlds #HorrorGaming #SurvivalGuides #OnlineLegends #MysteryNostalgia
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 04:16AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY PSYCHOLOGY FEEDTITLE: Inside the Backrooms: The internet’s creepiest place is becoming a tourist attraction
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260726015254.htm
The Backrooms began as a single eerie image of empty yellow rooms, but internet users transformed it into a vast fictional world that feels disturbingly real. Through videos, games, maps, survival guides and social media stories, audiences do more than watch the horror unfold. They help build and explore it. Researchers suggest this popularity reflects a new kind of digital tourism, where people emotionally enter imaginary places filled with mystery, nostalgia and unease.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260726015254.htm
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Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #Backrooms #CreepyTourism #DigitalTourism #InternetHorror #Creepypasta #ImaginaryWorlds #HorrorGaming #SurvivalGuides #OnlineLegends #MysteryNostalgia
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 06:14AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: A hidden Alzheimer’s tipping point may decide who gets dementia
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260726015257.htm
Scientists have identified a possible tipping point that helps determine whether Alzheimer’s-related brain changes lead to dementia. The key may lie in how the brain’s immune cells respond to plaques and tau, offering a promising new target for treatments designed to extend cognitive resilience.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260726015257.htm
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Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AlzheimersTippingPoint #DementiaRisk #BrainImmunity #PlaquesAndTau #CognitiveResilience #AlzheimersResearch #Neuroinflammation #DementiaPrevention #BrainHealth #NeuroscienceNews
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 06:14AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: A hidden Alzheimer’s tipping point may decide who gets dementia
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260726015257.htm
Scientists have identified a possible tipping point that helps determine whether Alzheimer’s-related brain changes lead to dementia. The key may lie in how the brain’s immune cells respond to plaques and tau, offering a promising new target for treatments designed to extend cognitive resilience.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260726015257.htm
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Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
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-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 04:16AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: Inside the Backrooms: The internet’s creepiest place is becoming a tourist attraction
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260726015254.htm
The Backrooms began as a single eerie image of empty yellow rooms, but internet users transformed it into a vast fictional world that feels disturbingly real. Through videos, games, maps, survival guides and social media stories, audiences do more than watch the horror unfold. They help build and explore it. Researchers suggest this popularity reflects a new kind of digital tourism, where people emotionally enter imaginary places filled with mystery, nostalgia and unease.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260726015254.htm
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
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-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 04:16AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: Inside the Backrooms: The internet’s creepiest place is becoming a tourist attraction
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260726015254.htm
The Backrooms began as a single eerie image of empty yellow rooms, but internet users transformed it into a vast fictional world that feels disturbingly real. Through videos, games, maps, survival guides and social media stories, audiences do more than watch the horror unfold. They help build and explore it. Researchers suggest this popularity reflects a new kind of digital tourism, where people emotionally enter imaginary places filled with mystery, nostalgia and unease.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260726015254.htm
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #Backrooms #Creepypasta #DigitalTourism #HorrorGaming #ParanormalInternet #YellowRooms #ImaginaryLocations #UrbanLegend #OnlineMystery #HorrorCommunity
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 06:14AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: A hidden Alzheimer’s tipping point may decide who gets dementia
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260726015257.htm
Scientists have identified a possible tipping point that helps determine whether Alzheimer’s-related brain changes lead to dementia. The key may lie in how the brain’s immune cells respond to plaques and tau, offering a promising new target for treatments designed to extend cognitive resilience.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260726015257.htm
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AlzheimersTippingPoint #DementiaRisk #BrainImmunity #PlaquesAndTau #CognitiveResilience #AlzheimersResearch #Neuroinflammation #DementiaPrevention #BrainHealth #NeuroscienceNews
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 04:16AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: Inside the Backrooms: The internet’s creepiest place is becoming a tourist attraction
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260726015254.htm
The Backrooms began as a single eerie image of empty yellow rooms, but internet users transformed it into a vast fictional world that feels disturbingly real. Through videos, games, maps, survival guides and social media stories, audiences do more than watch the horror unfold. They help build and explore it. Researchers suggest this popularity reflects a new kind of digital tourism, where people emotionally enter imaginary places filled with mystery, nostalgia and unease.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260726015254.htm
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #Backrooms #Creepypasta #DigitalTourism #HorrorGaming #ParanormalInternet #YellowRooms #ImaginaryLocations #UrbanLegend #OnlineMystery #HorrorCommunity
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Long-term study reveals how childhood ADHD impacts adult mental health, cognition, and daily life
An 18-year follow-up study published in Psychiatry Research provides evidence that children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder tend to face broader challenges in adulthood across multiple areas of life compared to their peers. The study evaluated adults who were diagnosed in childhood alongside their non-ADHD siblings and an unrelated control group. The findings indicate that siblings of children with ADHD generally experience typical adult functioning, suggesting that many long-term difficulties are specific to the condition itself rather than shared family upbringing.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, commonly known as ADHD, is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by ongoing patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. It affects roughly 5% to 7% of children worldwide. Although it was once considered a condition that individuals would outgrow, scientists now recognize that symptoms often persist into adulthood.
Longitudinal studies track the same individuals over extended periods, allowing scientists to observe how childhood health conditions unfold over time. Past research suggests that adults who were diagnosed with ADHD as children may experience higher rates of mood disorders, lower educational attainment, and reduced job stability. However, many existing studies have focused primarily on clinical symptoms rather than examining broad daily functioning, such as physical health, sleep quality, and social relationships.
“As part of my doctoral research I had the opportunity to follow-up a longitudinal cohort of children with ADHD, their siblings, and controls,” explained lead author Noa van der Plas, a doctoral researcher at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. “This cohort had been followed throughout childhood, but their most recent comprehensive follow-up had taken place 10 years ago.”
“Now that they had reached adulthood, we wanted to know how these children had grown up,” van der Plas told PsyPost. “While ADHD is known to be related to difficulties and impairment in childhood, much less is known about the long-term development of ADHD. Our aim was to investigate a broad range of aspects of daily functioning in adulthood among individuals who had been diagnosed with ADHD in childhood.”
To better understand the origins of adult difficulties, researchers examine the biological family members of individuals with ADHD. Full siblings share approximately 50% of their inherited genetic material and typically grow up in similar home environments with the same parents. Evaluating siblings alongside individuals with ADHD allows researchers to separate genetic and environmental influences from risks directly linked to the diagnosis itself.
The authors evaluated data from an 18-year prospective study originating from a cohort in the Netherlands. The sample included 154 adults diagnosed with childhood ADHD (averaging 28.7 years of age, 68% male), 138 siblings without childhood ADHD (averaging 29.6 years of age, 35% male), and 129 controls without a family history of ADHD (averaging 28.2 years of age, 40% male). On average, researchers re-evaluated participants 17.6 years after their initial inclusion in the study during childhood.
To gather comprehensive data, participants completed self-reported online surveys and standardized clinical interviews over secure video calls. Participants also designated a close friend, partner, or parent to complete observer questionnaires to provide outside perspectives on daily behaviors. The evaluation assessed seven key areas of adult life: psychiatric status, behavioral and emotional problems, academic and professional history, daily adaptive functioning, neurocognitive performance, physical health, and healthcare usage.
Statistical analyses revealed that adults diagnosed with childhood ADHD performed worse than control participants on over 60% of the measured outcomes. In terms of psychiatric status, 45% of participants in the childhood ADHD group met full diagnostic criteria for adult ADHD at follow-up. Major depressive disorder was diagnosed in 18% of adults with childhood ADHD, compared to 8% of controls and 6% of siblings.
“Children with ADHD are at an increased risk of challenges in adult functioning, including difficulties related to mental health, social functioning, and daily functioning,” van der Plas noted. “Notably, the risk of having a major depressive disorder in adulthood was greater for adults with childhood ADHD.”
Behavioral assessments showed that adults who had childhood ADHD reported higher levels of externalizing problems, which involve outward-directed difficulties like impulsive or aggressive actions. They also reported higher levels of autistic traits, mood dysregulation, physical aggression, and social aggression compared to control participants. In educational domains, individuals with childhood ADHD attained lower average levels of formal education and performed lower on neurocognitive measures of working memory and verbal fluency.
In measures of adaptive functioning and physical health, adults with childhood ADHD reported higher perceived stress and lower emotional well-being. They also demonstrated higher average body mass index values, worse sleep quality, and lower adherence to dietary guidelines established by national nutrition centers. Additionally, adults in the childhood ADHD group were significantly more likely to be currently prescribed ADHD medication compared to both siblings and control participants.
The sibling group demonstrated adult functioning that was largely comparable to the control group across most measures. “In childhood the siblings of the children with ADHD are at an increased risk of ADHD-related traits and show an intermediate neurocognitive profile compared to controls,” van der Plas explained. “Based on those findings we expected siblings to also show more difficulties in adult functioning. However, we found few differences between siblings and controls in adulthood.”
Siblings showed slightly elevated levels of self-reported ADHD traits and autistic traits, as well as slightly higher body mass index values compared to controls, but lacked major psychiatric or academic setbacks. “Finally, although the siblings of children with ADHD share half of their genetic material as well as part of their childhood environment, these siblings generally did not have an increased risk of problems in adulthood,” van der Plas said.
When comparing individuals whose ADHD persisted into adulthood against those whose condition remitted, specific patterns emerged. The persistent ADHD group displayed the highest risks for major depressive disorder, internalizing problems, severe stress, and poor sleep quality. However, adults whose childhood ADHD had remitted still showed lower educational attainment and lower cognitive scores compared to control participants, suggesting long-lasting impacts on learning.
The researchers emphasized that despite overall group differences, there is substantial diversity in how adults with childhood ADHD fare. “However, there is variability in the functioning of adults with childhood ADHD, and the majority of adults with childhood ADHD show functioning comparable to controls,” van der Plas told PsyPost. “There seems to be a subset of adults with childhood ADHD particularly experiencing impairment, which seems to be partly linked to a continued ADHD diagnosis.”
The author highlighted a key misinterpretation that she hopes the public will avoid when viewing the research. “Although, on average, adults with a childhood diagnosis of ADHD are more likely to experience difficulties in functioning, most are functioning comparably to individuals without ADHD,” van der Plas added.
Several limitations should be considered when evaluating these findings. The study sample was composed exclusively of individuals of Caucasian descent living in the Netherlands, which limits how well the conclusions apply to more diverse racial or cultural populations. Selective participant drop-out occurred over the 18-year period, as only a portion of the original childhood cohort was successfully re-evaluated.
The retained childhood ADHD group had slightly higher childhood symptom severity than those who dropped out, meaning the results may reflect outcomes for individuals with somewhat more severe early symptoms. Additionally, cognitive testing was conducted remotely over video calls rather than in a standardized physical laboratory, which might introduce minor variations in home testing environments.
“In other work of my doctoral research we additionally looked at specific medication outcomes, sex and gender differences in the long-term outcomes of childhood ADHD, the long-term outcomes of stimulant treatment in childhood, and attempted to identify predictors for long-term outcomes,” van der Plas said regarding her broader research goals. “Future research should investigate the risk and protective factors that are related to the differences in functioning in adults with childhood ADHD and identify which individuals are most at risk,” van der Plas concluded. “This knowledge can help improve prevention or intervention strategies.”
The study, “Growing up with ADHD: findings from an 18-year longitudinal follow-up study of adults with childhood ADHD, their siblings, and controls,” was authored by Noa E. van der Plas, Siri D.S. Noordermeer, Barbara Franke, Catharina A. Hartman, Pieter J. Hoekstra, Nanda N.J. Rommelse, Emma Sprooten, Marjolein Luman, and Jaap Oosterlaan.
-------------------------------------------------
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-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #ADHDadulthood #LongTermADHD #ChildhoodADHD #ADHDResearch #MentalHealthAwareness #NeurodevelopmentalDisorder #ADHDSymptoms #EducationalImpact #SleepQuality #DailyFunctioning
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Long-term study reveals how childhood ADHD impacts adult mental health, cognition, and daily life
An 18-year follow-up study published in Psychiatry Research provides evidence that children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder tend to face broader challenges in adulthood across multiple areas of life compared to their peers. The study evaluated adults who were diagnosed in childhood alongside their non-ADHD siblings and an unrelated control group. The findings indicate that siblings of children with ADHD generally experience typical adult functioning, suggesting that many long-term difficulties are specific to the condition itself rather than shared family upbringing.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, commonly known as ADHD, is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by ongoing patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. It affects roughly 5% to 7% of children worldwide. Although it was once considered a condition that individuals would outgrow, scientists now recognize that symptoms often persist into adulthood.
Longitudinal studies track the same individuals over extended periods, allowing scientists to observe how childhood health conditions unfold over time. Past research suggests that adults who were diagnosed with ADHD as children may experience higher rates of mood disorders, lower educational attainment, and reduced job stability. However, many existing studies have focused primarily on clinical symptoms rather than examining broad daily functioning, such as physical health, sleep quality, and social relationships.
“As part of my doctoral research I had the opportunity to follow-up a longitudinal cohort of children with ADHD, their siblings, and controls,” explained lead author Noa van der Plas, a doctoral researcher at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. “This cohort had been followed throughout childhood, but their most recent comprehensive follow-up had taken place 10 years ago.”
“Now that they had reached adulthood, we wanted to know how these children had grown up,” van der Plas told PsyPost. “While ADHD is known to be related to difficulties and impairment in childhood, much less is known about the long-term development of ADHD. Our aim was to investigate a broad range of aspects of daily functioning in adulthood among individuals who had been diagnosed with ADHD in childhood.”
To better understand the origins of adult difficulties, researchers examine the biological family members of individuals with ADHD. Full siblings share approximately 50% of their inherited genetic material and typically grow up in similar home environments with the same parents. Evaluating siblings alongside individuals with ADHD allows researchers to separate genetic and environmental influences from risks directly linked to the diagnosis itself.
The authors evaluated data from an 18-year prospective study originating from a cohort in the Netherlands. The sample included 154 adults diagnosed with childhood ADHD (averaging 28.7 years of age, 68% male), 138 siblings without childhood ADHD (averaging 29.6 years of age, 35% male), and 129 controls without a family history of ADHD (averaging 28.2 years of age, 40% male). On average, researchers re-evaluated participants 17.6 years after their initial inclusion in the study during childhood.
To gather comprehensive data, participants completed self-reported online surveys and standardized clinical interviews over secure video calls. Participants also designated a close friend, partner, or parent to complete observer questionnaires to provide outside perspectives on daily behaviors. The evaluation assessed seven key areas of adult life: psychiatric status, behavioral and emotional problems, academic and professional history, daily adaptive functioning, neurocognitive performance, physical health, and healthcare usage.
Statistical analyses revealed that adults diagnosed with childhood ADHD performed worse than control participants on over 60% of the measured outcomes. In terms of psychiatric status, 45% of participants in the childhood ADHD group met full diagnostic criteria for adult ADHD at follow-up. Major depressive disorder was diagnosed in 18% of adults with childhood ADHD, compared to 8% of controls and 6% of siblings.
“Children with ADHD are at an increased risk of challenges in adult functioning, including difficulties related to mental health, social functioning, and daily functioning,” van der Plas noted. “Notably, the risk of having a major depressive disorder in adulthood was greater for adults with childhood ADHD.”
Behavioral assessments showed that adults who had childhood ADHD reported higher levels of externalizing problems, which involve outward-directed difficulties like impulsive or aggressive actions. They also reported higher levels of autistic traits, mood dysregulation, physical aggression, and social aggression compared to control participants. In educational domains, individuals with childhood ADHD attained lower average levels of formal education and performed lower on neurocognitive measures of working memory and verbal fluency.
In measures of adaptive functioning and physical health, adults with childhood ADHD reported higher perceived stress and lower emotional well-being. They also demonstrated higher average body mass index values, worse sleep quality, and lower adherence to dietary guidelines established by national nutrition centers. Additionally, adults in the childhood ADHD group were significantly more likely to be currently prescribed ADHD medication compared to both siblings and control participants.
The sibling group demonstrated adult functioning that was largely comparable to the control group across most measures. “In childhood the siblings of the children with ADHD are at an increased risk of ADHD-related traits and show an intermediate neurocognitive profile compared to controls,” van der Plas explained. “Based on those findings we expected siblings to also show more difficulties in adult functioning. However, we found few differences between siblings and controls in adulthood.”
Siblings showed slightly elevated levels of self-reported ADHD traits and autistic traits, as well as slightly higher body mass index values compared to controls, but lacked major psychiatric or academic setbacks. “Finally, although the siblings of children with ADHD share half of their genetic material as well as part of their childhood environment, these siblings generally did not have an increased risk of problems in adulthood,” van der Plas said.
When comparing individuals whose ADHD persisted into adulthood against those whose condition remitted, specific patterns emerged. The persistent ADHD group displayed the highest risks for major depressive disorder, internalizing problems, severe stress, and poor sleep quality. However, adults whose childhood ADHD had remitted still showed lower educational attainment and lower cognitive scores compared to control participants, suggesting long-lasting impacts on learning.
The researchers emphasized that despite overall group differences, there is substantial diversity in how adults with childhood ADHD fare. “However, there is variability in the functioning of adults with childhood ADHD, and the majority of adults with childhood ADHD show functioning comparable to controls,” van der Plas told PsyPost. “There seems to be a subset of adults with childhood ADHD particularly experiencing impairment, which seems to be partly linked to a continued ADHD diagnosis.”
The author highlighted a key misinterpretation that she hopes the public will avoid when viewing the research. “Although, on average, adults with a childhood diagnosis of ADHD are more likely to experience difficulties in functioning, most are functioning comparably to individuals without ADHD,” van der Plas added.
Several limitations should be considered when evaluating these findings. The study sample was composed exclusively of individuals of Caucasian descent living in the Netherlands, which limits how well the conclusions apply to more diverse racial or cultural populations. Selective participant drop-out occurred over the 18-year period, as only a portion of the original childhood cohort was successfully re-evaluated.
The retained childhood ADHD group had slightly higher childhood symptom severity than those who dropped out, meaning the results may reflect outcomes for individuals with somewhat more severe early symptoms. Additionally, cognitive testing was conducted remotely over video calls rather than in a standardized physical laboratory, which might introduce minor variations in home testing environments.
“In other work of my doctoral research we additionally looked at specific medication outcomes, sex and gender differences in the long-term outcomes of childhood ADHD, the long-term outcomes of stimulant treatment in childhood, and attempted to identify predictors for long-term outcomes,” van der Plas said regarding her broader research goals. “Future research should investigate the risk and protective factors that are related to the differences in functioning in adults with childhood ADHD and identify which individuals are most at risk,” van der Plas concluded. “This knowledge can help improve prevention or intervention strategies.”
The study, “Growing up with ADHD: findings from an 18-year longitudinal follow-up study of adults with childhood ADHD, their siblings, and controls,” was authored by Noa E. van der Plas, Siri D.S. Noordermeer, Barbara Franke, Catharina A. Hartman, Pieter J. Hoekstra, Nanda N.J. Rommelse, Emma Sprooten, Marjolein Luman, and Jaap Oosterlaan.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #ADHDadulthood #LongTermADHD #ChildhoodADHD #ADHDResearch #MentalHealthAwareness #NeurodevelopmentalDisorder #ADHDSymptoms #EducationalImpact #SleepQuality #DailyFunctioning
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Long-term study reveals how childhood ADHD impacts adult mental health, cognition, and daily life
An 18-year follow-up study published in Psychiatry Research provides evidence that children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder tend to face broader challenges in adulthood across multiple areas of life compared to their peers. The study evaluated adults who were diagnosed in childhood alongside their non-ADHD siblings and an unrelated control group. The findings indicate that siblings of children with ADHD generally experience typical adult functioning, suggesting that many long-term difficulties are specific to the condition itself rather than shared family upbringing.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, commonly known as ADHD, is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by ongoing patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. It affects roughly 5% to 7% of children worldwide. Although it was once considered a condition that individuals would outgrow, scientists now recognize that symptoms often persist into adulthood.
Longitudinal studies track the same individuals over extended periods, allowing scientists to observe how childhood health conditions unfold over time. Past research suggests that adults who were diagnosed with ADHD as children may experience higher rates of mood disorders, lower educational attainment, and reduced job stability. However, many existing studies have focused primarily on clinical symptoms rather than examining broad daily functioning, such as physical health, sleep quality, and social relationships.
“As part of my doctoral research I had the opportunity to follow-up a longitudinal cohort of children with ADHD, their siblings, and controls,” explained lead author Noa van der Plas, a doctoral researcher at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. “This cohort had been followed throughout childhood, but their most recent comprehensive follow-up had taken place 10 years ago.”
“Now that they had reached adulthood, we wanted to know how these children had grown up,” van der Plas told PsyPost. “While ADHD is known to be related to difficulties and impairment in childhood, much less is known about the long-term development of ADHD. Our aim was to investigate a broad range of aspects of daily functioning in adulthood among individuals who had been diagnosed with ADHD in childhood.”
To better understand the origins of adult difficulties, researchers examine the biological family members of individuals with ADHD. Full siblings share approximately 50% of their inherited genetic material and typically grow up in similar home environments with the same parents. Evaluating siblings alongside individuals with ADHD allows researchers to separate genetic and environmental influences from risks directly linked to the diagnosis itself.
The authors evaluated data from an 18-year prospective study originating from a cohort in the Netherlands. The sample included 154 adults diagnosed with childhood ADHD (averaging 28.7 years of age, 68% male), 138 siblings without childhood ADHD (averaging 29.6 years of age, 35% male), and 129 controls without a family history of ADHD (averaging 28.2 years of age, 40% male). On average, researchers re-evaluated participants 17.6 years after their initial inclusion in the study during childhood.
To gather comprehensive data, participants completed self-reported online surveys and standardized clinical interviews over secure video calls. Participants also designated a close friend, partner, or parent to complete observer questionnaires to provide outside perspectives on daily behaviors. The evaluation assessed seven key areas of adult life: psychiatric status, behavioral and emotional problems, academic and professional history, daily adaptive functioning, neurocognitive performance, physical health, and healthcare usage.
Statistical analyses revealed that adults diagnosed with childhood ADHD performed worse than control participants on over 60% of the measured outcomes. In terms of psychiatric status, 45% of participants in the childhood ADHD group met full diagnostic criteria for adult ADHD at follow-up. Major depressive disorder was diagnosed in 18% of adults with childhood ADHD, compared to 8% of controls and 6% of siblings.
“Children with ADHD are at an increased risk of challenges in adult functioning, including difficulties related to mental health, social functioning, and daily functioning,” van der Plas noted. “Notably, the risk of having a major depressive disorder in adulthood was greater for adults with childhood ADHD.”
Behavioral assessments showed that adults who had childhood ADHD reported higher levels of externalizing problems, which involve outward-directed difficulties like impulsive or aggressive actions. They also reported higher levels of autistic traits, mood dysregulation, physical aggression, and social aggression compared to control participants. In educational domains, individuals with childhood ADHD attained lower average levels of formal education and performed lower on neurocognitive measures of working memory and verbal fluency.
In measures of adaptive functioning and physical health, adults with childhood ADHD reported higher perceived stress and lower emotional well-being. They also demonstrated higher average body mass index values, worse sleep quality, and lower adherence to dietary guidelines established by national nutrition centers. Additionally, adults in the childhood ADHD group were significantly more likely to be currently prescribed ADHD medication compared to both siblings and control participants.
The sibling group demonstrated adult functioning that was largely comparable to the control group across most measures. “In childhood the siblings of the children with ADHD are at an increased risk of ADHD-related traits and show an intermediate neurocognitive profile compared to controls,” van der Plas explained. “Based on those findings we expected siblings to also show more difficulties in adult functioning. However, we found few differences between siblings and controls in adulthood.”
Siblings showed slightly elevated levels of self-reported ADHD traits and autistic traits, as well as slightly higher body mass index values compared to controls, but lacked major psychiatric or academic setbacks. “Finally, although the siblings of children with ADHD share half of their genetic material as well as part of their childhood environment, these siblings generally did not have an increased risk of problems in adulthood,” van der Plas said.
When comparing individuals whose ADHD persisted into adulthood against those whose condition remitted, specific patterns emerged. The persistent ADHD group displayed the highest risks for major depressive disorder, internalizing problems, severe stress, and poor sleep quality. However, adults whose childhood ADHD had remitted still showed lower educational attainment and lower cognitive scores compared to control participants, suggesting long-lasting impacts on learning.
The researchers emphasized that despite overall group differences, there is substantial diversity in how adults with childhood ADHD fare. “However, there is variability in the functioning of adults with childhood ADHD, and the majority of adults with childhood ADHD show functioning comparable to controls,” van der Plas told PsyPost. “There seems to be a subset of adults with childhood ADHD particularly experiencing impairment, which seems to be partly linked to a continued ADHD diagnosis.”
The author highlighted a key misinterpretation that she hopes the public will avoid when viewing the research. “Although, on average, adults with a childhood diagnosis of ADHD are more likely to experience difficulties in functioning, most are functioning comparably to individuals without ADHD,” van der Plas added.
Several limitations should be considered when evaluating these findings. The study sample was composed exclusively of individuals of Caucasian descent living in the Netherlands, which limits how well the conclusions apply to more diverse racial or cultural populations. Selective participant drop-out occurred over the 18-year period, as only a portion of the original childhood cohort was successfully re-evaluated.
The retained childhood ADHD group had slightly higher childhood symptom severity than those who dropped out, meaning the results may reflect outcomes for individuals with somewhat more severe early symptoms. Additionally, cognitive testing was conducted remotely over video calls rather than in a standardized physical laboratory, which might introduce minor variations in home testing environments.
“In other work of my doctoral research we additionally looked at specific medication outcomes, sex and gender differences in the long-term outcomes of childhood ADHD, the long-term outcomes of stimulant treatment in childhood, and attempted to identify predictors for long-term outcomes,” van der Plas said regarding her broader research goals. “Future research should investigate the risk and protective factors that are related to the differences in functioning in adults with childhood ADHD and identify which individuals are most at risk,” van der Plas concluded. “This knowledge can help improve prevention or intervention strategies.”
The study, “Growing up with ADHD: findings from an 18-year longitudinal follow-up study of adults with childhood ADHD, their siblings, and controls,” was authored by Noa E. van der Plas, Siri D.S. Noordermeer, Barbara Franke, Catharina A. Hartman, Pieter J. Hoekstra, Nanda N.J. Rommelse, Emma Sprooten, Marjolein Luman, and Jaap Oosterlaan.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #ADHDadulthood #LongTermADHD #ChildhoodADHD #ADHDResearch #MentalHealthAwareness #NeurodevelopmentalDisorder #ADHDSymptoms #EducationalImpact #SleepQuality #DailyFunctioning
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 06:00AM
SOURCE:
NEW YORK TIMES PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGISTS FEEDTITLE: Obsessing About Our Mental Health Is Part of Our Mental Health Problem
URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/26/opinion/mental-health-exercise-charity.html
We need to support psychological well-being without fixating on it.
URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/26/opinion/mental-health-exercise-charity.html
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #MentalHealth #Wellbeing #PsychologicalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #WellbeingWithoutFixation #MindsetMatters #HealthyMindset #SelfCare #EmotionalWellness #MentalHealthSupport
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 06:00AM
SOURCE:
NEW YORK TIMES PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGISTS FEEDTITLE: Obsessing About Our Mental Health Is Part of Our Mental Health Problem
URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/26/opinion/mental-health-exercise-charity.html
We need to support psychological well-being without fixating on it.
URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/26/opinion/mental-health-exercise-charity.html
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #MentalHealth #Wellbeing #PsychologicalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #WellbeingWithoutFixation #MindsetMatters #HealthyMindset #SelfCare #EmotionalWellness #MentalHealthSupport
-
DATE: July 26, 2026 at 06:00AM
SOURCE:
NEW YORK TIMES PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGISTS FEEDTITLE: Obsessing About Our Mental Health Is Part of Our Mental Health Problem
URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/26/opinion/mental-health-exercise-charity.html
We need to support psychological well-being without fixating on it.
URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/26/opinion/mental-health-exercise-charity.html
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #MentalHealth #Wellbeing #PsychologicalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #WellbeingWithoutFixation #MindsetMatters #HealthyMindset #SelfCare #EmotionalWellness #MentalHealthSupport
-
Are those who receive psychotherapy privy to certain esoteric secrets about existence? #wellness #psychotherapy #mentalhealth
Posted into FLIPBOARD EXCHANGE FEED 🗞️ @flipboard-exchange-feed-Econopass
-
Are those who receive psychotherapy privy to certain esoteric secrets about existence? #wellness #psychotherapy #mentalhealth
Posted into FLIPBOARD EXCHANGE FEED 🗞️ @flipboard-exchange-feed-Econopass
-
Are those who receive psychotherapy privy to certain esoteric secrets about existence? #wellness #psychotherapy #mentalhealth
Posted into FLIPBOARD EXCHANGE FEED 🗞️ @flipboard-exchange-feed-Econopass
-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 04:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Self-esteem provides no buffer against the stigma of commercial sex work
Commercial sex workers face intense social judgment that negatively impacts their mental health. A new study reveals that having high self-esteem offers no protection against the psychological harm caused by this widespread stigma. The research, published in the Journal of Health Psychology, highlights the profound impact that societal rejection can have on marginalized groups.
Globally, individuals who exchange sexual services for money experience heavy discrimination. Society often labels commercial sex workers as criminals, sexual deviants, or disease carriers. This institutionalized stigma occurs in interactions with healthcare systems, financial institutions, and the media. Policies driven by such misrepresentations often compromise the basic rights and physical safety of this group.
In Nigeria, the setting of the recent study, this work falls into a highly fragmented legal and cultural landscape. The profession faces strict criminalization in the northern regions and broad moral condemnation in the south. Sex workers operating in this environment routinely deal with social isolation, violence, and targeted prejudice. These combined pressures deny them consistent legal and social protection.
This persistent marginalization can deeply damage a person’s psychological well-being. Mental well-being encompasses positive emotions, a sense of purpose, and the ability to manage daily stress. Poor psychological health is a central concern for public health professionals working with vulnerable populations. Researchers wanted to understand the specific psychological factors that shape the mental health of Nigerian sex workers.
The investigation was grounded in a sociological framework known as the “looking glass self” theory. This concept proposes that individuals form their self-identity by imagining how others perceive them. A person’s self-concept develops dynamically as they interpret and internalize the reactions of the society around them. When society projects overwhelmingly negative views, those attitudes often become embedded in an individual’s own self-image.
A team of researchers from the University of Nigeria, led by Nneoma Gift Onyedire, hypothesized that self-esteem might play a moderating role. Self-esteem refers to an individual’s subjective evaluation of their own worth. It reflects how a person feels about their abilities, qualities, physical appearance, and social skills. The researchers suspected that sex workers with higher self-esteem might be more resilient to societal judgment.
To test this hypothesis, the research team recruited 310 commercial sex workers in Lagos, a major metropolitan hub in Nigeria. Reaching this population is notoriously difficult because of the hidden and widely stigmatized nature of the work. The researchers used a technique called snowball sampling to gather participants safely. In this method, a few initial participants are recruited, and these individuals then refer eligible peers from their own social networks.
The final sample included 238 women and 72 men, all between the ages of 19 and 35. The participants operated primarily out of hotel-based venues. The men in the study provided services to a mix of male and female clients, while the women reported providing services exclusively to male clients. Data collection took place in private, quiet spaces to ensure confidentiality and minimize unwanted attention.
Participants completed three standardized psychological questionnaires to assess their experiences. One survey measured the level of stigma they perceived from their families and the broader community. The survey asked participants to rate statements such as whether they felt people would desert them if their profession was exposed. The second and third surveys assessed their general self-esteem and psychological well-being over the previous two weeks.
The collected data showed a negative association between perceived stigma and psychological well-being. Sex workers who reported experiencing higher levels of social stigma also reported poorer mental health. Stigmatization acts as a chronic psychosocial stressor that diminishes a person’s quality of life. This aligns with broader psychological research showing that social exclusion routinely erodes mental endurance.
The study also showed a link between self-esteem and mental health independent of stigma. Participants with lower self-esteem experienced reduced psychological well-being. Conversely, those who held more positive evaluations of their own self-worth tended to report better overall mental health. A healthy sense of personal worth remains an important factor in daily emotional functioning.
The primary finding emerged when the researchers tested for a psychological buffering effect. They analyzed whether high self-esteem could moderate the relationship between stigma and mental health. Moderation occurs when an underlying trait weakens or strengthens the connection between two other variables. In this case, the interaction was not statistically significant.
This result indicates that having high self-esteem did not protect the sex workers from the harmful effects of societal stigma. The psychological strain imposed by continuous societal rejection affected individuals regardless of their internal sense of self-worth. In environments where social stigma is pervasive, it becomes difficult for individuals to resist the emotional strain. The intense nature of institutional stigma simply overpowered any protective benefits that self-esteem might usually provide.
These results suggest that internal psychological resources cannot fix a problem rooted in social structures. Building self-esteem provides general mental health benefits, but it fails to block the damage caused by heavy, pervasive discrimination. The authors suggest that interventions must focus on reducing the structural stigma itself. Treating the issue entirely as an individual psychological problem ignores the broader, harsher social reality.
The researchers noted a few limitations regarding their methodology. Because the study utilized a cross-sectional design, all data was collected at a single moment in time. This prevents researchers from proving cause and effect, meaning they cannot definitively state that stigma causes poor mental health. Future research using longitudinal designs, which track participants over extended periods, could provide more robust evidence.
The sampling method also presents certain constraints for the field of psychology. All participants were recruited from discreet hotel settings in one major city. The experiences of these individuals might differ from sex workers who solicit clients outdoors on the streets or in private brothels. The sample also tilted heavily toward female participants, leaving room for future studies to look closer at the specific experiences of male sex workers.
Fixing the mental health pipeline for commercial sex workers demands multi-level approaches. Medical professionals, policymakers, and community leaders all have a part in tackling the systemic roots of discrimination. Promoting social acceptance and reforming prohibitive policies could provide the protections this marginalized group needs. Until structural inequalities change, the weight of social stigma will likely continue to burden the mental health of sex workers.
The study, “When stigma hurts, does self-esteem shape its impact on psychological well-being among commercial sex workers? A cross-sectional study,” was authored by Nneoma Gift Onyedire, Ebele Evelyn Nnadozie, Elisha John Igwe, and Desmond Uchechukwu Onu.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
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-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #SelfEsteemDoesNotBufferStigma #CommercialSexWorkStigma #MentalHealthImpact #StigmaAndWellBeing #LookingGlassSelfTheory #NigeriaSexWork #HealthPsychologyStudy #StructuralDiscrimination #SexWorkRights #PublicHealthInterventions
-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 04:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Self-esteem provides no buffer against the stigma of commercial sex work
Commercial sex workers face intense social judgment that negatively impacts their mental health. A new study reveals that having high self-esteem offers no protection against the psychological harm caused by this widespread stigma. The research, published in the Journal of Health Psychology, highlights the profound impact that societal rejection can have on marginalized groups.
Globally, individuals who exchange sexual services for money experience heavy discrimination. Society often labels commercial sex workers as criminals, sexual deviants, or disease carriers. This institutionalized stigma occurs in interactions with healthcare systems, financial institutions, and the media. Policies driven by such misrepresentations often compromise the basic rights and physical safety of this group.
In Nigeria, the setting of the recent study, this work falls into a highly fragmented legal and cultural landscape. The profession faces strict criminalization in the northern regions and broad moral condemnation in the south. Sex workers operating in this environment routinely deal with social isolation, violence, and targeted prejudice. These combined pressures deny them consistent legal and social protection.
This persistent marginalization can deeply damage a person’s psychological well-being. Mental well-being encompasses positive emotions, a sense of purpose, and the ability to manage daily stress. Poor psychological health is a central concern for public health professionals working with vulnerable populations. Researchers wanted to understand the specific psychological factors that shape the mental health of Nigerian sex workers.
The investigation was grounded in a sociological framework known as the “looking glass self” theory. This concept proposes that individuals form their self-identity by imagining how others perceive them. A person’s self-concept develops dynamically as they interpret and internalize the reactions of the society around them. When society projects overwhelmingly negative views, those attitudes often become embedded in an individual’s own self-image.
A team of researchers from the University of Nigeria, led by Nneoma Gift Onyedire, hypothesized that self-esteem might play a moderating role. Self-esteem refers to an individual’s subjective evaluation of their own worth. It reflects how a person feels about their abilities, qualities, physical appearance, and social skills. The researchers suspected that sex workers with higher self-esteem might be more resilient to societal judgment.
To test this hypothesis, the research team recruited 310 commercial sex workers in Lagos, a major metropolitan hub in Nigeria. Reaching this population is notoriously difficult because of the hidden and widely stigmatized nature of the work. The researchers used a technique called snowball sampling to gather participants safely. In this method, a few initial participants are recruited, and these individuals then refer eligible peers from their own social networks.
The final sample included 238 women and 72 men, all between the ages of 19 and 35. The participants operated primarily out of hotel-based venues. The men in the study provided services to a mix of male and female clients, while the women reported providing services exclusively to male clients. Data collection took place in private, quiet spaces to ensure confidentiality and minimize unwanted attention.
Participants completed three standardized psychological questionnaires to assess their experiences. One survey measured the level of stigma they perceived from their families and the broader community. The survey asked participants to rate statements such as whether they felt people would desert them if their profession was exposed. The second and third surveys assessed their general self-esteem and psychological well-being over the previous two weeks.
The collected data showed a negative association between perceived stigma and psychological well-being. Sex workers who reported experiencing higher levels of social stigma also reported poorer mental health. Stigmatization acts as a chronic psychosocial stressor that diminishes a person’s quality of life. This aligns with broader psychological research showing that social exclusion routinely erodes mental endurance.
The study also showed a link between self-esteem and mental health independent of stigma. Participants with lower self-esteem experienced reduced psychological well-being. Conversely, those who held more positive evaluations of their own self-worth tended to report better overall mental health. A healthy sense of personal worth remains an important factor in daily emotional functioning.
The primary finding emerged when the researchers tested for a psychological buffering effect. They analyzed whether high self-esteem could moderate the relationship between stigma and mental health. Moderation occurs when an underlying trait weakens or strengthens the connection between two other variables. In this case, the interaction was not statistically significant.
This result indicates that having high self-esteem did not protect the sex workers from the harmful effects of societal stigma. The psychological strain imposed by continuous societal rejection affected individuals regardless of their internal sense of self-worth. In environments where social stigma is pervasive, it becomes difficult for individuals to resist the emotional strain. The intense nature of institutional stigma simply overpowered any protective benefits that self-esteem might usually provide.
These results suggest that internal psychological resources cannot fix a problem rooted in social structures. Building self-esteem provides general mental health benefits, but it fails to block the damage caused by heavy, pervasive discrimination. The authors suggest that interventions must focus on reducing the structural stigma itself. Treating the issue entirely as an individual psychological problem ignores the broader, harsher social reality.
The researchers noted a few limitations regarding their methodology. Because the study utilized a cross-sectional design, all data was collected at a single moment in time. This prevents researchers from proving cause and effect, meaning they cannot definitively state that stigma causes poor mental health. Future research using longitudinal designs, which track participants over extended periods, could provide more robust evidence.
The sampling method also presents certain constraints for the field of psychology. All participants were recruited from discreet hotel settings in one major city. The experiences of these individuals might differ from sex workers who solicit clients outdoors on the streets or in private brothels. The sample also tilted heavily toward female participants, leaving room for future studies to look closer at the specific experiences of male sex workers.
Fixing the mental health pipeline for commercial sex workers demands multi-level approaches. Medical professionals, policymakers, and community leaders all have a part in tackling the systemic roots of discrimination. Promoting social acceptance and reforming prohibitive policies could provide the protections this marginalized group needs. Until structural inequalities change, the weight of social stigma will likely continue to burden the mental health of sex workers.
The study, “When stigma hurts, does self-esteem shape its impact on psychological well-being among commercial sex workers? A cross-sectional study,” was authored by Nneoma Gift Onyedire, Ebele Evelyn Nnadozie, Elisha John Igwe, and Desmond Uchechukwu Onu.
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DATE: July 25, 2026 at 04:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Self-esteem provides no buffer against the stigma of commercial sex work
Commercial sex workers face intense social judgment that negatively impacts their mental health. A new study reveals that having high self-esteem offers no protection against the psychological harm caused by this widespread stigma. The research, published in the Journal of Health Psychology, highlights the profound impact that societal rejection can have on marginalized groups.
Globally, individuals who exchange sexual services for money experience heavy discrimination. Society often labels commercial sex workers as criminals, sexual deviants, or disease carriers. This institutionalized stigma occurs in interactions with healthcare systems, financial institutions, and the media. Policies driven by such misrepresentations often compromise the basic rights and physical safety of this group.
In Nigeria, the setting of the recent study, this work falls into a highly fragmented legal and cultural landscape. The profession faces strict criminalization in the northern regions and broad moral condemnation in the south. Sex workers operating in this environment routinely deal with social isolation, violence, and targeted prejudice. These combined pressures deny them consistent legal and social protection.
This persistent marginalization can deeply damage a person’s psychological well-being. Mental well-being encompasses positive emotions, a sense of purpose, and the ability to manage daily stress. Poor psychological health is a central concern for public health professionals working with vulnerable populations. Researchers wanted to understand the specific psychological factors that shape the mental health of Nigerian sex workers.
The investigation was grounded in a sociological framework known as the “looking glass self” theory. This concept proposes that individuals form their self-identity by imagining how others perceive them. A person’s self-concept develops dynamically as they interpret and internalize the reactions of the society around them. When society projects overwhelmingly negative views, those attitudes often become embedded in an individual’s own self-image.
A team of researchers from the University of Nigeria, led by Nneoma Gift Onyedire, hypothesized that self-esteem might play a moderating role. Self-esteem refers to an individual’s subjective evaluation of their own worth. It reflects how a person feels about their abilities, qualities, physical appearance, and social skills. The researchers suspected that sex workers with higher self-esteem might be more resilient to societal judgment.
To test this hypothesis, the research team recruited 310 commercial sex workers in Lagos, a major metropolitan hub in Nigeria. Reaching this population is notoriously difficult because of the hidden and widely stigmatized nature of the work. The researchers used a technique called snowball sampling to gather participants safely. In this method, a few initial participants are recruited, and these individuals then refer eligible peers from their own social networks.
The final sample included 238 women and 72 men, all between the ages of 19 and 35. The participants operated primarily out of hotel-based venues. The men in the study provided services to a mix of male and female clients, while the women reported providing services exclusively to male clients. Data collection took place in private, quiet spaces to ensure confidentiality and minimize unwanted attention.
Participants completed three standardized psychological questionnaires to assess their experiences. One survey measured the level of stigma they perceived from their families and the broader community. The survey asked participants to rate statements such as whether they felt people would desert them if their profession was exposed. The second and third surveys assessed their general self-esteem and psychological well-being over the previous two weeks.
The collected data showed a negative association between perceived stigma and psychological well-being. Sex workers who reported experiencing higher levels of social stigma also reported poorer mental health. Stigmatization acts as a chronic psychosocial stressor that diminishes a person’s quality of life. This aligns with broader psychological research showing that social exclusion routinely erodes mental endurance.
The study also showed a link between self-esteem and mental health independent of stigma. Participants with lower self-esteem experienced reduced psychological well-being. Conversely, those who held more positive evaluations of their own self-worth tended to report better overall mental health. A healthy sense of personal worth remains an important factor in daily emotional functioning.
The primary finding emerged when the researchers tested for a psychological buffering effect. They analyzed whether high self-esteem could moderate the relationship between stigma and mental health. Moderation occurs when an underlying trait weakens or strengthens the connection between two other variables. In this case, the interaction was not statistically significant.
This result indicates that having high self-esteem did not protect the sex workers from the harmful effects of societal stigma. The psychological strain imposed by continuous societal rejection affected individuals regardless of their internal sense of self-worth. In environments where social stigma is pervasive, it becomes difficult for individuals to resist the emotional strain. The intense nature of institutional stigma simply overpowered any protective benefits that self-esteem might usually provide.
These results suggest that internal psychological resources cannot fix a problem rooted in social structures. Building self-esteem provides general mental health benefits, but it fails to block the damage caused by heavy, pervasive discrimination. The authors suggest that interventions must focus on reducing the structural stigma itself. Treating the issue entirely as an individual psychological problem ignores the broader, harsher social reality.
The researchers noted a few limitations regarding their methodology. Because the study utilized a cross-sectional design, all data was collected at a single moment in time. This prevents researchers from proving cause and effect, meaning they cannot definitively state that stigma causes poor mental health. Future research using longitudinal designs, which track participants over extended periods, could provide more robust evidence.
The sampling method also presents certain constraints for the field of psychology. All participants were recruited from discreet hotel settings in one major city. The experiences of these individuals might differ from sex workers who solicit clients outdoors on the streets or in private brothels. The sample also tilted heavily toward female participants, leaving room for future studies to look closer at the specific experiences of male sex workers.
Fixing the mental health pipeline for commercial sex workers demands multi-level approaches. Medical professionals, policymakers, and community leaders all have a part in tackling the systemic roots of discrimination. Promoting social acceptance and reforming prohibitive policies could provide the protections this marginalized group needs. Until structural inequalities change, the weight of social stigma will likely continue to burden the mental health of sex workers.
The study, “When stigma hurts, does self-esteem shape its impact on psychological well-being among commercial sex workers? A cross-sectional study,” was authored by Nneoma Gift Onyedire, Ebele Evelyn Nnadozie, Elisha John Igwe, and Desmond Uchechukwu Onu.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #SelfEsteemDoesNotBufferStigma #CommercialSexWorkStigma #MentalHealthImpact #StigmaAndWellBeing #LookingGlassSelfTheory #NigeriaSexWork #HealthPsychologyStudy #StructuralDiscrimination #SexWorkRights #PublicHealthInterventions