Many thanks again to Anna Magdalena Christianson who contributes regular summaries of mental health news and research that is making headlines.
Mental Health News and Research
Underage brides may have a greater likelihood of developing psychiatric disorders than women who marry after they turn 18, according to a recent study reported in the journal Pediatrics (Reuters, 8/31/11).
A new study recently published in the journal Psychology of Violence suggests that the highly competitive nature of some video games, and not the violence in them, may lead to more aggressive behavior (USA Today, 8/30/11).
The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a new policy statement recommending that children and youth should not be permitted to participate in boxing because of the risk for brain injury (CNN, 8/29/11).
According to a recent ruling by a federal court, California’s mental health parity law requires coverage for residential treatment for severe mental illnesses, if it is deemed medically necessary (Los Angeles Times, 8/28/11).
A new study in Wisconsin, reported in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychology, finds that school-based mental health screening is effective in identifying students who are at high risk for mental illness (Medpage Today, 8/26/11).
Researchers at the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University in New York find that young people who regularly visit social network sites are more likely to use tobacco, alcohol, or marijuana (USA Today, 8/26/11).
New research published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry suggests that low levels of omega-3 in the brain may be linked to increased risk of suicide (Los Angeles Times, 8/24/11).
Research findings published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology indicate that women are more likely to develop anxiety and mood disorders, while mental health issues in men tend to manifest as antisocial personality and substance use disorders. The difference, researchers believe, is because women have a tendency to internalize emotions, which can precipitate depression. Men, on the other hand, are more likely to externalize emotion, acting impulsively and aggressively (HealthDay News, 8/23/11).
Only one fifth of Ohio Medicaid-covered children and adolescents in treatment for depression complete the recommended minimum six-month course of medication treatment. The study, published in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy, found that adolescents and minority youth are at greatest risk for not completing treatment (ScienceDaily, 8/22/11).
According to a recent analysis of epidemiological studies and clinical trials, adults who were abused or neglected as children have a greater risk of developing depression. They are also less likely to respond well to treatment (HealthDay News, 8/22/11).
Mothers who stay at home with their children are more likely to experience depression than are mothers who work outside the home, according to new findings from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (Los Angeles Times, 8/20/11).
A new study published in the Schizophrenia Bulletin suggests that there may be a link between traumatic brain injury and the risk of developing schizophrenia. The study found that people who had experienced a traumatic brain injury were 1.6 times more likely to develop schizophrenia (Msnbc.com, 8/19/11).
Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) find that one-tenth of children in the United States have been diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), an increase of two percent over the last ten years. This is thought to reflect greater opportunity for diagnosis rather than a substantial change in numbers of children with ADHD (USA Today, 8/18/11).
The American Society of Addiction Medicine, in a public policy statement, has newly defined addiction as a chronic brain disorder that is not the result of other psychiatric disorders (Medpage Today, 8/16/11).
A new report finds that inpatient psychiatric admissions for children increased 82 percent during the past decade, while admissions for adults during the same time period only increased by eight percent (HealthDay News, 8/15/11).
Individuals who work in a supportive environment, and enjoy good work relationships may live longer than those who have low social support at work, according to Israeli research findings published in Health Psychology (MedicineNet.com, 8/11/11).
Research has shown that computer-based cognitive remediation can help the brain relearn. Using this idea, researchers at the University of California-San Francisco have demonstrated that people with schizophrenia who are trained in using special video game-like programs subsequently exhibit improved cognitive functioning (DiscoveryNews, 8/5/11).
Research published in the British Journal of Psychiatry suggests that music therapy may help decrease symptoms of depression. People who participated in music therapy along with counseling had fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety than people who only had counseling, and scored higher on general functioning (San Francisco Chronicle, 8/1/11).
Counting your blessings, performing acts of kindness, writing thank-you notes, and practicing optimism have been found to have long-term psychological benefits for people who experience depression. In a report published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, researchers have proposed a new treatment approach, Positive Activity Interventions, which incorporates the practice of such positive activities in treating depression (PsychCentral, 8/1/11).