Ukrainians Face Lasting Psychological Wounds from Russian Invasion

The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. “Polina came to our bedroom awakened by the sound of explosions. I didn’t know and still don’t know what to tell her. Her eyes today are full of fear and terror; eyes of all of us.” Alina, a … Read more

This Weird ‘Breathing’ Cushion May Have a Surprisingly Useful Purpose

After throwing 129 volunteers into the stressful situation of a sudden group math test, researchers found that people using a huggable ‘breathing’ cushion were more relaxed in the lead up to the questions than those without one.   “We were excited to find that holding the breathing cushion, without any guidance, produced a similar effect … Read more

Ukrainians Face Lasting Psychological Wounds from Russian Invasion

The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. “Polina came to our bedroom awakened by the sound of explosions. I didn’t know and still don’t know what to tell her. Her eyes today are full of fear and terror; eyes of all of us.” Alina, a … Read more

Bonobo infants find the arrival of a new sibling stressful

Cortisol levels in bonobo infants jumped fivefold when they got a younger sibling and stayed high for 7 months, suggesting they found it extremely stressful Life 4 March 2022 By Alice Klein A young bonobo and her mother Sean M. Lee/George Washington University Bonobo infants become highly stressed when they get a younger sibling and … Read more

What to Tell Kids about Ukraine: Recommendations from a Psychologist

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has escalated: Russian troops have invaded and now control several areas in Ukraine. Heavy fighting is raging in some cities, and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has declared martial law. This causes fear and worry to many people in Europe, including children and other young people. But how do you … Read more

Baby boomers are the unhappiest generation in the UK

People born between 1946 and 1964 reported lower happiness than other cohorts in surveys spanning 16 years – probably because the size of the group means more competition Health 23 February 2022 By Alice Klein Baby boomers have faced more competition from others in their age group Shannon Fagan/Getty Images Baby boomers are the least … Read more

Hurricane Maria: Living through the storm accelerated the ageing process for monkeys

In 2017, Hurricane Maria devastated Caribbean communities, and we now know it had an impact on monkeys too – macaques that lived through the stressful experience have aged at an accelerated rate Life 7 February 2022 By Luke Taylor Rhesus macaques resting in the remnants of a forest that was destroyed when Hurricane Maria directly … Read more

Baboons: A tough infancy leaves females less sociable as adults

Baboons are sociable primates, but females that had a tough early life – because of the loss of their mother or a lack of food – find socialising harder Life 2 February 2022 By Christa Lesté-Lasserre Olive baboons (Papio anubis) Alexa Duchesnneau and Sam Patterson Female baboons that had a harder life as youngsters tend … Read more

Latest COVID Surge Pushes Parents to Next-Level Stress

The list of U.S. parents’ pandemic burdens this winter is longer and more chaotic than ever: More kids have been infected with the novel coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2, despite scrupulous safety measures. Outbreaks have occurred in staff-strained schools and daycare centers. Many have faced dreaded returns to remote learning. COVID vaccine boosters remain unauthorized for most … Read more

COVID Threatens to Bring a Wave of Hikikomori to America

In 2014, a vibrant and well-traveled patient I will call Alice, whom I (Berman) was treating for bipolar disorder, began refusing to leave her home after a prolonged course of physical rehabilitation for a spinal injury. None of the usual diagnoses—depression, anxiety or agoraphobia—explained her withdrawal, which continued after medications stabilized her mood. Patients with … Read more