Moms age 35 to 54 most stressed
May 6, 2008, UPI
The American Psychological Association's 2007 Stress in America survey says that while nearly 2 in 5 men and women ages 35 to 54 feel overextended, the survey reveals that more women than men report experiencing extreme stress and say they manage their stress poorly.
Stress takes a toll on diet, exercise
April 24, 2008, Associated PressThat could all translate into higher worker absenteeism, and those who do show up are likely not as productive when under great stress, said David Ballard, who specializes in work stress issues at the American Psychological Association.
Teens and cocaine addiction
April 22, 2008, ScienceDaily The study was published in the APA journal Behavioral Neuroscience.
Choices sap your stamina, self-control
April 18, 2008, Washington Post (free registration required)
The researchers created several experiments to gauge the effects of multiple choices. Their findings are published in the APA's April issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Young macho men with serious injuries often abuse alcohol
April 11, 2008, Medical News Today
The study - 'Men with serious injuries: relations among masculinity, age and alcohol use' - was published in the most recent American Psychological Association's journal Rehabilitation Psychology.
Memory on trial
March 6, 2008, National Science Foundation
The researchers review the follow-on studies in an upcoming issue of Psychological Bulletin.
Drinking to extremes to celebrate 21
April 8, 2008, New York Times (free registration required)
In one study of 316 students, to be presented at the American Psychological Association conference this year, those who were given Web-based information about drinking prior to their 21st birthday drank less than students who didn’t receive the information.
High level of stress rampant in workplace
March 30, 2008, San Francisco Chronicle
Poll results released in October by the American Psychological Association found that one-third of Americans are living with extreme stress, and that the most commonly cited source of stress - mentioned by 74 percent of respondents - was work. That was up from 59 percent the previous year.
Cooperative classrooms better for adolescents
March 29, 2008, ScienceDaily
The study was published in the APA's Psychological Bulletin.
Parenting trying children
March 25, 2008, Washington Post (free registration required)
'Most popular parenting books violate the tenets of what we know is effective,' Kazdin said. Many, he observed, advocate that parents 'understand your child, talk to your child so he won't be angry. It's wonderful to talk to your child, but talking won't change his behavior for a minute,' added Kazdin, president of the APA.
The tension builds (it's almost Monday)
March 23, 2008, New York Times (free registration required)
Poll results released last October by the American Psychological Association found that one-third of Americans are living with extreme stress, and that the most commonly cited source of stress—mentioned by 74 percent of respondents—was work. That was up from 59 percent the previous year.
Drop the winter blues
March 20, 2008, WXII-12
Sometimes depression will lift, only for symptoms to recur, says Ellen McGrath, PhD, chairperson of the APA's National Task Force on Women and Depression and author of When Feeling Bad is Good. Women are also more likely than men to experience mild depression—to feel overwhelmed, powerless, discouraged, ineffective, or sorrowful, and possibly angry or guilty. These feelings last longer than the blues but typically lift after several hours or days, says Dr. McGrath.
Spitzer's thrill-seeking behavior
March 13, 2008, Bloomberg
"Politics is one of the most exciting careers imaginable," said Frank Farley, a professor of educational psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia, and former president of the APA. "There are few occupations where you can give speeches to large groups of people who stomp their feet and clap their hands for you. Most people don't want it."
Don't leave fathers out of custody cases
March 11, 2008, Boston Globe (free registration required)
Dr. Robert Bauserman did a meta-analysis of 33 studies between 1982 to 1999 published by the American Psychological Association. In total, 1,846 sole-custody and 814 joint-custody children were studied. He concluded that 'Children in joint custody arrangements had less behavioral and emotional problems, had higher self-esteem, better family relations and school performance than children in sole custody arrangements.'
Handling defiant kids made easy
March 10, 2008, London Free Press
Alan Kazdin has been working in the field for decades and wasn't impressed with the advice offered in the range of parenting books he investigated before embarking on The Kazdin Method for Parenting the Defiant Child. Kazdin is director of Yale Parenting Center and Child Conduct Clinic, and President of the American Psychological Association.
Bullying more harmful than sexual harassment on the job
March 8, 2008, ScienceDaily
The findings were presented at the Seventh International Conference on Work, Stress and Health, co-sponsored by the American Psychological Association.
Therapists' home offices
March 6, 2008, New York Times (free registration required)
Last year, an article in Psychoanalytic Psychology, a journal of the APA, created a ruckus by questioning the ethical considerations surrounding therapists' home offices. Its author and former ethics chair of the division of psychoanalysis wrote that the sights and smells of the doctor's home were "keyholes" into his or her life that could be overly stimulating or overwhelming.
Malingerer test roils personal injury law
March 5, 2008, Wall Street Journal
The APA's committee on disabilities protested to the pubisher that it had acted prematurely and hadn't evaluated the test itself, but noted that the test was controversial and said: “Any test that over predicts malingering in persons with disabilities may result in their being denied necessary and due compensation, benefits, or treatment.”
The pursuit of unhappiness
March 2, 2008, Hartford Courant
What makes the more recent crop of happiness books more substantive is that many are rooted in research-based 'positive psychology,' which has been called the study of human flourishing or well-being. As president of the APA, Martin Seligman launched the field of study in the late '90s. Before then, psychology largely addressed those who were ailing with mental illnesses.
APA task force urges integrated health care model for aging population
February 29, 2008, Medical News Today
Developing a model of integrated health care is essential as the U.S. population ages, and mental health care providers can make unique and critical contributions to this paradigm, according to a task force report issued by the American Psychological Association.
How do you decide how to vote?
February 28, 2008, New Albany Tribune
Using the latest in brain imaging technology, psychologist Drew Westen found that when it comes to making decisions about political candidates, people tend to “feel their way to their beliefs,” using the emotional centers rather than the thinking parts of their brains. In a recent interview in the APA's Monitor, he says “When reason and emotion collide, emotion invariably wins.”
Voice monitors help monitor tension
February 26, 2008, NBC-5 Chicago
The American Psychological Association recently reported that 240 million Americans -- about 80 percent of the U.S. population -- say they're sometimes or always stressed. According to the APA's statistics, at least half of those feeling the pressure worry that stress may make them sick.
Goal-oriented behavior demonstrated by 3 year-olds
February 20, 2008, Medical News Today
Kids grow into the ability to act in pursuit of goals outside of what they can immediately sense sometime around age three, according to a new study published in the February issue of the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, published by the American Psychological Association (APA).
Internet offenders target teens, not children
Medical News Today, February 19, 2008
The researchers draw a clearer picture about adults who troll the Internet for sex with minors in the study published in the February/March issue of American Psychologist, a journal published by the American Psychological Association (APA).
New methods track psychotherapy effectiveness
Psych Central , February 18, 2008
The author hopes the research paper, published in the February 2008 issue of the APA's American Psychologist, will help close a divide in the field and lead to a better understanding of what works best for patients.
American's most stressful places
MSNBC, February 13, 2008
Nearly half of U.S. adults believe the stress in their lives has escalated during the past five years, as reported in an October study by the American Psychological Association (APA).
It's tough being a stepdad
MSNBC, February 12, 2008
Parents need to recognize that stepfamilies have a whole different dynamic from other families, says Alan Kazdin, director of the Parenting Center and Child Conduct Clinic at Yale University and president of the American Psychological Association.
Artificial sweeteners can make you gain weight
Medical News Today, February 11, 2008
The study is the work of two psychologists based in Indiana and will be published in the February 2008 issue of Behavioral Neuroscience, a journal of the American Psychological Association (APA).
Dehumanization and discrimination against blacks linked
Medical News Today, February 8, 2008
The paper appears in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, which is published by the American Psychological Association.
Parents waver over wisdom of spanking
St. Petersburg Times, February 6, 2008
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association encourage parents to use nonphysical punishment.
Genius in the making
Times Online, January 31, 2008
A study of former pupils all with very high IQs indicated that there was no link between early brilliance and later success. In middle age, these former pupils were asked about their mental and physical health, their satisfaction with life and their accomplishments. “They were generally healthy, happy, self-satisfied, but they were not doing extraordinary things,” says Rena Subotnik, of the American Psychological Association, the research psychologist who led the study.
Kids with ADHD more likely to bully
MSNBC , January 29, 2008
Alan Kazdin, a specialist in child development and president of the American Psychological Association, says the results may help sensitize parents and teachers to the possibility that some kids with ADHD might have issues that go beyond antsy behaviors and attention problems.
Same sex couples just as committed as heterosexual counterparts
Washington Post (free registration required), January 22, 2008
Same-sex couples are as committed and happy in their romantic relationships as heterosexual couples, find two studies in the January issue of Developmental Psychology, a journal of the American Psychological Association.
The 'how to' of leading a happy life
Newsweek, January 19, 2008
"This isn't someone standing up and saying, 'Just think positive thoughts.' She's doing rigorous research," says Alan Kazdin, professor of psychology at Yale University and president of the American Psychological Association. "We've learned over the past few decades that there are strategies you can use that can actually change the brain, change behavior and then mood and understanding follow."
Courts strip elders of their independence
Boston Globe (free registration required), January 13, 2008
A study coauthored last year by Jennifer Moye, a Harvard Medical School and Veterans Administration psychologist who specializes in gerontology, compared medical certifications in guardianship cases in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Colorado. Massachusetts fared worst. The study found that in 154 cases in Massachusetts, the median length of the medical certification was 83 words. In one case, it was just seven words.
Women's bisexuality an identity, not a 'phase'
USA Today, January 15, 2008
Being bisexual is a distinct orientation, not a temporary stage, says Lisa Diamond, an associate professor of psychology and gender studies at the University of Utah. It was published in the January issue of Developmental Psychology, a journal of the American Psychological Association.
Caring for an animal improves your mental well-being
Newsweek, January 11, 2008
As many benefits as pets bring, it is important not to become too dependent on those animal companions, cautions psychologist Alan Entin, past president of the American Psychological Association's division of family psychology. Though they make great companions, in the end, pets are no substitute for human friends and family.
Home energy use gets a 'smackdown' on reality TV
Christian Science Monitor, January 9, 2008
According to a recent American Psychological Association study, people are more likely to make green choices if they think others are, too.
Women: Alleviate work stress with happy marriage
ScienceDaily, January 6, 2008
The findings, which are part of a larger study conducted by the UCLA-Sloan Center for the Everyday Lives of Families (CELF), appear in the January issue of Health Psychology, a peer-reviewed journal published by American Psychological Association.
Teen brain key to understanding criminal behavior
CNN, December 28, 2007
A Temple University psychology professor helped draft an American Psychological Association brief for a 2005 case in which the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed the death penalty for crimes committed before age 18.
Cultivating happiness
San Francisco Chronicle, December 28, 2007
The push to study what makes life worth living was inaugurated almost a decade ago by Martin Seligman, director of University of Pennsylvania's Positive Psychology Center. As an active member of the American Psychological Association, he thought the group should move in a new direction, studying the traits and characteristics of people who thrive.
Brain center may link addiction, mental illness
Forbes, December 21, 2007
Many kinds of addiction -- such as those for alcohol, drugs and nicotine -- occur in people with various kinds of mental illness, including depression, schizophrenia and anxiety disorders, according to background information in an American Psychological Association news release about an Indiana University study.
Breathe in the holidays, blow out the stress
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, December 12, 2007
The American Psychological Association says excessive spending 'in pursuit of the perfect holiday' causes stress and those stresses worsen during the holidays. To counter them, the APA recommends monitoring one's stress levels and noticing any difficulties in concentrating and making decisions.
TV, Internet face crackdown on advertising to children
The Independent, December 9, 2007
The American Psychological Association claimed merchandising and advertising images could lead to eating disorders, low self-esteem and depression.
Burning out? Try logging off
ScienceDaily, November 27, 2007
Professor Eden's most recent findings were presented at the last biannual meeting of 'Work, Stress and Health' in Miami, an event sponsored by the American Psychological Association. Previous studies on Professor Eden's research have been published in top-tier journals including the Journal of Applied Psychology, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, and Organizational Behavior and Human Performance.
Remote working better for staff and employers
IT World, November 22, 2007
Ravi S. Gajendran and David A. Harrison, at the Department of Management and Organization at Pennsylvania State University studied data on 12,833 telecommuters who spend time working away from the office, and found that working away from the office has more pluses than negatives for people and the companies that employ them. They reported their findings in the journal of Applied Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association (APA).
Telecommuting has positive consequences for employees
ScienceDaily, November 20, 2007
The results are found in a study published by the Journal of Applied Psychology of the APA.
Workers pay for poor health habits
Washington Post (free registration required), November 13, 2007
'A lot of these approaches are making the assumption that all of these behaviors are completely in someone's control,' said David Ballard, who heads up health and well-being in the workplace for the American Psychological Association. 'But it can be exceedingly difficult to change those behaviors. A simple punishment isn't enough to make that kind of thing happen.'
Secret to great performance: The mind
Forbes, November 2007
The APA has had a 43 percent jump in members practicing sports psychology in the last ten years.
Equal coverage for mental health?
Washington Post (free registration required), November 6, 2007
The American Psychological Association offers a consumer-oriented Web site ( http://www.apahelpcenter.org) as well as a referral service (800-964-2000); once connected with a local counselor, you can ask whether they operate on a sliding scale.
Gesturing helps students solve math problems
ScienceDaily, November 4, 2007
Psychologists report in the APA journal, JEP: General, that gesturing can help kids add new and correct problem-solving strategies to their mathematical repertoire.
Are we too quick to medicate children?
Los Angeles Times (free registration required), November 5, 2007
The dearth of approved drugs for pediatric use prompted the APA to recommend that the FDA establish a new panel of independent experts to advise the agency on the safety and effectiveness of psychotropic drugs for children and adolescents.
Stress relieving workouts
Forbes, October 30, 2007
In a new survey conducted by the APA, roughly three-quarters of respondents said they experience physical and psychological symptoms of stress.
Mortgage, terror woes figure big into stress
ABC News, October 25, 2007
The APA's 2007 Stress in American poll showed that nearly half of Americans (48 percent) believe that their stress levels have increased during the past five years.
East to West, Americans are stressed
USA Today, October 23, 2007
A national survey on the state of stress in America, released by the APA, finds that money and work are the biggest stressors for almost three quarters (73% and 74%, respectively) of Americans, up from 59% for both last year.
Staying cool on the job
Forbes, October 16, 2007
"People tend to experience stress in a generalized way," says Russ Newman of the APA. "There are going to be particular causes and triggers, but unless you can take the time to look at them, you're not aware of what you're dealing with."
Body image: A mental health disorder
Evening Bulletin, October 12, 2007
According to the APA, adolescent young women make up the majority of people who experience the hardest impact from this disease; however, body image also affects a small percentage of men and boys.
American Indian mascots focus of conference
La Crosse Tribune, October 10, 2007
The conference features professor Stephanie Fryberg whose research was integral to the APA's resolution to recommend that all American Indian mascots be retired.
Six awards for mental health leadership
Providence Business News, October 5, 2007
The Rhode Island Psychological Association in conjunction with the APA announce the 2007 winners of the National award, "Psychologically Healthy Workplaces."
Panic attacks may increase women's heart disease risk
US News & World Report, October 2, 2007
To learn more about panic attacks and panic disorder, visit the American Psychological Association at www.apa.org.
Diverse groups file legal briefs endorsing same-sex marriage
Associated Press, September 26, 2007
The American Psychological Association, among other organizations, wrote a brief on the three decades of social science research that consistently found that same-sex couples are as capable at being good parents as different-sex couples and their children are as well-adjusted.
Heavy drinking leaves damage after sobriety
Springfield News-Sun, September 23, 2007
Young alcohol abusers experience the same brain changes as older people with alcohol-related dementia, according to a recent study conducted by a Wittenberg University Professor and presented to the American Psychological Association.
Help for students with ADHD
WebMD, September 19, 2007
Pediatric psychologist Ronald Brown, Ph.D., chair of the recent APA task force examining the use of drugs in children with mental disorders, says that too many health providers rely on drugs alone, ignoring other effective treatments like psychotherapy.
Appetite for risk
New York Times (free registration required), September 16, 2007
'Risk takers aren't crazy at all,' said Dr. Frank Farley, former President of the American Psychological Association.
Women go to the Web for health info
Washington Post (free registration required), August 21, 2007
Men are less likely than women to go to the web for health information according to findings presented at the American Psychological Association meeting in San Francisco.
Iraq war takes unique toll on National Guard
USA Today, August 21, 2007
National Guard soldiers no more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder than active-duty soldiers, as presented at the 2007 American Psychological Association convention in San Francisco.
Perfectionists can be perfectly happy, too
USA Today, August 20, 2007
Many perfectionists are not as troubled as they are perceived to be, according to panelists at the 2007 American Psychological Association 2007 convention in San Francisco.
Caution urged for autism treatments
WebMD Medical News, August 20, 2007
Unproven treatments for autism have increased as the number of children with autism and related disorders has increased, as presented at a symposium at the 2007 American Psychological Association convention in San Francisco.
Most teen hackers more curious than criminal
USA Today, August 20, 2007
A large minority of teens commit computer crimes out of curiosity rather than wanting to cause trouble researchers reported at the 2007 American Psychological Association convention in San Francisco.
Psychologists weigh interrogation ban
Associated Press, August 19, 2007
The American Psychological Association's policy-making council voted against a proposal to ban psychologists from taking part in any interrogations at U.S. military prisons "in which detainees are deprived of adequate protection of their human rights."
Quit complaining: It may make you feel worse
MSNBC, August 13, 2007
"There is a belief in our culture that talking about your problems makes you feel better," says Amanda Rose, author of the research published in the July issue of Developmental Psychology.
Psychologist to present 'Dumbledore theory' of aging
UPI, August 05, 2007
At the 2007 APA convention, a U.S. professor found senior citizens have more choices than they realize when confronting perceived mental declines.
Hostility puts men's hearts at risk
Forbes, August 03, 2007
Finding ways to reduce anger and hostility (found on the APA website) can help prevent inflammation, the body's response to injury and infection.
Debt's toll on mental, physical health
Washington Post (free registration required), July 24, 2007
A 2006 survey conducted by the APA found that money is a top source of stress for adults.
Army starts stress program, but needs more help
Reuters, July 17, 2007
The military's mental health system is too short of funds and staff to help service members, according to the Pentagon and the APA, which found more than 30 percent of soldiers met the criteria for a mental disorder.
Pass the pasta, hold the stress
Washington Post (free registration required), July 10, 2007
The most frequently cited source of stress is workplace stress, according to research done by the Practice Directorate of the APA.
Supreme Court blocks execution of mentally ill man
Dallas Morning News, June 28, 2007
The APA, among other organizations, urged the Supreme Court to spare the defendant, arguing that regardless of current legal definitions, if a person has a mental disorder that "significantly impairs his or her capacity to understand the nature and purpose of the punishment," that person isn't competent to be executed.
Soldiers struggle to get psychological care
Washington Post (free registration required), June 17, 2007
As many as one quarter of all soldiers and Marines returning from Iraq are psychologically wounded, according to a recent APA report.
Harboring hostility may be bad for your lungs
ScienceDaily, June 04, 2007
Young adults with a short temper or a mean disposition also tend to have compromised lung function, says a recent study published in the journal Health Psychology by the APA.
Breaking the silence on finance
New York Times (free registration required), May 26, 2007
Talking about money may be taboo, voyeuristic, or impolite, but money is our number one stress factor, according tot the APA.
Talking to your kids about advertising
CBS News, May 17, 2007
Kids' exposure to so much advertising has been shown to harm more than just parents' pocketbooks. In fact, a task force from the APA has recommended that advertising targeting children under the age of eight be restricted.
Best workplace stress relievers
Forbes, May 02, 2007
According to a 2006 survey conducted by the APA, 59 percent of those questions said work was a leading source of stress and 47 percent said they were concerned about stress in their lives.
Colleges on alert for warning signs
Boston Globe, April 19, 2007
"You can identify someone as being at risk" for suicide or other violence, "but if they're not doing anything illegal, you can refer them to the college counseling center, but you can't force them" into treatment said Gerald Koocher, former President of the APA.
Tribal leaders worried about spike in suicides
Bismarck Tribune (North Dakota), April 16, 2007
The APA cites a 2000 report by the Indian Health Service showing a suicide rate among Indian youth of 33.9 deaths per 100,000 people.
Behavior experts analyze Imus impact
USA Today, April 12, 2007
APA psychologists analyze the impact of racial slurs on individuals.
Scientists say dieting does not work
Medical News Today, April 10, 2007
U.S. scientists published in the journal American Psychologist conducted a comprehensive review of dieting research and have concluded that dieting does not work.
Houston Texans receive health award
Houston Business Journal, March 15, 2007
The link between employee health and well-being and organizational performance is clear, according to the Practice directorate of the APA.
Choline may reduce behavioral effects of prenatal alcohol exposure
ScienceDaily, March 02, 2007
Giving choline to infants exposed in the womb to alcohol may mitigate some resulting problems, according to research published in the APA journal Behavioral Neuroscience.
The color red impacts achievement
ScienceDaily, March 01, 2007
Red can keep us from performing our best on tests, as reported in the APA Journal of Experimental Psychology.
Psychological needs of military families are not being met
Medical News Today, February 28, 2007
A report of the APA calls attention to the increasing mental health needs of military personnel and their families, needs that are straining the current military health services system.
Military mental health under stress
Time, February 26, 2007
A report issued by the APA said both troops and their families are going without much-needed mental health care "because of the limited availability of such care and the barriers to accessing care."
Goodbye to girlhood
Washington Post (free registration required), February 20, 2007
"Throughout U.S. culture, and particularly in mainstream media, women and girls are depicted in a sexualizing manner," declares the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls.
Media cited for showing girls as sex objects
USA Today, February 20, 2007
Advertising and media images that encourage girls to focus on looks and sexuality are harmful to their emotional and physical health, a report by the APA says.
Experiences in infancy shape adult approach to romance
Medical News Today, February 15, 2007
The ways in which individuals think, feel, and behave in their adult romantic relationships is governed not only by factors in their immediate surroundings, but is also a direct result of their past relationships and personal attachment extending all the way back to childhood, according to a study reported APA's Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Childhood experiences influence adult romance
PsychCentral, February 14, 2007
Relationships and attachments experienced in childhood appear to influence the way in which individuals think, feel, and behave in their adult romantic relationships, according to APA's Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
What makes a good leader: The assertiveness quotient
ScienceDaily, February 05, 2007
Organizational leaders who come across as low or high in assertiveness tend to be seen as less effective, according to a study published in APA's Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
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