Research News

Summaries of research findings that tell of a scientific need to "rethink psychiatry."

Climate Change Negatively Impacts Mental Health, Study Finds

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Climate change-related extreme weather and increasing temperatures associated with higher rates of mental health challenges.

Polypharmacy Associated with Cognitive Decline in Elderly Patients

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Study finds that elderly patients taking at least 5 medications were at increased risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia.

United Nations Rep Brings Attention to Human Rights Violations in Psychiatry

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Dr. Dainius Pūras argues that the status quo in mental health treatment is no longer acceptable and demands political action to promote human rights.

Better Outcomes Off Medication for Those Recovered from First-Episode Schizophrenia

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A new study has found that of 10 people who were fully recovered from their first episode of schizophrenia (FES), those not taking antipsychotics did better in terms of cognitive, social, and role functioning—and reached full recovery more quickly.

Psychologists Advise How to Help and Minimize Harm Working With Migrants and Refugees

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While well intentioned, providers and volunteers can do more harm than good at the border. The Global Psychosocial Network issues guidelines on how to work for the benefit of migrants and refugees.

Study Identifies Psychiatric Patients at Greatest Risk of Coercion

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In an effort to reduce coercion, researchers isolate associated factors including age, relationship status, location, and diagnosis.

Flexible Treatment Planning Improves Depression Outcomes in Youth

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Researchers explore the effects of augmented treatment at various points in interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents diagnosed with depression, highlighting previously unidentified critical decision points (i.e., relatively early in the treatment sequence).

Prenatal Valproate Exposure Linked with ADHD Diagnosis in Children

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Children who were exposed to anti-seizure drug valproate in utero were 48% more likely to develop ADHD, according to a new study.

Study Links Antidepressants and Decreased Coping Behaviors Across Generations

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Biologists found that exposure to antidepressants suppresses important survival behaviors in zebrafish, an effect that persisted across three generations and was found to be more severe for males.

Can Cultural Engagement Protect Against Depression?

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A new study examines the preventative effects of cultural engagement has on depression among older adults.

Individuals with Psychosis Symptoms More Likely to be Victimized

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Individuals diagnosed with a psychotic disorder are 4-6 times more likely than the general population to experience victimization.

More Research Needed on Climate Change-Related Ecological Grief

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Researchers outline the concept of ecologically driven grief due to climate change and recommend future research to better understand the psychological impact of climate change.

What is Contributory Injustice in Psychiatry?

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An article on contributory injustice describes the clinical and ethical imperative that clinicians listen to service users experiences.

Philosophers Challenge Psychiatry and its Search for Mechanisms of Disorder

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Attempting to locate the mechanisms of psychiatric disorder is a step in the wrong direction and fails to challenge potentially unjust social practices.

How to Promote Community Inclusion in Mental Health Practice

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Practitioners and public leaders identify methods and barriers for integrating those diagnosed with mental health issues into community life.

Researchers Push Back Against Recommendation to Combine Antidepressants for Suicide Prevention

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Researchers challenge the recommendation of starting two antidepressants simultaneously to increase preventative effects against suicide.

Researchers Highlight Pitfalls of Cognitive Assessment in Schools

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Historical, current, and potential future complexities of cognitive assessment; a longstanding, controversial fixture in schools throughout the United States.

Dementia Screening Tools Often Misdiagnose Patients

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A new study has found that the three most commonly-used dementia screening measures often misdiagnose patients.

Researchers Recommend Diagnosing Social Adversity Rather than Individual Disorders

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Already-existing ICD codes provide a diagnostic alternative to biomedical models of health by contextualizing suffering within psychosocial conditions, yet these codes are underutilized.

Researchers Call for Transparency About Limits of Psychiatric Knowledge

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A new paper explores how the disputed nature of psychiatric knowledge influences public perceptions and debates within the field of mental health.

Collaboration with Consumers of Mental Health Services Improves Quality and Value of Research

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A new study examines the benefits of collaborating with mental health consumers in research.

Increasing Physical Activity in Schools May Improve Mental Health

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A new article suggests integrating physical activity throughout the day may help to address the mental health of students.

Antipsychotics Associated with High Risk of Death in Children

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A new study has found that children and adolescents taking a high dose of antipsychotics are almost twice as likely to die of any cause than children on other types of medications.

Claims That Long-term Antipsychotic Use Leads to Better Outcomes are Misleading, Researchers Argue

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Researchers reveal the limitations and misleading interpretations of two recent studies that claim to demonstrate that long-term antipsychotic use leads to better outcomes.

What is Loneliness And How Can it be Addressed?

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As an increasing amount of research seeks to address the epidemic of loneliness, conceptual clarity is needed.