October 2011

Babies Are Smarter Than You Think

In the past 30 years we’ve learned that babies and young children know more and learn more than we would ever have thought possible.

Philosophers and psychologists, even the great Swiss child-development theorist Jean Piaget, once thought that babies and young children were irrational, solipsistic, illogical and amoral — unable to take the perspective of others or understand cause and effect. But new scientific techniques have taught us that even the youngest infants already know a great deal about objects, people and language, and learn even more. In fact, they have implicit learning methods that are as powerful and intelligent as those of the smartest scientists.

They can unconsciously do complicated statistical analyses and their everyday play turns out, remarkably, to be very much like a set of scientific experiments. And I, at least, think that they may actually experience the world more vividly than we do.

Read more CNN

Source: CNN

boy looking fro help

istock

Formal training in parenting strategies is a low-risk, effective method for improving behavior in preschool-age children at risk for developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), while there is less evidence supporting the use of medications for children younger than 6 years old, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
The report found that formal parenting interventions—known as parent behavior training or PBT—are supported by strong evidence for effectiveness for children younger than the age of 6, with no reports of complications or harms. However, one large barrier to the success of PBT is parents who drop out of therapy programs, the report found. For children older than age 6, the report found that methylphenidate (sold under the brand name Ritalin) and another drug used to treat ADHD symptoms, atomoxetine (sold as Strattera), are generally safe and effective for improving behavior, but their effects beyond 12 to 24 months have not been well studied. Little information is available about the long-term effects of other medications used to treat ADHD symptoms.
The report, a comparative effectiveness review prepared for AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program by the McMaster Evidence-based Practice Center in Hamilton, Ontario, is available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov. [continue reading…]

Recovering from Psychiatric Disorders

Some people with psychotic disorders are recovering from their illness, living full lives with jobs and families, according to a report in The New York Times today.
The article tells the story of a chief executive officer of a nonprofit company who lives with schizoaffective disorder and reports on an ongoing study sponsored by UCLA, USC, and the Department of Veterans Affairs that is following the lives of individuals who are living successfully with major mental disorders.

Keris Myrick, who has been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder, finds ways to manage her illness.

“I feel my brain is damaged; I don’t know any other way to say it.” Keris,is the chief executive of Project Return Peer Support Network, a nonprofit organization that helps people who are struggling with mental illness.

link to watch video

For more information on recovery from schizophrenia, see Psychiatric News and Essentials of Schizophrenia, written by Jeffrey Lieberman, M.D., and published by American Psychiatric Publishing.

Source:
New York Times

Music and Mood, the Ups and Downs.

Heavy Metal Rock Fan

Image: istockphoto

Heavy metal music has negative impacts on youth! … this press release sorta makes me wanna bang my head against a wall 😉 Is this music hysteria all over again? seriously! According to this Australian research study:

Most young people listen to a range of music in positive ways; to block out crowds, to lift their mood or to give them energy when exercising, but young people at risk of depression are more likely to be listening to music, particularly heavy metal music, in a negative way.

University of Melbourne researcher Dr Katrina McFerran has found that young people at risk of depression are more likely to listen habitually and repetitively to heavy metal music. (they apparently are not necessarily wallowing in melancholy sad songs).

By conducting in-depth interviews with 50 young people aged between 13 and 18, along with a national survey of 1000 young people, Dr McFerran is looking to develop an early intervention model that can be integrated into schools to impact positively before behavioral problems occur.

“The mp3 revolution means that young people are accessing music more than ever before and it’s not uncommon for some to listen to music for seven or eight hours a day,” she said.

When someone listens to the same song or album of heavy metal music over and over again and doesn’t listen to anything else they do this to isolate themselves or escape from reality.

“If this behavior continues over a period of time then it might indicate that this young person is suffering from depression or anxiety, and at worst, might suggest suicidal tendencies.”

Dr McFerran said parents should be aware of their children’s music listening habits, pick up on early warning signs and take early action.

“If parents are worried, they should ask their children questions like – how does that music make you feel? If children say the music reflects or mirrors the way they feel then ask more about what the music is saying,” she said.

“If listening doesn’t make them feel good about themselves, this should ring alarm bells. Alternatively, if parents notice a downturn in their child’s mood after listening to music this is also a cause for showing interest and getting involved.”

You would like to think so wouldn’t you? Whether a head-banger, Gagga or Kanya -lover, musical preference often is part and parcel of your personality. What potential effects music has on behavior and mood— well that’s still up for debate . Does heavy metal music lead to depression? or are depressed individuals drawn to this type of music? What do you think?

Source:University of Melbourne