http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/behavior/ Brain and behavior. Read current research on behavioral problems, cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy. en-us Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:05:01 EST Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/behavior/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091121093234.htm Treatment that includes medication plus a structured training program for parents reduces serious behavioral problems in children with autism and related conditions, according to a new study. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091121093234.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119193628.htm Researchers comparing the effectiveness of two interventions on driving-while-impaired re-offenders with alcohol problems found that one -- Brief Motivational Interviewing (BMI) -- was more effective. While both interventions led to significant declines in risky drinking, BMI produced significantly more pronounced and longer-lasting reductions in risking drinking compared to the control intervention. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119193628.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119141227.htm Heavy criticism from a parent can increase aggressive behavior in some children. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119141227.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119193630.htm Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has been linked to significant impairments in social skills. Researchers have found that a social- skills intervention called Children's Friendship Training can lead to a decrease in hostile attributions or perceptions of children with PAE. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119193630.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119111419.htm Many women don't quit smoking because they are afraid of gaining weight. That's because nicotine suppresses appetite and boosts a smoker's metabolism. But a new meta-analysis shows that women who quit smoking while receiving treatment for weight control are better able to control their weight gain and are more successful at quitting cigarettes. The finding disproves clinical guidelines that say trying to diet and quit smoking at the same time will sabotage efforts to ditch cigarettes. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119111419.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118163210.htm Eating a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and mashed potatoes makes consumers less likely to buy on impulse, which might affect the outcome of their shopping on Black Friday, historically one of the busiest retail shopping days of the year. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118163210.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119193638.htm Treatment for alcohol use disorders and tuberculosis (TB) is rarely integrated, even though the two diseases have a high co-occurrence. American and Russian researchers have jointly designed and are monitoring an innovative program that will deliver alcohol treatment as part of routine TB care. The trial study is continuing. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119193638.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116143623.htm Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug by adolescents, with almost 42 percent of high school seniors admitting to having experimented with it. Many studies have focused on parents as being the best avenue for preventing adolescent marijuana use; however, the strength of the relationship between monitoring and marijuana usage has been unclear. According to a meta-analysis, there is in a fact a strong, reliable link between parental monitoring and decreased marijuana usage in adolescents. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116143623.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117094941.htm Unrealistic optimism about drinking behavior can lead to later alcohol-related problems, according to new research. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117094941.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091113083305.htm A new study has found that young people feel differently about two types of parental control, generally viewing a type of control that's thought to be better for their development more positively. In the study, researchers asked 67 American children to respond to hypothetical scenarios involving both kinds of control. Their results show that youths put a negative spin on both types of control when the parents in the scenarios exercised a lot of control. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091113083305.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091113114414.htm Using four simple questions to generate client-directed feedback can greatly increase the chances that struggling couples will stay together, according to a recently published study. Couples that had systematic client feedback incorporated into their sessions were 46.2 percent less likely to wind up divorced or separated. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091113114414.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016141409.htm Alcohol and drug use are known contributors to adolescents engaging in dangerous sexual activity. Yet, research suggests that fewer than half of pediatricians report screening patients for such at-risk behaviors. A new diagnostic test allows clinicians to quickly and accurately screen teens for high risk drug and alcohol use. Now, researchers have established that the same test can also identify teens who more likely to be engaging in high risk sexual behaviors. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016141409.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104123025.htm Most weight-control strategies emphasize energy-restricted diets and increased physical activity -- and most are not effective over the long term. In a study of a "weight-acceptance" intervention, researchers found that there could be long-term beneficial effects on certain eating behaviors using a weight-acceptance intervention approach. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104123025.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029111915.htm A new study sheds new light on the relationship between race, body weight and sexual behavior among adolescent girls. The results suggest that a girl's ethnicity and her actual weight or perception of her weight may play a role in her participation in risky sexual behaviors. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029111915.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026225744.htm A new study has found that chronic disruption of one of the most basic circadian (daily) rhythms -- the day/night cycle -- leads to weight gain, impulsivity, slower thinking, and other physiological and behavioral changes in mice, similar to those observed in people who experience shift work or jet lag. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026225744.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091023163354.htm Ten percent of young adolescent boys -- or one in 10 -- exhibit a symptom of conduct disorder as well as a symptom of risky or problem gambling, according to new research findings. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091023163354.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091023102428.htm New animal studies suggest that memory and other cognitive problems experienced by cocaine-addicted people can result directly from the cocaine abuse in addition to pre-existing traits or lifestyle factors. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091023102428.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021100752.htm Drinking. Drugs. Caving into peer pressure. When parents expect their teenagers to conform to negative stereotypes, those teens are in fact more likely to do so, according to new research. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021100752.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021100738.htm A new study suggests that maternal smoking may increase the level of distress of newborns. Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021100738.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019172628.htm Everyone tends to float off into space once in a while and fail to see what is sitting there right in front of them. Recently researchers decided to put the theory of "inattentional blindness" to the test: the unicycling clown test. They documented real-world examples of people who were so distracted by their cell phone use that they failed to see the bizarre occurrence of a unicycling clown passing them on the street. Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019172628.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029152047.htm Nervous drivers are being helped to overcome their road phobias by donning Cyclops-style goggles that transport them to a three-dimensional virtual world. Researchers have recruited volunteers with a variety of driving phobias to test whether virtual reality can be used alongside conventional psychological therapies to help tackle their fears. Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029152047.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016163659.htm A new research study examined the long-term effects of different treatments for seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of severe depression that occurs annually in the fall and winter seasons. Of those treated with cognitive behavior therapy, only 7 percent had a recurrence compared to 36.7 percent of people treated with light therapy. Sat, 17 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016163659.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012225541.htm A researcher has pinpointed the mechanism by which a gene associated with both autism and schizophrenia influences behavior in mice. Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012225541.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012230456.htm Socially learned behavior and belief are much better candidates than genetics to explain the self-sacrificing behavior we see among strangers in societies, from soldiers to blood donors to those who contribute to food banks. Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012230456.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012225814.htm For the first time, researchers have demonstrated that it is possible to successfully recruit and retain a large number of adolescent smokers from the general population into a smoking intervention study and, through personalized, proactive telephone counseling, significantly impact rates of six-month continuous quitting. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012225814.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006093349.htm Expectant mothers who eat excessive quantities of licorice during pregnancy could adversely affect their child's intelligence and behavior, a study has shown. A study of 8-year-old children whose mothers ate large amounts of licorice when pregnant found they did not perform as well as other youngsters in cognitive tests. Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006093349.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006114637.htm Daughters of women exposed to a common chemical found in some plastics while they were pregnant are more likely to have unusually aggressive and hyperactive behaviors as 2-year-olds, according to a new study. Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006114637.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091005181636.htm Adolescents with psychiatric symptoms such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, social phobia, hostility and depression may be more likely to develop an Internet addiction, according to a new report. Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091005181636.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090930132702.htm New research looks at the specific ways parents and peers influence teenagers to smoke, drink and use marijuana in combination. Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090930132702.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091002182633.htm The prevalence of mental health disorders in this country has nearly doubled in the past 20 years. Who is treating all of these patients? Clinical psychologists and therapists are charged with the task, but many are falling short by using methods that are out of date and lack scientific rigor, according to a new report. Sat, 03 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091002182633.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090930084604.htm The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in a growing number of soldiers evacuated to the United States for comprehensive care for physical and psychological trauma. Given the number of physical injuries often experienced by soldiers, it is not surprising that chronic pain is a frequent problem among returning soldiers from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Sat, 03 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090930084604.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922095806.htm The Switch program -- "Switch what you Do, View, and Chew" -- has been shown to be capable of promoting children's fruit and vegetable consumption and lowering 'screen time'. Researchers tested the program and report that it offers promise for use in youth obesity prevention. Mon, 28 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922095806.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090921162150.htm Profound discoveries and insights on the frontiers of science do not burst out of thin air but often arise from incremental processes of weaving together analogies, images, and simulations in a constrained fashion. In cutting-edge science, problems are often ill-defined, and experimental data are limited. Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090921162150.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090914172526.htm Web-based screening and personalized interventions for alcohol use may reduce drinking in undergraduate students, according to a new report. Thu, 17 Sep 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090914172526.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915100945.htm A study of 229 infants shows that babies fed formula supplemented with docosahexaenoic acid -- an essential fatty acid found in breast milk -- have higher cognitive skills than babies fed regular formula. These results suggest that feeding infants formula supplemented with high concentrations of DHA provides beneficial effects on cognitive development -- effects that could extend well beyond infancy. Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915100945.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915100953.htm Using data collected in two longitudinal studies, researchers found that parents typically adjust the way they discipline their children in response to their children's cognitive abilities, using less physical discipline (spanking, slapping, hitting with an object) over time. Researchers also found that when parents' use of physical discipline continues through childhood, by the time their children are teens, they're more likely to have behavior problems. Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915100953.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915100941.htm A longitudinal study of more than 2,500 low-income White, African American, and Mexican-American mothers and their children found that spanking at age 1 leads to more aggressive behaviors at age 2 and less sophisticated cognitive development at age 3. In contrast, researchers found that verbal punishment alone didn't affect children's aggression or their cognitive development. Interestingly, when verbal punishment was accompanied by emotional support from moms, children performed better on cognitive ability tests. Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915100941.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090910114138.htm US colleges with the biggest student drinking problems have so far failed to turn the tide, according to a new study. Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090910114138.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909064910.htm Researchers in Germany investigated the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake, plasma antioxidant micronutrient status and cognitive performance in healthy subjects aged 45 to 102 years. Their results indicated higher cognitive performance in individuals with high daily intake of fruits and vegetables. Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909064910.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909111632.htm People with mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety are the heaviest smokers in the country, but their doctors are afraid to ask them to quit. They assume if their patients try to quit, their mental disorders will get worse. That is a myth, according to a tobacco addiction specialist. This population's tobacco use needs to be treated, he says. Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909111632.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090831213202.htm Prairie voles may be a useful model in understanding the neurochemistry of social behavior and how early life nurturing impacts later life relationships. Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090831213202.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090907162308.htm Rates of binge drinking were 37 percent lower among eighth-grade students in communities in seven states that used a prevention system designed to reduce drug use and delinquent behavior compared to teenagers in communities that did not use the system. Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090907162308.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090815100834.htm A new study shows that the use of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is an effective treatment for older patients with osteoarthritis and comorbid insomnia. Mon, 07 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090815100834.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090901091735.htm Researchers have found new evidence showing that parents play a key role in whether or not their adolescent children who experiment with tobacco progress to become daily smokers before they graduate from high school. Wed, 02 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090901091735.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090806170715.htm Depressed stroke patients who received medication and psychosocial therapy improved significantly in the short term and a year later, compared to those receiving medication alone. The psychosocial therapy focused on depression education, problem-solving and increasing pleasant experiences. Depression is common after stroke and can impede recovery. Mon, 31 Aug 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090806170715.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090825203341.htm A long-standing theory of adolescent behavior has assumed that this delayed brain maturation is the cause of impulsive and dangerous decisions in adolescence. The new study, using a new form of brain imaging, calls into question this theory. Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090825203341.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090824182430.htm High blood pressure is linked to memory problems in people over 45, according to new research. The study found that people with high diastolic blood pressure, which is the bottom number of a blood pressure reading, were more likely to have cognitive impairment, or problems with their memory and thinking skills, than people with normal diastolic readings. Wed, 26 Aug 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090824182430.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090824151254.htm Higher levels of testosterone are associated with a greater appetite for risk in women. The link between risk aversion and testosterone predicted career choice: individuals who were high in testosterone and low in risk aversion chose riskier careers in finance. Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090824151254.htm