Teaching Kids Mindfulness Improves their Attention

A new UK study finds that a short training course in mindfulness improves children’s ability to ignore distractions and concentrate better. University of Cambridge researchers Dominic Crehan and Michelle Ellefson discovered mindfulness training helps children focus and deal with distractions. “Mindfulness involves paying attention in a particular way – on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally,” explained...

http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/09/09/teaching-kids-mindfulness-improves-their-attention/59355.html

Reposted by:

Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D.

Licensed Psychologist

Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.

drcharlesdavenport.com

Nicotine Therapy for Schizophrenia?

Individuals who suffer from schizophrenia may be more inclined to smoke cigarettes because the nicotine reduces negative symptom severity, researchers report.

Negative symptoms are defined as a decline or absence in the traits needed for normal functioning. These include loss of interest in everyday activities, lack of emotion, social withdrawal, reduced ability to plan or carry out activities, neglect of personal hygiene, and loss of motivation.

“Although smoking has a wide range of well-established ill effects on human health, these findings do raise the possibility of exploring nicotinic pathways for novel treatments of schizophrenia,” said the researchers.

http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/09/08/nicotine-therapy-for-schizophrenia/59285.html

Reposted by:

Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D.

Licensed Psychologist

Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.

drcharlesdavenport.com

Exercise Has Modest Effect on Depression

Exercise had a moderate effect on symptoms of depression in a meta-analysis, but the benefit diminished in an analysis limited to well-designed studies, investigators concluded. When compared with no treatment or control interventions, exercise was associated with a treatment effect of -0.62, although many of the 35 trials included in the analysis had one or more biases or other faults...

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Psychiatry/Depression/41562

Reposted by:

Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D.

Licensed Psychologist

Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.

drcharlesdavenport.com

Americans Stay Connected to Work on Weekends, Vacation and Even When Out Sick

Turning off the smartphone and leaving work behind during weekends and vacations is a rare thing for most working Americans, and contrary to popular belief, most say staying connected is good for their productivity and balance. These were among the results of a survey released today by the American Psychological Association’s Center for Organizational Excellence...

http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2013/09/connected-work.aspx

Reposted by:

Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D.

Licensed Psychologist

Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.

drcharlesdavenport.com

What to Do When Work Stress Eats Up the Evening

Feeling the pinch of work stress in the evening? Before heading home for the night, take a moment to savor the day’s wins.

Forthcoming research  from the Academy of Management Journal shows that workers reported lower stress levels in the evenings after spending a few minutes jotting down positive events at the end of the day, along with why those things made them feel good...

http://blogs.wsj.com/atwork/2013/09/04/what-to-do-when-work-stress-eats-up-the-evening/

Reposted by:

Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D.

Licensed Psychologist

Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.

drcharlesdavenport.com

Study: Yelling at teens is not effective

Many parents of teenage children say they're sometimes forced to yell at their kids. But does it work?

A new study  out overnight suggests yelling and shouting at teenagers is not the best strategy to raise well-behaved, happy and respectful teens...

http://www.11alive.com/news/article/305150/40/Study-Yelling-at-teens-is-not-effective

Reposted by:

Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D.

Licensed Psychologist

Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.

drcharlesdavenport.com

Schools finding suspensions ineffective for changing student behavior

First school officials say how important it is to be in class.

Then they tell them not to come. More than 30,000 out-of-school suspensions were issued to public school students -- some of them repeatedly to the same students -- in kindergarten through 12th grade in Allegheny County alone in 2011-12, the most recent year for which countywide data are available.

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/education/schools-finding-suspensions-ineffective-701785/#ixzz2ei6Mpt7i

Reposted by:

Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D.

Licensed Psychologist

Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.

drcharlesdavenport.com