Posts

New study explores how teacher-child relationships shape children’s educational expectations

Davis, A. L., & McQuillin, S. D. (2023). Exploring changes in the teacher-child relationship and children’s educational expectations. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 87, 101564. Summarized by Saniya Soni About this Study Student-teacher relationships play a crucial role in children’s development. Children who perceive their teachers as caring and supportive tend to adapt better to […]

Cartoon girl sadly resting her head on her bent knees with speech bubbles surrounding her indicating sadness/depression

Navigating the College Mental Health Landscape: Underrepresented Students in Focus

Kook, Y., Le, T. P., Robey, N., & Raposa, E. B. (2023). Mental health and resource utilization among underrepresented students transitioning to college in the United States. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000496 Summarized by Saniya Soni About the Study Despite 35% of job openings requiring a bachelor’s degree, the American […]

The messenger matters: New research shows peers better than teachers at academic motivation

Posted by Andy Henion “Why do I have to learn this?” is a common question among young adults. New research suggests an answer from their peers has more weight than one from their teachers. University students who received a rationale for why learning is important from people similar to them—in this case actors posing as young professionals—wrote […]

Childhood Family Environment Linked With Relationship Quality 60 Years Later

From APS News Growing up in a warm family environment in childhood is associated with feeling more secure in romantic relationships in one’s 80s, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The findings show that men who grew up in caring homes were more adept at managing […]

Trauma informed mentoring: Early trauma exposure raises risk for young women ADHD/self-injury

by Yasmin Anwar   Exposure to abuse, neglect, or other traumas in childhood and adolescence puts young women with ADHD at a heightened risk of self-injury, a new study shows. The findings indicate that environmental factors can have a significant bearing on the negative psychosocial outcomes of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder—and also raise the question whether […]

Volunteering in public schools boosts seniors’ memories

The memory center in the brains of seniors who volunteered in public schools for two years maintained their size, rather than shrinking as part of the normal aging process, report researchers. The findings suggest that retirees who take part in meaningful social activity can prevent shrinkage in their brains’ memory centers and avert age-related cognitive problems. In […]

Phrasing, please: New research highlights impact of comparisons using gendered language

Posted by Alex Shaskevitch, Futurity.org Saying something like “girls are as good as boys at math” might come with good intentions and the intent to encourage, but it can backfire, according to new paper. Although well-meaning, the statement, which parents and teachers often express, can subtly perpetuate the stereotypes they are trying to debunk, study […]

Want to help reinforce a motor skill? Have them take a lap

Posted by Katherine Gombay, futurity.org As little as a single 15-minute bout of cardiovascular exercise increases brain connectivity and efficiency, according to new research. If you want to learn to walk a tightrope, for example, it’s a good idea to go for a short run after each practice session, the research suggests. The recent study, […]

How mentoring is suited to developing passions: More about nurturing a spark than finding a flame

Posted by Melissa De Witte, futurity.org The advice to “find your passion” might undermine how interests actually develop, according to new research. In a series of laboratory studies, researchers examined beliefs that may lead people to succeed or fail at developing their interests. Mantras like “find your passion” carry hidden implications, the researchers say. They […]

New research shows elderly at risk of social isolation: Implications for mentoring

Posted by Jared Wadley on futurity.org One in five older adults is socially isolated from family or friends, increasing their risks for poor mental and physical health, as well as higher rates of mortality, a new study shows. Researchers investigated several factors affecting social isolation from family and friends within a national sample of more […]