Family Dynamics Archives

Step-Siblings Bring Bad Grades - May 2, 2008

So much for the Brady Bunch. New research shows that children in blended families involving step- or half-siblings have more long-term behavioral problems in school and lower grades than other children. Researchers at Florida State University studied data from more...
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Low Serotonin, Fights with Mom a Deadly Combo for Girls - March 6, 2008

Sixty-four percent of teen girls who engage in self-harm share two factors in common: low levels of serotonin, a chemical associated with mood quality, and conflicts with their mothers. This finding comes as a result of a study by University...
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How Childhood Relationships Affect Expectations About Motherhood - February 26, 2008

A study of 160 women in the last trimester of their first pregnancy shows a woman's relationship with her parents during early childhood has a substantial impact on her expectations about motherhood. Women who perceived their relationship with their parents...
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Review Supports Importance Of Active Father Figures - February 12, 2008

Regular contact with a father figure leads to fewer psychological problems in girls and fewer behavioral problems in boys. For low-income children, this contact also leads to a lower chance of criminal activity and improved language and reasoning skills. These...
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PsychBriefs: January 6-12, 2008 - January 11, 2008

Our weekly wrap-up of news, interesting research, and noteworthy happenings in the worlds of psychiatry, psychology, and social work. Study Shows Teens Widely Abuse Cough Syrup The most recent survey on teen drug use shows that 3.1 million teens and...
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Family Meals Reduce Disordered Eating in Teen Girls - January 10, 2008

Worried about your daughter's eating habits? New research shows eating five or more meals together per week as a family considerably decreases the likelihood of teen girls engaging in extreme diet behaviors such as fasting or vomiting. In 1999, 2516...
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PsychBriefs: December 2-December 8, 2007 - December 7, 2007

Neuroscientists Study Effects of Viewing Violence Watching violence lowers activity in areas of the brain that suppress aggressive behavior, shows new research from Columbia University. Using fMRIs while experiment subjects watched violent scenes, scientists observed quickly diminished activity and interconnectedness...
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PsychBriefs: November 25-December 1, 2007 - December 1, 2007

Personality Does Matter Having desirable personality traits can make you more attractive, shows a study published in the journal Personal Relationships. In the experiment, male and female college students rated the attractiveness of pictures of members of the opposite sex....
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Oxytocin Linked to Mother-Child Bonding in Humans - October 16, 2007

Maternal instinct is delivered in a hormonal package, shows new research establishing the connection between the levels of oxcytocin in a pregnant woman's body and her mothering skills. A study, led by psychology professor Ruth Feldman at Bar-Ilan University in...
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Work-Family Conflict May Trigger PTSD in Female Soldiers - August 21, 2007

While combat exposure is a recognized trigger for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), new research shows work-family conflicts are also a significant predictor of PTSD in female military personnel. Researchers at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research screened 2344...
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Child Maltreatment Rates Soar During Military Deployment - August 16, 2007

War deployments place stress on both soldier parents and civilian spouses left behind. However, it is the children who may suffer the most as they both miss and worry about the deployed parent and are affected by the additional stress...
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Family Turmoil, Violence Put Physical Strain On Organs of Adolescents - April 24, 2007

Chronic exposure to psychological stressors including family problems, abuse, poor housing and exposure to violence may damage the organs of children and adolescents, report Cornell University researchers. Using blood pressure measurements and urine samples, the team measured allostatic load, "changes...
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Study: Family Stability And Behavior Problems In Children - March 30, 2007

The twists and turns of parental love lives can have drastic effects on the behavior and academic success of children, particularly where divorce is involved. A new study shows just how important a stable family is to child behavior and...
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Divorced or Separated Mothers More Likely to Suffer Mental Illness - January 17, 2007

Canada's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) released findings today showing that previously married mothers have higher rates of mental illness and substance abuse than both currently married mothers and those who were never married. The study increases knowledge...
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How Partner Reacts to Your Good News Is Vital - December 22, 2006

Although people may fret over how their partner responds to bad news, a new study shows that how couples react to each other's good news is in fact a better indicator of relationship health. Researchers questions 79 couples about how...
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Half of Relationships Suffer After First Child - December 19, 2006

A study of Australian couples shows that nearly half of couples report a "significant decline" in their relationship after they have children. However, intervention programs that address expectations about being parents and teach communication and conflict resolution skills may ease...
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Trust and Risk-Taking: Inherited Traits? - November 28, 2006

Current research by the Institute for the Study of Labor and the University of Bonn suggests willingness to take risks and to trust others--traits that may lead to economic success--tend to run in families. Interviewing 3600 families across the socioeconomic...
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