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Findings suggest governments should re-examine their use of 'optimism bias' in large-scale projects Last updated on Thursday 28 October 2021 A new study casts doubt over claims that people are 'optimistically biased' about the future, a tendency that is thought to contribute to financial crises, people's failure to look after their health, or inaction over climate change.

Children from less affluent backgrounds are likely to have found COVID-19 lockdowns more challenging to their mental health because they experienced a lower connection with nature than their wealthier peers, a new study suggests.

A simple form of talking therapy, delivered by trained support workers over the telephone, reduced loneliness in older people left isolated during the pandemic, the initial results of a new study has revealed. People were contacted weekly and were encouraged to maintain their social contacts and to stick to a daily schedule, which included both routine and enjoyable activities.

UK leading pregnancy charity Tommy's warns that pandemic pressures can take a physical toll on mums-to-be - even if they don't personally catch Covid-19, following new research, published in the medical journal Placenta co-authored by University of Manchester scientists An international study of 115 mums who gave birth during the pandemic shows far more physical abnormalities in the placenta (baby's support system in the womb) than doctors would expect to see in a pre-2020 pregnancy.

Those with a recorded history of cannabis use in general practice records are at a much higher risk of developing mental ill health problems such as anxiety or depression as well as severe mental illnesses, new research shows. The findings point to the need for a public health approach to the management of people misusing cannabis, including the need to emphasise the importance of general practitioners to continue enquiring about recreational drug use.

People who had higher pre-pandemic levels of depression or anxiety have been more severely affected by disruption to jobs and healthcare during the pandemic, according to a new study co-led by UCL researchers. The study, published in The British Journal of Psychiatry and funded by UKRI, looked at data from 59,482 people who are surveyed regularly as part of 12 ongoing longitudinal studies in England.

37% of people had at least one long-COVID symptom diagnosed in the 3-6 month period after COVID-19 infection. The most common symptoms were breathing problems, abdominal symptoms, fatigue, pain and anxiety/depression. This new study from the University of Oxford and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) investigated long-COVID in over 270,000 people recovering from COVID-19 infection, using data from the US-based TriNetX electronic health record network.

How well people adhered to restrictions during the UK's Covid-19 lockdowns varied depending on their learning and decision-making styles, finds a study led by researchers at UCL and Royal Holloway, University of London. The study, published in Scientific Reports , reveals that multiple psychological factors predicted how people responded to the first national lockdown in spring 2020.

New research into child maltreatment has highlighted the links with ongoing mental health disorders, even into middle and older age adulthood. The new study, led by the University of Glasgow and published in the Lancet Regional Health - Europe, finds that child maltreatment was associated with a wide range of mental health conditions in later life, even if they were not diagnosed of any in early adulthood.

Psychologists at the University of Bath want participants from the local area to come forward for a new study focusing on the effects of trauma and PTSD. Last updated on Wednesday 22 September 2021 Researchers at the University of Bath want local people to take part in a new study which hopes to improve understanding of the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

New research from the Addiction and Mental Health Group at the University of Bath highlights challenges for people trying to give up the drug 'Spice'. Last updated on Friday 17 September 2021 Research published today by psychologists at the University of Bath suggests that 'Spice' - which contains synthetic drugs originally designed to mimic the effects of cannabis - is more harmful than cannabis and that users are likely to experience more severe withdrawal symptoms when attempting to quit.

Psychologists are keen to understand whether a popular mindfulness app could offer fresh hope for people with asthma. Last updated on Monday 13 September 2021 People with asthma given access to a popular mindfulness app improved symptoms and quality of life after just three months, researchers behind new psychological research say.

Alcohol and other substance use play complex roles in suicidal behaviour among young people. Gaining a better understanding of these impacts can help services better support young people, according to experts at the University of Birmingham. In a new study, published in PLoS ONE , researchers from the University's Institute of Mental Health and School of Psychology investigated in depth the lived experiences of a group of seven young people between the ages of 16 and 25 who had made attempts to end their life and subsequently recovered.

University of Manchester researchers have discovered that hearing loss may act as a cause of depression in older people. And those in the lowest wealth groups, they found, had up to twice the relative risk of developing depression than those in the highest wealth quintiles, as hearing loss disproportionally affected their quality of life.

The risk of children developing mental ill-health increases significantly when they have lived with someone who also has a common mental health disorder, research has found. The study, from Cardiff University, showed children who had grown up living with someone with mental health difficulties were 63% more likely to experience any mental health issue, which includes but is not limited to anxiety, depression, anti-social behaviour and personality disorders.

COVID-19 has exacerbated existing mental health inequalities for people in Wales, according to a new report from Cardiff University. The analysis, conducted by academics at the Wales Governance Centre, reveals the share of people experiencing severe mental health issues increased from 11.7% during the period immediately before the pandemic to 28.1% by April 2020.

A new psychology study from researchers at the University of Bath focuses on the relationship between autism and green behaviours. Last updated on Wednesday 14 July 2021 Autistic people need extra help in going green say researchers behind a new study which argues for a more inclusive environmental agenda.

Autistic people can "face barriers" to taking positive environmental action - and need greater support to help them do so, according to a new study. Researchers from Cardiff University, along with the universities of Bath, Essex, and King's College London, explored the links between autistic personality traits and environmental attitudes in a study of 2,000 people in the US and UK.

Research published in Royal Society Open Science from Lorraine Whitmarsh finds that people have judged COVID risks by the magnitude of the policy response. Last updated on Thursday 8 July 2021 The UK public is likely to take the COVID-19 pandemic less seriously once restrictions are lifted, according to new research.

While autistic individuals are less likely to use substances, those who do so are more likely to self-medicate for their mental health symptoms, according to new research from the University of Cambridge and published today in The Lancet Psychiatry .