Research News

Summaries of research findings that tell of a scientific need to "rethink psychiatry."

Stimulant Medication Use Linked to Sharp Increase in BMI by Eighth Grade

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New evidence suggests that children on ADHD medication may have stunted growth initially but more rapid increases in body mass over time.

Review Finds Little Evidence that Electroconvulsive Therapy is Effective for Depression

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Researchers examined the dearth of support for Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for depressive symptoms in light of studies detailing the associated risks.

Leading Researchers Critique Current Paradigm for Studying ‘Schizophrenia’ Risk

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Re-conceptualizing the Clinical-High-Risk/Ultra-High-Risk Paradigm: A critique and reappraisal

More Follow Up Needed for Drugs Granted Accelerated FDA Approval

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Drugs to treat serious or life-threatening conditions can receive accelerated FDA approval, but may expose patients to increased safety risks and reduced efficacy.

Replacing Pain with Pain: Hazards of Antidepressant Use for Chronic Pain Relief

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The paradox of relieving chronic pain with an antidepressant (and a new set of symptoms).

The Most Promoted Drugs are Those with Little Therapeutic Value, Study Finds

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Majority of top-selling and most promoted drugs in Canada are rated as having very limited safety and efficacy.

Belief in a Favorable Future May Undermine that Future

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People who are more likely to believe that others’ views will change to match their own over time are less likely to engage in actions to facilitate that change

Researchers Question Add-On Treatment for ‘Schizophrenia’

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A common practice when antipsychotics are found to be ineffective for schizophrenia is to prescribe a second, additional psychoactive medication. Now, a new study suggests that this practice is not supported by the research.

Inappropriate Use of Antipsychotics on Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

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One-third of adults with an intellectual or developmental disability are dispensed antipsychotics, despite having no existing psychiatric diagnosis.

First Systematic Review of Leading School-Based Mental Health Programs

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Results reflect moderate to strong evidence in support of the non-pharmacological school-based interventions reviewed in the study.

Criticism of Coercion and Forced Treatment in Psychiatry

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A recent editorial, published in BMJ, argues there is an increase in coercive measures in psychiatry that are damaging to individuals diagnosed with mental illness.

Researchers Question the “Adequacy and Legitimacy” of ADHD Diagnosis

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A new article, just published online in the journal Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, presents research suggesting that the diagnosis of ADHD is philosophically inadequate.

Loneliness as Lethal: Researchers Name Social Isolation a ‘Public Health Threat’

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Researchers present loneliness as a health threat facing a growing number of Americans.

Ethical Failings in Experimental Drug Safety Trials

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Leading human subjects ethics researcher questions exploitation of uninsured minorities in experimental drug trials.

ADHD Diagnosis Based on “Illogical Rhetoric,” Analysis Claims

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In a philosophically rigorous article, Spanish researcher Marino Pérez-Álvarez examines the logic of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

More to Happiness Than Feeling Good, Study Finds

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Cross-cultural data suggest that happiness involves feeling the emotions one deems as right, in accordance with personal and cultural values.

Study Finds Recalling Experiences of Violence Impairs Cognitive Functioning

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Recalling past exposure to violence worsens short-term memory and cognitive control.

Increased Risk of Movement Disorders From Antipsychotics in Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

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Large cohort study demonstrates that those with an intellectual disability are at an increased risk for movement disorder side effects of antipsychotics.

Researchers Argue that ‘ADHD’ Doesn’t Meet DSM Definition of a Disorder

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New research questions whether the diagnosis of ADHD even meets the criteria for a disorder, as set out in the manuals used by the medical and psychiatric fields.

Researchers Challenge Popular Beliefs About Adolescent Risk Taking

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Adolescent risk taking is explored contextually, beyond models of brain imbalances and adverse consequences.

Married Individuals with Schizophrenia Show Better Outcomes, Study Finds

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14-year study of a rural sample in China shows those who were married had higher rates of remission from schizophrenia.

Social Prescribing May Improve Self-Esteem and Mental Well-Being

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Systematic review suggests social prescribing benefits individuals with mental and physical health issues, but more program evaluations are needed.

Patients With Schizophrenia Show Better Work Functioning Off Antipsychotics

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20-year follow-up study finds that after four years, patients not prescribed antipsychotics have significantly better work functioning.

Researchers Find Inadequate Reporting of the Dangers of Ketamine Treatment for Depression

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Researchers report that dangerous side effects are not being adequately reported in the trials of ketamine for depression.

New Collaborative and Feedback-Informed Family Therapy Approach

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Attempts to bridge the gap between research and practice result in a family therapy approach which employs clients as co-researchers.