Researchers have shed new light on the changes in metabolism that occur between birth and the presentation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) later in childhood. The researchers discovered that a small number of biochemical pathways are responsible for the majority of these changes, which could help inform new early detection and prevention strategies for autism ..read more

Researchers lay out the need for design safety protocols that prevent the emerging 'digital afterlife industry' causing social and psychological harm ..read more

Children who experience chronic lack of sleep from infancy may be at increased risk of developing psychosis in early adulthood, new research shows ..read more

A study has found the widespread impact of child abuse and neglect, with analysis suggesting they cause nearly half of common mental conditions. Researchers say childhood maltreatment should be treated as a public health priority ..read more

Adolescents who view their households as more unstructured, disorganized, or hectic than their siblings develop more mental health and behavioral problems in early adulthood, according to new research ..read more

An estimated 321,566 children in the United States lost a parent to drug overdose from 2011 to 2021, according to a new study. The rate of children who experienced this loss more than doubled during this period, from approximately 27 to 63 children per 100,000. The highest number of affected children were those with non-Hispanic white parents, but communities of color and tribal communities were disproportionately affected ..read more

Is the status of 'perfect parent' attainable? Researchers leading a national dialogue about parental burnout say 'no,' and a new study finds that pressure to try to be 'perfect' leads to unhealthy impacts on both parents and their children ..read more

A new study provides some of the clearest and most comprehensive evidence to date on what is known about stress physiology and 'epigenetic programming ..read more

A new study sheds light on the role that new and traditional media play in promoting and affecting character development, emotions, prosocial behavior and well-being (aka happiness) in youth ..read more

A new study finds people who have nature-based experiences report better well-being and lower psychological distress than those who do not. Birdwatching in particular yielded promising results, with higher gains in subjective well-being and more reduction in distress than more generic nature exposure, such as walks. Because birdwatching is an easily accessible activity, the results are encouraging for college students -- who are among those most likely to suffer from mental health problems ..read more