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You sit down in front of your computer screen and dial in to yet another video conference. The content of the meeting isn’t all that different from if you had gathered with your colleagues in person, but after back to back video calls, you’re exhausted. You’re not alone. Research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that more than 90 percent of employees reported feeling tired after a videoconference. [More]

Emotional support animals can have proven mental health benefits for those experiencing mental illness. Researchers from The University of Toledo published the first empirical evidence that shows emotional support animals (ESAs) are beneficial for those experiencing anxiety, depression and loneliness. [More]

Adults are more generous and compassionate in the presence of children. Researchers from the University of Bath and Cardiff University undertook eight experiments with more than 2000 participants and found that the presence of children can cause adults to be more generous. [More]

Just over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic began in the US, parents are reporting worsening mental health in their teenagers. The CS Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health at Michigan Medicine found that almost half of parents have noticed a worsening or new mental health condition in their teenagers since the start of the pandemic. Three in four say the pandemic has negatively impacted the social interactions of their teens. [More]

Lab based studies of emotional and wellbeing may be missing real world anxiety. A study from Duke published in PLOS One found that the background level of anxiety a person may normally experience could change how they behave in a lab setting. This could have important implications for research into wellbeing and emotional health. [More]

Time spent outside and nature-based activities could counteract some of the negative mental health impacts of COVID-19 on adolescents. Researchers from North Carolina State University found that outdoor based activities helped teens cope with major stressors, and restricting such opportunities could have negative mental health implications. [More]

Mindfulness, laughter and even robotic dogs may be some of the methods to help people cope with isolation and loneliness due to social distancing during COVID-19. Researchers from Cambridge’s School of Medicine undertook a review examining existing evidence on the different approach to curbing loneliness and isolation, and found there are options to suit everyone. [More]

Teenagers who bully may be using aggression as a technique to climb the social ladder. Research from UC Davis published recently in the American Journal of Sociology found that teens who harass, bully or victimize their peers don’t always do this due to an unhealthy home environment or due to psychological problems, but out of a desire to strategically move up in a school’s social hierarchy. [More]

Psychologists in the UK have developed the first ever mind reading questionnaire designed to assess how well people understand what others are truly thinking. The researchers from the University of Bath, Cardiff and London developed the new questionnaire and in doing so determined that women are much better at understanding what others may be thinking. [More]

Life in a pandemic for married couples can lead to feelings of sadness and anger. Many couples across the country are co-existing at home for extended periods due to COVID-19. Now, researchers have found the more a person feels their spouse disrupts their daily lives, the more they view their relationship as turbulent. [More]