The latest findings on stress are in, and they paint a harried picture. According to the American Psychological Association's new Stress in America survey, the majority of us are moderately to seriously stressed. While we know it's unhealthy, we aren't sure how to escape. The sources of strain change throughout life. But one thing doesn't: [...]
If you have a parent, grandparent or other close relative with alcoholism, you are at increased risk of having problems with alcohol. Many studies of children of alcoholics have found that they are about four times more likely to develop alcohol problems than people without a family history of alcoholism, says the National Institute on [...]
It may start with a lucky lottery ticket, a winning hand at poker, or the matching reels of a slot machine. The ending is rarely profitable. Problem gambling ensnares four to six million people in the U.S.—many of them men. It’s an addiction that can yield financial and personal ruin. What is problem gambling? More [...]
by Judith Coché, PhD from the Spring 2014 Pennsylvania Psychological Association eNewsletter For 35 years I have worked to help couples create happy marriages. Recently I was deeply touched as Art, a distinguished businessman with white hair and deep brown eyes, wept quietly. After five years of intense psychotherapy for each partner and the couple, [...]
Many American children are affected by divorce each year. Those youngsters often feel trapped in the middle as the family splits up. If mommy and daddy don't love each other, they wonder, do they love me? Anger, fear, separation anxiety, a sense of abandonment, self-blame, sadness and embarrassment are common reactions for most children. During [...]
Newlywed couples who have similar expectations for dividing household chores are more likely to have longer-lasting marriages, a new study suggests. University of Illinois researchers looked at 220 heterosexual newlywed couples, and discovered that the wives who believed in equal sharing of housework were much happier if their husbands shared their outlook. Among couples who [...]
When gays and lesbians have access to government-sanctioned marriage, or engage in highly committed "marriage-like" unions, their rates of break-up are the same as those of heterosexuals, a new study finds. The study was released Monday, coinciding with an announcement from the U.S. Supreme Court that it would refuse to hear cases from five states [...]
Based on years of studies, counselors have clued into qualities that were found more often in happy marriages: Caring and affection – the wish to nurture a relationship, be romantic, and show appreciation. Sense of commitment and teamwork – the desire to make a relationship work together, whatever problems come up. Sense of humor – [...]
American teens don't get enough sleep, and the problem has only gotten worse since the 1990s, new research shows. Just 63 percent of 15-year-olds reported getting seven or more hours of sleep a night in 2012. That number is down from 72 percent in 1991, according to the study. Regardless of the time period studied, [...]
Sleep is an essential part of life. Without it, your body—and mind—don’t work up to par. That may be especially true as you age. A recent study suggests that older adults who sleep better think better overall. An aging brain? You probably know firsthand how a lack of sleep can muddle your mind. An international [...]