Monthly Archive for December, 2011
Mixed Messages from Mom – Maternal Psychological Health Influences Fetal Development
Pregnancy is far from a stress-free time of life. But, most mothers try their best to provide a healthy, happy placental home for nine months, knowing that anything she does to or for herself, she does to her growing fetus. The placental environment is sensitive to many foods, drinks, medications, and even activities, and the effects of many of these (think smoking and drinking) have long-term negative consequences. But, in addition to these external influences, internal factors, including psychological health and hormone levels, affect fetal development. A new study to be published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science claims that, in fact, consistency of maternal mental health is more important in fetal outcomes than whether or not the mother is actually healthy.
The Concern with Self-Confidence
People want to feel good about themselves. From the time children are young, they are told to believe in themselves and be confident. As they grow, children are showered with sometimes-undue praise in an effort to boost their self-esteem and self-confidence. They, in turn, learn to give themselves positive feedback and tell themselves they have done a great job. However, unrealistic self-assessments of performance do not boost self-esteem, but, instead, lead to depression, according to a study recently published in the American Psychological Association's journal Emotion.
Popular Posts
- Mind Games - Science's Attempts at Thought Control
- The Science of Stuttering
- Intelligence - Are You Holding Back Your Brain?
- Risks of Personalized Medicine
- Is Grief a Mental Illness?
- The Brain's Buying Power
- The Cost of a Good Night's Sleep
- Risk Factors for Recurrence of Depression
- Salvia Divinorum - DEA Control over Magic in the Mint
- The Many Emerging Roles of Astrocytes
Future Posts
Latest Posts
- Thinking Fast Equals Risky Business
- A Gateway to Weight Loss?
- Intelligence – Do You Need it to be Successful?
- A Trip for Terminal Patients
- Memory Ain’t What It Used to Be – And That’s Good for Psychotherapy
- The Science of Stuttering
- Are Your Friends Making You Fat?
- Beer – The Smarter Drink
- Macroeconomics and Suicide
- From Nymphomania to Hypersexuality
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