Each month our editorial team sifts through hundreds of papers and curates notable findings—for practitioners and informed readers who want to stay current with the evidence. Subscribe to the monthly Research Digest for expert analysis and concise summaries of key papers.
Anxiety disorders are a group of conditions marked by persistent, excessive fear or worry and behaviors (like avoidance) that cause real trouble in daily life. They are the most common class of psychiatric disorder — large surveys report that up to 33.7% of people will have one in their lifetime…
The authors combined results from 42 studies of people in prison to estimate how common ADHD is in those groups. Using formal diagnostic interviews, the overall ADHD rate was about 25.5%. Reported rates were higher when studies used screening tools or when adults recalled childhood ADHD. The review found much…
The researchers repeatedly measured early-morning cortisol and self-reported depressive symptoms in a population of adolescents. Using a statistical method to find subgroups, they identified a high-risk group (17% of the sample) with both high depressive symptoms and elevated morning cortisol. Membership in this group was linked to worse autobiographical memory…
This study followed women with diagnosed social anxiety disorder (n = 91) or specific phobia (n = 130) for 18 months. It found that higher general anxiety at the start predicted higher general anxiety 18 months later in both groups. Clinician-rated avoidance of feared situations changed that pattern only for…
This study analyzed Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 data from 204 countries to track anxiety disorders in 10–24 year olds from 1990 to 2021. It found a 52% rise in incidence over those 31 years, a sharp increase after 2019, higher rates in females, and rising disability (DALYs) especially…
This systematic review looked at studies up to November 2023 on cannabis use and mood disorders. The authors included 78 studies and found that cannabis use was generally linked with more depressive and manic symptoms, a higher chance of developing major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD), and a…
This review says postpartum depression (PPD) is a common and disabling problem that has been rising in many places. It summarizes known risk factors in social and economic life, childbirth history, lifestyle, and past mental illness. The paper also reviews biological and genetic work (the serotonin transporter gene, SERT, is…
This review found that research on cannabis use in India is limited and often low quality. The authors identified 29 Indian studies (1986–2020) but said most had small, region‑specific samples, included only men, used weak methods, and relied on simple descriptive analyses. National surveys show cannabis use has risen, and…
This study looked at 598 men in three groups: men diagnosed with depression, men with physical illnesses, and healthy men. The researchers used several questionnaires to find which factors were linked with the level of depressive symptoms and suicidal behavior in each group. They reported different sets of factors for…
This review looked at 22 studies of ADHD coaching and focused on 19 that reported outcomes. Most outcome studies reported improvements in ADHD symptoms or in executive functioning, and some also reported better well‑being, satisfaction, and maintenance of gains. However, the studies were usually small, varied widely in who was…
This preliminary study used data from 180 Israeli adults aged 21–30 who were in relationships. The researchers tested whether insecure attachment styles (anxious and avoidant) and rejection sensitivity help explain links between childhood emotional abuse and a later fear of intimacy. Statistical analyses found several mediating links among these factors,…
