Current News in Mental Health


Striking Evidence for Structural Changes in Brain Resulting from Learning
Timothy Keller and Marcel Just at Carnegie University have demonstrated that there are a number of significant structural changes in childrens' brains following intensive remedial reading training.  The children in the study showed increased efficiency of signal transmission within the white matter of the brain following 100 hours of intensive reading training over a six month period.  Changes in white matter functioning were highly correlated with measured improvements in reading skills in the children studied.  Keller has previously conducted research that examined the involvement of white matter in autistic conditions.


Early Intervention Proven to Improve Outcomes in Children with Autism
A new carefully controlled study suggests that structured interventions with children under two years of age can significantly improve social functioning, language development and general adaptive behavior.  The study followed 48 children aged 18 to 30 months for approximately five years and compared children and families using the Early Start Denver Model to a control group receiving standard community-based services over the same time period.  At the end of the study, children in the Denver model condition showed an average gain of 18 IQ points as compared to a 4 point gain among controls.  The program emphasized professional training of parents using Applied Behavioral Analysis techniques in concert with relationship-building active play. 

Parents Unfortunately Tend to Underestimate Children's Stress
A recent APA survey indicates that children and teens report higher levels of stress than their caregivers estimate.  As a result, parents may fail to provide adequate support to their children in times of need and may ignore signals that warrant intervention.  The survey also measured adults' levels of stress and preferred stress-management practices.
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