Welcome to the News section. This page summarizes a selection of news items relating to psychology and psychotherapy.
Headlines
- Thinking about Personal Values May Help Buffer Stress
- Exercise as Treatment for Depression
- Government of Ontario Considers Regulating Psychotherapy
- Daily Rhythm Reduces Relapse in People with Bipolar Disorder
Thinking about Personal Values May Help Buffer Stress
When two groups of volunteers were exposed to a stressful task, the group that had first reflected on important personal values had a lower stress response. It appears that reflection on things that are personally important helps to buffer the effect of stress. The experiment by Cresswell and colleagues is reported in the November 2005 issue of Psychological Science. Participants who had thought about an important area of their life, such as religion or a social issue, before the stressful task had lower levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, after being placed in the stressful situation. Not only does this offer another tool for the stress management tool kit, but it also highlights the effect of thoughts on body chemistry. (Psychological Science. 2005;16:846-852)
[external link to more info] [back to top]Exercise as Treatment for Depression
A series of studies at Duke University Medical Center in the USA reveals that physical exercise can be used as a treatment for depression and can help reduce relapse. In one study 156 patients with a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder were divided into three groups. One group had an exercise program only, a second group had SSRI antidepressant medication only, and a third group had both treatments. After four months of treatment, patients in all groups had improved and there was little difference between the three groups. It appears that for these patients, the specific exercise program was as effective as antidepressant medication. After 10 months, however, there was a lower relapse rate in the exercise group than the medication group. (Psychosomatic Medicine. 2000;62:633-638)
[external link to more info] [back to top]Government of Ontario Considers Regulating Psychotherapy
In February, 2005 the Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care asked the Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council (HPRAC) to make recommendations as to whether psychotherapists or psychotherapy should be regulated in the province. The purpose of regulating or licensing would be to protect the public. Several jurisdictions already have laws that regulate psychotherapy. These include California, Colorado, Florida, and New York. Other jurisdictions, like Ontario, are considering regulating psychotherapy. These include the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia.
[back to top]Daily Rhythm Reduces Relapse in People with Bipolar Disorder
A two-year study reported in the September 2005 issue of Archives of General Psychiatry supports a widely held belief that effective treatment for Bipolar Disorder includes helping patients achieve stable rhythms in daily life. The specific treatment focused on helping patients maintain daily routine and gain balance and stability in their personal and social lives. Patients who had this treatment were less likely to relapse over the next two years than patients who had therapy with a different focus. It was especially important for this intervention to be done early. (Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2005;62:996-1004)
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