Predicting who may do best with psychedelic-assisted therapy

As psychedelics gain ground as a potential therapy for mental health disorders, there remains a pressing concern that patients in clinical trials may have adverse effects to the drugs. New research identifies personality traits that have been associated with positive and negative experiences on psychedelics in previous studies, information that could help predict how future clinical trial participants will respond to the drugs.

The role of adult playfulness in romantic life

While play and playfulness have been studied well in children, their structure and consequences are understudied in adults. A new article highlights available research on this topic and also examines why playfulness is important in romantic relationships.

Atheists and believers both have moral compasses, but with key differences

A new study suggests that, while atheists and theists share moral values related to protecting vulnerable individuals, atheists are less likely to endorse values that promote group cohesion and more inclined to judge the morality of actions based on their consequences.

Real-time dialogue with a dreaming person is possible

Dreams take us to what feels like a different reality. They also happen while we're fast asleep. So, you might not expect that a person in the midst of a vivid dream would be able to perceive questions and provide answers to them. But a new study shows that, in fact, they can.

Happy childhood? That's no guarantee for good mental health

It's well understood that a difficult childhood can increase the likelihood of mental illness, but according to new research, a happy and secure childhood does not always protect a child from developing a mental illness later in life.

Mindfulness can improve mental health and wellbeing -- but unlikely to work for everyone

Mindfulness courses can reduce anxiety, depression and stress and increase mental wellbeing within most but not all non-clinical settings, say a team of researchers. They also found that mindfulness may be no better than other practices aimed at improving mental health and wellbeing.

Religion, psychology share methods for reducing distress, study finds

Religious people facing life crises rely on emotion-regulation strategies that psychologists also use, a new study finds. They look for positive ways of thinking about hardship, a practice known to psychologists as 'cognitive reappraisal.' They also tend to have confidence in their ability to cope with difficulty, a trait called 'coping self-efficacy.' Both have been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.