Women, Disasters and Resilience

• Depression, Trauma, Women

Do women experience disasters, including planning, preparedness, response and recovery, differently than men? That is the question examined in a new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The report looks at the long-held notion in disaster behavioral health research that "women are more vulnerable to adverse mental health consequences of disaster than are men."

Social-Emotional Learning Interventions in Preschool Can Help Long-term Mental Well-being

When young children don't have the opportunity to develop social, emotional and self-regulation skills they begin at a disadvantage and the challenges they face as a result can compound with the demands of school and growing up. But a social-emotional learning intervention in preschool can benefit disadvantaged children's mental well-being into their teens, according to a new study published in APA's American Journal of Psychiatry.

Remaining Calm in Volatile Times

• President Blog

Last month, faced with an unprecedented amount of social unrest in the lead-up to this year’s election, APA issued a statement calling for calm. As we continue to hear about the threats on individual lives and see the violence in the lead up to the January presidential inauguration, I reiterate that call.

Tips for Family Mental Well-being During the Pandemic: Young Children to Elderly Parents

• Patients and Families

Families are continuing to cope with challenges during the pandemic and many are juggling multiple roles, including working from home and caring for children and elderly parents. The American Psychiatric Association Foundation recently hosted a virtual town hall addressing Mentally Healthy Families in Times of a Pandemic with geriatric psychiatrist Uyen-Khanh Quang-Dang, M.D., M.S., Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group, and psychiatrist Lisa Harding, M.D., clinical instructor of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine.

Understanding Stimming: Repetitive Behaviors with a Purpose

• Anxiety, Autism, Patients and Families

One key symptom of autism spectrum disorders is repetitive behaviors, such as repetitive actions like self-stimulation behavior, or stimming. These behaviors can involve one part of the body, the entire body or an object. While they may seem distractive or disruptive, and while it may not be obvious to others, stimming often serves a purpose for the individual.