The Conversation

Why a US task force is recommending anxiety screening in kids 8 and older

Written by Elana Bernstein, Assistant Professor of School Psychology, University of Dayton

Anxiety is the most common mental health problem affecting U.S. children.Brian A. Jackson/iStock via Getty Images

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued a draft statement in April 2022 recommending screening for anxiety in children and adolescents between the ages of 8 and 18. This recommendation – which is still open for public...

How to brainstorm brilliant ideas in teams – without sliding into 'groupthink'

Written by Sabrina Habib, Associate Professor of Visual Communications, University of South Carolina

Creativity is among the most in-demand skills in the workplace.

It’s not surprising that top multinational companies are looking to hire inventive thinkers: Research shows that creativity can drive innovation and resilience in organizations.

Tech giant Google has grown by innovating the way we all use the internet. Electric car maker Tesla...

Abortion funds are in the spotlight with the likely end of Roe v. Wade – 3 findings about what they do

Written by Gretchen E. Ely, Professor of Social Work and Ph.D. Program Director, University of Tennessee

Most women helped by these charities are in their 20s.Damir Khabirov/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Donations to abortion funds are reportedly surging following the leak of a draft U.S. Supreme Court abortion decision that signaled the imminent end of legal abortion in much of the country.

There are at least 90 of these funds – donor-funded,...

Say hello to Sagittarius A*, the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy

Written by Chris Impey, University Distinguished Professor of Astronomy, University of Arizona

This image shows Sagittarius A*, the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. EHT Collaboration, CC BY-SA

On May 12, 2022, astronomers on the Event Horizon Telescope team released an image of a black hole called Sagittarius A* that lies at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Chris Impey, an astronomer at the University of Arizona, explains...

The idea that power poses boost your confidence fell from favor – but a new review of the research calls for a second look

Written by Astrid Schütz, Professor of Psychology, University of Bamberg

After great popularity, the idea of power poses came under fire.Choreograph/iStock via Getty Images Plus

If you stand like Wonder Woman or Superman, will you feel stronger? Will you actually be stronger?

Psychology researchers have investigated these questions for decades. After all, mind and body are intertwined. How you stand or sit can give you...

Trees aren't a climate change cure-all – 2 new studies on the life and death of trees in a warming world show why

Written by William R.L. Anderegg, Associate Professor of Ecology, School Of Biological Sciences, University of Utah

When trees burn, all the carbon they have stored goes back into the atmosphere.Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

When people talk about ways to slow climate change, they often mention trees, and for good reason. Forests take up a large amount of the planet-warming carbon dioxide that people put into the atmosphere when they burn fossil fuels....

Adult ADHD: What it is, how to treat it and why medicine ignored it for so long – podcast

Written by Daniel Merino, Assistant Science Editor & Co-Host of The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation

Thanks to a recent surge in interest in adult ADHD, researchers are learning more about how ADHD affects the lives of those who have it – and how to treat it.Heide Benser/ The Image Bank via Getty Images

Parents and doctors have known about childhood ADHD – attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder – for decades, but it is only...

What's behind the US baby formula shortage – and how to make sure it doesn't happen again

Written by Steven A. Abrams, Professorof Pediatrics, University of Texas at Austin

No easy formula.Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

A baby formula shortage has added to the woes of American parents already confronted with the pressures of raising an infant during a pandemic in a country ranked low for family-friendly policies.

Media reports have highlighted the plight of mothers, fathers and caregivers across the U.S. who...

These strategies and life hacks can help anyone with ADHD, as well as those who struggle with attention problems but don't have a diagnosis

Written by Rob Rosenthal, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Many people with ADHD find it difficult to focus, suffer from anxiety and have low self-esteem.Bulat Silvia/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Imagine that it’s 4:59 p.m., only one minute before your deadline. You swore you’d never put yourself in this position again, and yet you have. This isn’t your best work, and you’ll be...

For some people, religious leaders might be most effective at communicating the importance of COVID-19 vaccination

Written by Filip Viskupič, Assistant Professor of Political Science, South Dakota State University

The Washington National Cathedral hosted a public vaccination event in March 2021 to help demonstrate trust by faith leaders of all denominations in the COVID-19 vaccines.Alex Wong/Getty Images

Vaccinating a substantial portion of society has been found to be the best way to bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control, but the pace of vaccination has...