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<td><span style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;">PsyPost – Psychology News</span></td>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/new-research-reveals-startling-drop-in-reading-for-pleasure-among-americans/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">New research reveals startling drop in reading for pleasure among Americans</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Sep 25th 2025, 10:00</div>
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<p><p>A comprehensive new study analyzing two decades of data from the United States has found a sustained and significant drop in the number of people who read for pleasure on a daily basis. The research, published in the journal <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2025.113288" target="_blank" rel="noopener">iScience</a></em>, also reveals that existing disparities in reading habits are worsening, with widening gaps appearing along lines of race, education, and income.</p>
<p>Reading for pleasure is associated with a wide array of individual and societal benefits, from improved vocabulary, empathy, and reasoning skills to better employment opportunities, reduced stress, and even a longer life. Given its importance, researchers have long tracked reading habits, but past studies have produced a mixed picture, with some suggesting a crisis while others found little change. This inconsistency is often due to methods that rely on people recalling their habits over a full year, which can be inaccurate.</p>
<p>To get a clearer picture, a research team led by Jessica K. Bone, a senior research fellow at University College London, set out to analyze daily behaviors over a long period. The researchers wanted to provide a more precise account of reading patterns in the US, identify which groups are reading the most and least, and see how these habits have changed over 20 years.</p>
<p>“We’re working with incredibly detailed data about how people spend their days,” said Bone. “And because it’s a representative sample of U.S. residents in private households, we can look not just at the national trend, but at how it plays out across different communities.”</p>
<p>To conduct their analysis, the scientists used data from the American Time Use Survey, a nationally representative survey conducted continuously by the U.S. Census Bureau. They examined the daily time diaries of 236,270 individuals aged 15 and over from 2003 to 2023, excluding data from 2020 due to collection interruptions during the pandemic. In the survey, each person recounts every activity they did over a 24-hour period. This method reduces the recall errors and social desirability biases found in surveys asking about activities over longer periods. The researchers focused on two behaviors: “reading for personal interest,” which includes books, magazines, e-readers, and audiobooks, and “reading with children.”</p>
<p>The study’s main finding is a stark decline in leisure reading. In 2003, about 27% of people read for pleasure on an average day. By 2023, that figure had fallen to just 16%. The analysis showed that the proportion of people engaging in daily reading for pleasure decreased by 3% each year over the two-decade period.</p>
<p>“This is not just a small dip — it’s a sustained, steady decline of about 3% per year,” said Jill Sonke, a study co-author and director of research initiatives at the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine. “It’s significant, and it’s deeply concerning.”</p>
<p>While fewer people are reading overall, the research uncovered an interesting pattern among those who still do. The average amount of time dedicated readers spent on the activity actually increased slightly. In 2003, a person who read for pleasure did so for about 1 hour and 23 minutes a day; by 2023, that had risen to 1 hour and 37 minutes.</p>
<p>“While people with higher education levels and women are still more likely to read, even among these groups, we’re seeing shifts,” said Bone. “And among those who do read, the time spent reading has increased slightly, which may suggest a polarization, where some people are reading more while many have stopped reading altogether.”</p>
<p>The study also looked at the social context of reading. In 2023, most leisure reading (67%) was a solitary activity, and an overwhelming majority (94%) took place inside the home. The analysis showed a slight decrease over time in the small number of people who read with others or outside the home.</p>
<p>In contrast to the decline in personal reading, the rate of adults reading with children remained stable but very low over the 20-year period. On any given day, only about 2% of the population engaged in this activity. The authors note this is a concern, as reading with children is known to be a powerful influence on a child’s own future reading ability and engagement.</p>
<p>“Reading with children is one of the most promising avenues,” said Daisy Fancourt, a professor at University College London and a study co-author. “It supports not only language and literacy, but empathy, social bonding, emotional development and school readiness.”</p>
<p>Perhaps the most troubling findings concern the growing inequalities in reading habits. The analysis confirmed that in 2023, women, older individuals, and those with higher levels of education and income were more likely to read for pleasure. However, the study also showed that disparities between different groups have widened over time.</p>
<p>The gap in reading rates between Black and White participants grew larger over the 20 years. By 2023, Black participants had a 49% lower prevalence of daily reading compared to White participants. Similarly, the gaps between education levels became more pronounced. In 2023, individuals with a postgraduate degree were nearly three times more likely to read daily than those with a high school education or less. A similar, though less dramatic, widening gap was observed between the highest and lowest income groups.</p>
<p>The authors suggest several factors could be contributing to the general decline. “Our digital culture is certainly part of the story,” Sonke said. “But there are also structural issues — limited access to reading materials, economic insecurity and a national decline in leisure time. If you’re working multiple jobs or dealing with transportation barriers in a rural area, a trip to the library may just not be feasible.”</p>
<p>These findings point to an urgent need for policies and programs that do more to promote reading, especially among the groups who are falling behind. While initiatives from organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts and celebrity book clubs exist, the data suggests they may not be enough to reverse the trend or close the widening gaps.</p>
<p>The researchers argue that access to reading should be seen not just as a cultural good, but as a component of public health. “Reading has historically been a low-barrier, high-impact way to engage creatively and improve quality of life,” Sonke said. “When we lose one of the simplest tools in our public health toolkit, it’s a serious loss.”</p>
<p>The study does have some limitations. The American Time Use Survey categories do not distinguish between different types of reading material, such as fiction versus non-fiction, or different formats like print books versus audiobooks. These different forms of reading could have different benefits. Future research could explore these nuances more deeply and investigate the specific causes for the widening disparities.</p>
<p>Moving forward, the authors suggest a focus on making reading a more communal and supported activity. Bone added that creating more community-centered reading opportunities could help: “Ideally, we’d make local libraries more accessible and attractive, encourage book groups, and make reading a more social and supported activity — not just something done in isolation.”</p>
<p>The research presents a clear message: without targeted efforts to support reading for all Americans, a behavior with profound benefits for individuals and society may continue to fade, further entrenching social inequalities.</p>
<p>“Reading has always been one of the more accessible ways to support well-being,” Fancourt concluded. “To see this kind of decline is concerning because the research is clear: reading is a vital health-enhancing behavior for every group within society, with benefits across the life-course.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2025.113288" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The decline in reading for pleasure over 20 years of the American Time Use Survey</a>,” was authored by Jessica K. Bone, Feifei Bu, Jill K. Sonke, and Daisy Fancourt.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/many-autistic-women-are-thriving-but-mental-health-concerns-remain-widespread/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Many autistic women are thriving—but mental health concerns remain widespread</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Sep 25th 2025, 08:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study provides insight into the lives of over 1,400 autistic women and nonbinary adults, highlighting both strengths and challenges across education, employment, and mental health. While many participants had completed higher education and were employed or in relationships, the study found that those diagnosed in adulthood reported more psychiatric conditions, higher rates of suicidal thoughts and self-harm, and fewer self-perceived strengths. The findings, published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.70073" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Autism Research</a></em>, point to a need for more research and tailored support for this often-overlooked population.</p>
<p>Autism is a developmental condition characterized by differences in social communication and restricted or repetitive behaviors. While research and diagnosis have traditionally centered on boys, more recent efforts have drawn attention to the ways autism may present differently in women and nonbinary people. Females are less likely to be diagnosed in early childhood, in part due to more subtle behavioral signs and greater likelihood of “masking,” or consciously imitating neurotypical social behaviors.</p>
<p>Women and gender-diverse individuals have also been underrepresented in clinical studies due to narrow inclusion criteria, diagnostic biases, and the tendency of researchers to exclude people with co-occurring intellectual disabilities, who are disproportionately female. As a result, there has been limited understanding of what life looks like for autistic women and nonbinary individuals beyond childhood—especially those who are diagnosed in adulthood.</p>
<p>The researchers behind the new study set out to better characterize this population by assessing a wide range of factors, including education, employment, relationships, psychiatric history, and self-perceived mental health. A second goal was to explore how outcomes differ between those diagnosed in childhood versus adulthood, with the aim of understanding how timing of diagnosis may shape long-term experiences and needs.</p>
<p>“My research focuses on diverse experiences of autism, including adult populations and autistic females,” said study author Maire Claire Diemer, a clinical psychology postdoctoral fellow at the Medical University of South Carolina. “It’s important to me to fill this gap in the literature and represent what I can as accurately as I can about broader experiences of autistic presentations. Research has often excluded adults, women, and people with co-occurring intellectual disabilities which means that the literature does not always reflect their experiences. This can have clinical implications for care as well.”</p>
<p>The study used data from <a href="https://sparkforautism.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SPARK</a>, a large national research cohort in the United States that includes over 100,000 autistic individuals and family members. The sample for this study included 1,424 participants who identified as women or were assigned female at birth and identified as nonbinary. All participants were age 18 or older and had received a professional diagnosis of autism either in childhood or adulthood.</p>
<p>To be included in the analysis, participants had to provide independent consent and complete several self-report forms about their demographic background, medical and psychiatric history, and psychological functioning. Individuals under guardianship or with uncertain autism diagnoses were excluded to ensure reliability of the data.</p>
<p>Participants completed a standardized psychological questionnaire known as the Adult Self Report, which assesses areas such as internalizing symptoms (like anxiety and depression), externalizing symptoms (like aggression and rule-breaking), substance use, adaptive functioning, and personal strengths. The researchers also collected information about participants’ education, employment, income, romantic relationships, and sexual orientation.</p>
<p>The researchers then compared the responses of those who had been diagnosed before age 18 with those who had received a diagnosis in adulthood. They used statistical methods to control for age at enrollment, since those diagnosed as children were, on average, younger at the time of the study.</p>
<p>The average age of diagnosis among the full sample was 24 years, but there was wide variability. Those diagnosed in childhood were typically diagnosed around age 9, while those diagnosed as adults received their diagnosis at an average age of 32. Nearly two-thirds of the sample had been diagnosed after turning 18.</p>
<p>Despite the challenges often associated with autism, many participants reported positive life outcomes. More than half were employed, and over 80 percent had completed some post-secondary education. Nearly one-third were married, and more than half reported having a romantic partner. Those diagnosed in adulthood were more likely to have a four-year college degree, full-time employment, and higher household incomes than those diagnosed in childhood.</p>
<p>At the same time, rates of co-occurring psychiatric conditions were high. Around 70 percent of participants reported a history of anxiety, and 62 percent had been diagnosed with depression. Eating disorders were reported by 17 percent of the sample, and almost 9 percent had a substance use diagnosis. A third of all participants reported experiencing suicidal thoughts, and 21 percent said they had engaged in self-harm.</p>
<p>Diemer was particularly surprised by the high rate of suicidal ideation and behavior. “While I feared there would be increased risks, the high rate still shocked and concerned me,” she told PsyPost. “We have really limited research into what might be driving this or what we can do to be preventative on this front.”</p>
<p>When comparing the two groups, those diagnosed as adults were significantly more likely to report psychiatric conditions. They were more likely to have anxiety, depression, and eating disorders, and reported higher levels of substance use. On average, they also scored higher on internalizing and externalizing problem scales and lower on measures of personal strengths.</p>
<p>These patterns held even after controlling for other demographic variables like age, education, employment, and parenthood. Later age of diagnosis remained a significant predictor of psychological distress. The researchers suggest that these differences may reflect the cumulative impact of going through childhood and adolescence without the support or self-understanding that a diagnosis can provide.</p>
<p>The study also found elevated levels of suicidal ideation and self-harm among participants who identified as gender-diverse or as part of a sexual minority. While 14 percent of cisgender heterosexual participants reported self-harm or suicide attempts, the rate was nearly 27 percent among those identifying as queer or gender-diverse. Suicidal thoughts were endorsed by 41 percent of gender and sexual minorities, compared to 26 percent of cisgender heterosexual participants.</p>
<p>“I think the biggest concern here is the high rate of suicidal ideation and behavior,” Diemer said. “As researchers, we expected higher rates of co-occurring concerns in this sample compared to a neurotypical sample based on prior findings. However, more than two thirds of our sample had depression diagnoses, and overall rates were much higher than even we expected. Supports for autistic adults is extremely limited, and more wraparound services and mental health care with specialized focus is needed.”</p>
<p>Although the study provides important insights, it is not without limitations. The sample was overwhelmingly white and highly educated, which may not reflect the broader population of autistic women and nonbinary people. The participants were also self-selected and enrolled in a research study requiring internet access and independent consent, which may have skewed the sample toward individuals with lower support needs and higher cognitive functioning.</p>
<p>“This sample is not as racially diverse as the population as a whole; over-representation of the white female autistic perspective means that the generalizability of the findings are limited,” Diemer said.</p>
<p>Despite these caveats, the authors argue that the findings point to clear directions for future research and clinical care. In particular, they emphasize the need to understand the lived experiences of those who receive an autism diagnosis in adulthood. They also highlight the importance of developing targeted mental health interventions that address the specific challenges faced by autistic women and nonbinary individuals.</p>
<p>“I’m hoping to continue examining data we have on autistic females, and hopefully presenting some other findings from this sample soon,” Diemer said.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.70073" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Comparative Analysis of Autistic Women Across the Lifespan: Childhood vs. Adulthood Diagnosis</a>,” was authored by Maire Claire Diemer, Rosmary Ros-Demarize, Catherine C. Bradley, Stephen Kanne, So Hyun Kim, Julia Parish-Morris, LeeAnne Green Snyder, Ericka Wodka, SPARK Consortium, and Laura A. Carpenter.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/chemogenetic-breakthrough-reverses-cognitive-decline-by-powering-up-brain-mitochondria/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Chemogenetic breakthrough reverses cognitive decline by powering up brain mitochondria</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Sep 25th 2025, 06:00</div>
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<p><p>Scientists have developed a novel tool that can boost energy production in brain cells and reverse memory loss in mouse models of dementia. The study, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-025-02032-y"><em>Nature Neuroscience</em></a>, suggests that low mitochondrial activity may be a direct cause of cognitive decline in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and frontotemporal dementia. By activating this new tool in the hippocampus, the part of the brain involved in memory, researchers were able to restore recognition memory in mice with early-stage disease-related impairments.</p>
<p>The study was led by researchers from Inserm and the University of Bordeaux at the NeuroCentre Magendie in France, in collaboration with the Université de Moncton in Canada and several European neuroscience centers. The team’s goal was to explore whether impaired mitochondrial function plays a causal role in the cognitive symptoms seen in brain disorders. Mitochondria, often described as the cell’s power plants, are responsible for producing the energy needed for a wide range of cellular functions, including those in neurons.</p>
<p>Previous research has repeatedly observed mitochondrial deficits in conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and frontotemporal dementia. But these associations have been mostly correlational. It remained unclear whether these energy impairments were a root cause of cognitive problems or a secondary effect of other disease mechanisms. One of the main reasons for this uncertainty was the lack of tools to directly and selectively increase mitochondrial activity in living brain tissue.</p>
<p>“Together with my collaborators, I have long been dedicated to investigating the mechanisms by which mitochondria (these microscopic energy powerhouses) support optimal brain function,” explained study author <a href="https://etiennehebertchate.wixsite.com/ehebertchatelain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Etienne Hébert Chatelain</a>, an associate professor of biology at the Université de Moncton and Canada Research Chair in Mitochondrial Signaling.</p>
<p>“Mitochondria generate the energy required for cellular processes, and their role is particularly critical in the brain, which is the most energy-demanding organ in the human body. Our previous research has demonstrated that even subtle alterations in mitochondrial activity can significantly impact key cognitive functions, such as learning and memory.”</p>
<p>“Furthermore, it has been hypothesized that mitochondrial dysfunction in the brain may contribute to the onset and progression of various neurodegenerative disorders. Motivated by these insights, we sought to develop a novel tool capable of enhancing mitochondrial activity. Our aim was to deepen our understanding of the role these organelles play in maintaining normal brain function and to explore the potential of mitigating or slowing the development of certain neurodegenerative diseases.”</p>
<p>The researchers developed a novel tool using an approach called chemogenetics, which allows specific cell functions to be controlled by synthetic compounds. In chemogenetics, receptors are genetically engineered so they no longer respond to the body’s natural molecules but can instead be activated by an otherwise inert chemical. In this case, the team created a receptor called mitoDREADD-Gs. DREADD stands for “Designer Receptor Exclusively Activated by Designer Drug,” and these receptors are designed to respond only to a lab-made compound called clozapine-N-oxide.</p>
<p>MitoDREADD-Gs was engineered to localize to mitochondria, the energy-producing structures inside cells. When clozapine-N-oxide is administered, it activates the receptor, triggering internal signaling pathways that boost mitochondrial activity. The researchers first confirmed that the Gs protein—a key signaling molecule—exists within mitochondria. They then built a version of the DREADD receptor that could activate Gs signaling specifically inside the organelle.</p>
<p>When mitoDREADD-Gs was activated in cultured cells, the researchers observed a clear increase in mitochondrial function. Membrane potential rose, oxygen consumption increased, and overall energy production improved. These effects were only seen with the mitochondrial-targeted version of the receptor, not with a version that remained outside the organelle. This provided initial evidence that stimulating mitochondrial signaling directly could enhance energy metabolism.</p>
<p>“Several molecules or treatments are known to reduce mitochondrial activity,” Chatelain told PsyPost. “What makes mitoDREADD-Gs particularly exciting is that it’s one of the very few tools that can increase mitochondrial activity in a targeted and controlled way. This discovery was a major breakthrough, as it opens up new possibilities for studying and potentially improving how cells produce energy, especially in the brain.”</p>
<p>Next, they tested whether this mitochondrial activation could counteract memory impairments. To do this, they used mouse models of frontotemporal dementia (P301S mice) and Alzheimer’s disease (APP/PS1 mice). Both models show early memory deficits that resemble symptoms in human patients, along with reduced mitochondrial activity in the hippocampus.</p>
<p>The researchers delivered mitoDREADD-Gs into the hippocampus of these mice using viral vectors. After several weeks, they tested memory using the novel object recognition task, a widely used behavioral test in which mice typically spend more time exploring a new object than a familiar one. Mice with dementia-like pathology performed poorly on this task, indicating memory impairment. But when mitoDREADD-Gs was activated shortly after learning, their memory performance improved significantly.</p>
<p>These effects were not observed when a non-mitochondrial version of the receptor was used. The reversal of memory loss required activation of mitochondrial Gs signaling and downstream stimulation of protein kinase A (PKA), a key regulator of mitochondrial function. The researchers further showed that activating mitoDREADD-Gs increased the phosphorylation of specific mitochondrial proteins and enhanced the assembly of respiratory complexes involved in energy production.</p>
<p>In a separate set of experiments, the team also demonstrated that mitoDREADD-Gs could reverse memory and motor impairments induced by the cannabinoid THC. These effects are known to involve inhibition of mitochondrial function in brain circuits. When mitoDREADD-Gs was activated in hippocampal or striatal neurons, it prevented THC-induced memory impairments and cataleptic responses. These findings provided additional support for the idea that the tool can counteract behavioral deficits linked to mitochondrial inhibition.</p>
<p>Importantly, the memory-rescuing effects of mitoDREADD-Gs in dementia models occurred even when the underlying pathology, such as tau aggregation or amyloid buildup, remained unchanged. This suggests that at least some of the cognitive symptoms in neurodegenerative diseases may stem from modifiable mitochondrial dysfunction rather than irreversible structural damage.</p>
<p>“Our study shows that when mitochondria (the tiny structures in our cells that produce energy) don’t work properly, they can directly cause some of the symptoms seen in dementia,” Chatelain explained. “In fact, we found a clear connection between low mitochondrial activity and memory problems in two different mouse models of dementia. To explore this further, we created a new tool called mitoDREADD-Gs. When this tool is activated in the brain, it boosts mitochondrial activity. Remarkably, turning it on in the hippocampus (a part of the brain that plays a key role in memory) was enough to reverse memory loss in these mice.”</p>
<p>“Why does this matter? Because the brain needs a huge amount of energy to function properly, and problems with energy production are linked to diseases like Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. By having a tool that can safely and specifically boost energy production in brain cells, researchers can explore new ways to improve memory and slow down the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. It’s a major step forward in understanding and potentially treating conditions that affect millions of people.”</p>
<p>While the findings offer evidence that mitochondrial dysfunction can directly impair memory, several questions remain. The study was conducted in mice, and although these animal models mimic aspects of human disease, they do not capture its full complexity. Whether similar effects would be observed in human brain tissue or in living patients is currently unknown.</p>
<p>Another limitation is that the mitoDREADD-Gs tool is based on gene therapy and chemogenetics, which are not yet approved for widespread clinical use. The delivery of the receptor to specific brain regions and cell types would be challenging in a therapeutic context.</p>
<p>“To test our tool mitoDREADD-Gs, we had to use a surgical method to inject a virus into the brains of mice,” Chatelain noted. “This allowed the tool to be activated in specific brain areas. While this worked well in our study, it’s not a realistic option for humans right now because the procedure is very invasive. That’s why we’re now looking for safer and more practical ways to use what we’ve learned to help develop future treatments for dementia.”</p>
<p>Nonetheless, the tool provides a powerful method for dissecting the biological role of mitochondria in brain function and for testing experimental treatments in animal models.</p>
<p>“In our study, we also looked closely at what happens inside brain cells when mitoDREADD-Gs is activated,” Chatelain said. “We were able to identify the chain of molecular events that leads to increased mitochondrial activity—and ultimately, better memory. We’re now working to find out which types of brain cells are most affected by these changes. This will help us understand at what stage of dementia these effects could be most useful, and whether it’s possible to reverse symptoms depending on how far the disease has progressed.</p>
<p>“I would like you to acknowledge the great work of my co-corresponding authors Luigi Bellocchio and Giovanni Marsicano along with all other co-authors,” he added.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-025-02032-y">Potentiation of mitochondrial function by mitoDREADD-Gs reverses pharmacological and neurodegenerative cognitive impairment in mice</a>,” was authored by Antonio C. Pagano Zottola, Rebeca Martín-Jiménez, Gianluca Lavanco, Geneviève Hamel-Côté, Carla Ramon-Duaso, Rui S. Rodrigues, Yamuna Mariani, Mehtab Khan, Filippo Drago, Stephanie Jean, Itziar Bonilla-Del Río, Daniel Jimenez-Blasco, Jon Egaña-Huguet, Abel Eraso-Pichot, Sandra Beriain, Astrid Cannich, Laura Vidal-Palencia, Rosmara Infantino, Francisca Julio-Kalajzić, Doriane Gisquet, Ania Goncalves, Inas Al-Younis, Yann Baussan, Stephane Duvezin-Caubet, Anne Devin, Edgar Soria-Gomez, Nagore Puente, Juan P. Bolaños, Pedro Grandes, Sandrine Pouvreau, Arnau Busquets-Garcia, Giovanni Marsicano, Luigi Bellocchio, and Etienne Hebert-Chatelain.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/cannabidiol-has-no-effect-on-fear-and-panic-symptoms-study-finds/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Cannabidiol has no effect on fear and panic symptoms, study finds</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Sep 24th 2025, 18:00</div>
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<p><p>A study in Canada found that a single oral dose of cannabidiol has no effect on fear and panic symptoms experienced during a 5-minute exposure to air with 10% carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>). There was no effect on heart rate either. The research was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-022-06258-7"><em>Psychopharmacology</em></a>.</p>
<p>Cannabidiol is a naturally occurring chemical compound found in the cannabis plant. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the other major component of cannabis, cannabidiol is not psychoactive, meaning it does not cause a “high.” It is typically extracted from hemp, a variety of cannabis that contains very low levels of THC.</p>
<p>Cannabidiol interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system, which helps regulate functions such as mood, sleep, pain, and appetite. Research suggests cannabidiol can help reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and alleviate certain types of chronic pain. In medical contexts, cannabidiol has been approved in some countries as a treatment for rare forms of epilepsy. It is distributed in the form of oil, capsules, edibles, or topical cream. Cannabidiol is generally not considered an illicit substance if derived from hemp with very low THC, but its legality varies by country and local regulations.</p>
<p>Study author Ellen W. Leen-Feldner and her colleagues note that previous studies showed that a single administration of cannabidiol can reduce anxiety in situations that induce social anxiety. They wanted to see whether cannabidiol administration could also reduce fear.</p>
<p>To do this, they designed a study in which they induced fear by exposing participants to air enriched with 10% carbon dioxide, a situation known to cause fear and even panic. This concentration of carbon dioxide in the air induces a feeling of suffocation and being unable to breathe. That feeling triggers strong fear and an innate panic response. This is a survival reflex that bypasses rational thought.</p>
<p>Study participants were 84 adults with an average age of 26 years. They were required to be in good physical and mental health, to not have recently used anxiolytic medication, cannabidiol, or THC, and to have no prior experience with carbon dioxide–enriched air administration.</p>
<p>Participants were divided into four groups. Three groups differed in the dose of cannabidiol they received: 150 mg, 300 mg, or 600 mg. The fourth group was a placebo group that did not receive cannabidiol (but believed it did). Participants received softgel capsules that either contained 50 mg of cannabidiol in medium-chain triglyceride oil each (active treatment capsules) or just the oil with no cannabidiol (placebo capsules).</p>
<p>Each participant received 12 capsules, but groups differed in how many of the capsules contained cannabidiol. For participants in the 600 mg group, all 12 capsules were active capsules. For the 300 mg group, 6 capsules contained cannabidiol and 6 did not. The placebo group received only capsules with no cannabidiol. Participants were not aware of the group they were in.</p>
<p>After taking their assigned capsules, participants breathed air enriched with 10% carbon dioxide through a breathing mask with continuous positive airway pressure for 5 minutes. Before and during the procedure, the researchers monitored participants’ heart rate. Participants continuously rated their own sensations of fear starting 30 seconds before breathing carbon dioxide–enriched air and continuing until 60 minutes after they stopped. They also completed an assessment of panic experiences by rating how strongly they felt 13 different panic symptoms (the Diagnostic Sensations Questionnaire).</p>
<p>As expected, results showed that breathing carbon dioxide–enriched air induced fear. However, none of the cannabidiol groups differed from the placebo group in the level of fear or panic they experienced. Heart rate changes also did not differ between groups.</p>
<p>“Taken together, the current study provides the first evidence suggesting CBD [cannabidiol] does not meaningfully reduce fear in humans,” the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study demonstrated that cannabidiol has no effect on fear. This does not contradict the previous findings about cannabidiol reducing anxiety because anxiety and fear are physiologically distinct emotions. Previous studies clearly demonstrated that they are affected by different emotions.</p>
<p>However, it should be noted that the number of participants per treatment group in this study was very small. This means that fear reducing effects needed to be very strong to be detectable using the statistical procedures study authors employed. Results of studies on larger groups might differ in that they might be able to detect weaker effects.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-022-06258-7">A double‑blind, randomized, placebo‑controlled test of the effects of cannabidiol on fear elicited by a 10% carbon dioxide‑enriched air breathing challenge,</a>” was authored by Ellen W. Leen‑Feldner, Teah‑Marie Bynion, Graham M. L. Eglit, Marcel O. Bonn‑Miller, L. Riley Gournay, and Matthew T. Feldner.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/left-wing-authoritarianism-tied-to-greater-acceptance-of-brutal-war-tactics/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Left-wing authoritarianism tied to greater acceptance of brutal war tactics</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Sep 24th 2025, 16:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study on the psychology of war justification reveals that common assumptions about political ideology and group identity may not hold true when people consider the morality of conflict. The research found that left-wing authoritarianism, not right-wing authoritarianism, was linked to a greater acceptance of brutal warfare methods, while a secure national identity was associated with a preference for morally constrained conflict. The findings were published in the journal <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.17645/pag.10025" target="_blank">Politics and Governance</a></em>.</p>
<p>Researchers in political psychology have long explored the factors that lead individuals and groups to support war. Previous studies often found connections between personality traits, political worldviews, and a general willingness to endorse military action. For example, traits like collective narcissism, an insecure and grandiose belief in the superiority of one’s own group, and right-wing authoritarianism have been consistently linked to support for aggressive foreign policies. </p>
<p>However, the authors of this new study noted a gap in this body of research. Most studies treated support for war as a single concept, overlooking the complex moral reasoning people use to decide whether a war is justified. They did not distinguish between the reasons for starting a war and the methods used to fight it.</p>
<p>The concept of a “just war” has deep roots in philosophy and theology, distinguishing between legitimate reasons to go to war, like self-defense, and acceptable conduct within a war, such as avoiding harm to civilians. The researchers wanted to see how different psychological profiles mapped onto these more nuanced moral beliefs. They were particularly interested in comparing different forms of group attachment. They looked at both national and religious identity, examining whether a person’s attachment was secure and positive or narcissistic and defensive. They also explored two distinct types of authoritarianism. </p>
<p>While right-wing authoritarianism, with its emphasis on tradition and submission to authority, is well-studied, the concept of left-wing authoritarianism, characterized by anti-hierarchical aggression and a desire to censor opposing views, is a more recent area of inquiry. The study aimed to uncover how all these factors might independently or jointly shape a person’s beliefs about what makes a war morally acceptable.</p>
<p>To investigate these questions, the research team recruited a community sample of 448 adults in Poland. Participants completed a series of questionnaires online. The central measurement tool was a new scale designed by the researchers to assess beliefs that justify war. This scale presented participants with various reasons for initiating a war and different methods for conducting one, asking them to rate how justifiable each was. </p>
<p>The items ranged from purely defensive actions to highly aggressive or brutal tactics, like targeting civilians or using chemical weapons. Participants also completed scales measuring their identification with their nation and their religious group. These scales were designed to differentiate between a secure identification, which reflects a healthy sense of belonging, and a narcissistic identification. </p>
<p>The narcissistic measures were further divided into “agentic” narcissism, focused on the group’s power and competence, and “communal” narcissism, focused on the group’s perceived moral superiority. Finally, participants’ political ideologies were assessed using scales for both right-wing authoritarianism and left-wing authoritarianism. The researchers then used a series of statistical analyses to map the complex relationships between all these variables.</p>
<p>The analysis of the new war justification scale revealed that people’s beliefs clustered into three distinct categories. The first was a “just war” perspective, which combined morally restricted reasons for war, like defense against attack, with morally restricted means, like minimizing civilian casualties. The other two categories were separate: an acceptance of unrestricted reasons for going to war and an acceptance of unrestricted and brutal means of waging war.</p>
<p>When the researchers examined the connections between these beliefs and the psychological profiles of the participants, they found several unexpected patterns. One of the most significant results was the lack of any association between right-wing authoritarianism and any of the three war justification beliefs. This finding runs contrary to a large body of previous research that has often linked this ideology to aggressive attitudes. In stark contrast, left-wing authoritarianism showed clear connections. Individuals who scored higher on this measure were less likely to endorse the “just war” view. At the same time, they were more likely to accept the use of unrestricted and brutal means in a conflict.</p>
<p>The study also produced surprising findings regarding group identity. A secure and positive identification with one’s nation was associated with a stronger endorsement of the “just war” perspective and a rejection of unrestricted means. This suggests that a healthy form of patriotism is linked to a desire for warfare to be conducted within moral limits. Communal national narcissism, the belief that one’s nation is morally superior, was unexpectedly associated with a lower acceptance of the “just war” view. </p>
<p>The researchers suggest that for these individuals, claims of morality may be more for show than a genuine guide for behavior. Another unexpected finding was that religious identification, whether secure or narcissistic, showed almost no relationship to any of the beliefs about justifying war. This suggests that in the context of this study, an attachment to a religious group did not translate into a specific moral stance on warfare.</p>
<p>The researchers also tested whether authoritarian worldviews could explain the link between group identity and war justification beliefs. They found this was not the case. The relationships were largely direct, meaning that a person’s national identity and their political ideology appeared to influence their views on war independently of one another. For example, secure national identification predicted support for a “just war” on its own, not because people with this identity were less authoritarian.</p>
<p>The study has some limitations that the authors acknowledge. The research was conducted in a single country, Poland, which has a unique cultural and political history as a post-communist nation currently in proximity to a major war. The findings, especially those concerning left-wing authoritarianism, may not be the same in other parts of the world. </p>
<p>Additionally, the measurement scale for secure identification had low internal consistency, which means it may not have captured the concept as reliably as desired. Because the study was correlational, it can only show associations between different factors; it cannot prove that one factor causes another. </p>
<p>Future research could explore these relationships in different cultural contexts, particularly in nations directly involved in conflict, and utilize more refined measurement tools to confirm these patterns. Despite these constraints, the study provides a new perspective on the moral psychology of warfare, suggesting that the links between ideology, identity, and the justification of violence are more complex than previously understood.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.17645/pag.10025" target="_blank">Collective Narcissism, Left‐ and Right‐Wing Authoritarianisms, and Justification of War</a>,” was authored by Magdalena Anna Żemojtel-Piotrowska, Piotr Radkiewicz, Maksim Rudnev, Heather A. Kumove, and Jarosław Piotrowski.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/frequent-ai-chatbot-use-associated-with-lower-grades-among-computer-science-students/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Frequent AI chatbot use associated with lower grades among computer science students</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Sep 24th 2025, 14:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study has found that university students in a programming course who used artificial intelligence chatbots more frequently tended to have lower academic scores. The research, published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2025.100642" target="_blank">Computers in Human Behavior Reports</a></em>, offers a detailed look into how students engage with these tools and suggests a complex relationship between their use and learning outcomes.</p>
<p>An AI chatbot is a computer program designed to simulate human conversation through text. With the public release of advanced models like ChatGPT in 2022, these tools have become widely accessible and have significantly influenced many fields, including education. In computer science, chatbots that can generate and explain code present both new learning opportunities and potential pitfalls for students. </p>
<p>Despite their growing use, there is little agreement on how students are actually incorporating these tools into their studies or how that usage affects their performance. Researchers conducted this study to fill that gap, aiming to understand how students in a foundational “Object-Oriented Programming” course perceive and use chatbots and to investigate the connection between that use and their grades.</p>
<p>The investigation was centered on 231 students enrolled in an “Object-Oriented Programming” course at the University of Tartu. This course is a mandatory part of the first-year computer science curriculum. During the eighth week of the semester, students were invited to complete a detailed survey about their experiences in the course, which included a section dedicated to their use of AI assistants. The survey was voluntary, though students received a small bonus point for participation. Researchers then connected the survey responses to the students’ academic records, which included scores from two major programming tests, a final exam, and their total points for the course.</p>
<p>The analysis of the survey data produced a comprehensive picture of student behavior. A large majority of students, nearly 80 percent, reported having used an AI assistant at least once for the course. However, usage patterns varied. About half of these users engaged with the tools infrequently, just once or a couple of times. The other half used them more regularly, from every other week to almost every week. Only a small fraction, about five percent of users, reported using a chatbot on a weekly basis, indicating that heavy reliance was not common.</p>
<p>For the 20 percent of students who did not use these tools, the primary reason given was a desire to learn on their own and solve problems independently. Other reasons, such as a fear of being accused of plagiarism or a concern that using the tools would prevent them from learning the material, were cited less often. This suggests that for many non-users, the choice was driven by a commitment to a traditional learning process rather than by fear or lack of awareness.</p>
<p>Among the students who did use chatbots, the most common application was for help with programming tasks. They frequently used the assistants to help solve homework problems and to understand code examples provided in the course materials. The specific ways they used the tools aligned with these tasks. The most popular functions were finding errors in their own code and getting explanations for the logic of existing code snippets. Generating entire code solutions from scratch or getting answers to theoretical questions were less frequent uses.</p>
<p>When asked what they liked about the chatbots, students overwhelmingly pointed to their speed and constant availability. They found it faster to get an immediate response from an AI assistant than to search online or wait for help from a teaching assistant. Many also appreciated the ability of the tools to provide clear, simple explanations and to quickly identify small errors or typos in their code.</p>
<p>On the other hand, students also expressed frustrations. The most common complaints were related to the unreliability of the chatbots. Students reported that the tools sometimes produced incorrect answers, or “hallucinated” solutions that did not work. They also found that the assistants sometimes offered overly complex solutions using advanced concepts not yet covered in the course. Another point of friction was the chatbot’s occasional failure to understand the student’s question, leading to irrelevant answers.</p>
<p>A central finding of the research was a negative relationship between the frequency of chatbot use and academic performance. The analysis showed that students who reported using chatbots more often tended to earn lower scores on their first programming test, their second programming test, the final exam, and in their total course points. The connection was strongest for the first programming test. </p>
<p>At the same time, there was no significant link between a student’s performance and how helpful they perceived the chatbots to be. This finding could suggest that students who find the course material more difficult are the ones who turn to chatbots most often for assistance. It may also indicate that over-reliance on these tools could hinder the development of fundamental programming skills needed to succeed on assessments.</p>
<p>The researchers also identified connections between usage frequency and student attitudes. More frequent users were more likely to report that they struggled less with homework and that the availability of chatbots motivated them to solve more tasks. Yet, these same students were also more likely to say they tried fewer different solution variants for problems and that they asked teaching assistants for help less often.</p>
<p>The researchers acknowledge some limitations to their study. The findings are based on a single course at one university, so the results may not be applicable to all educational contexts. The data was also based on students’ self-reports, which can be subject to memory errors or the desire to present oneself in a positive light. Since the survey was not fully anonymous, some students may have been hesitant to honestly report their usage patterns.</p>
<p>Future research could build on these findings by studying students across different courses and universities to see if these patterns hold. It would also be beneficial to use methods beyond surveys, such as analyzing actual chatbot usage logs, to get a more direct measure of student behavior. </p>
<p>Further investigation is needed to understand the cause of the negative link between chatbot use and performance. Determining whether struggling students are simply more likely to use these tools or if the use of the tools itself contributes to poorer outcomes is an important question for educators navigating the integration of AI in the classroom.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2025.100642" target="_blank">Does generative AI help in learning programming: Students’ perceptions, reported use and relation to performance</a>,” was authored by Marina Lepp and Joosep Kaimre.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/new-study-links-rising-gun-violence-in-movies-to-increase-in-youth-firearm-homicides/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">New study links rising gun violence in movies to increase in youth firearm homicides</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Sep 24th 2025, 12:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study published in the <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2025.06.016" target="_blank">Journal of Adolescent Health</a></em> suggests that the portrayal of firearm use in movies may contribute to rising firearm-related homicides among young people in the United States. The research found that scenes in top-grossing movies involving guns being used to injure others closely tracked increases in firearm homicides among Americans aged 15 to 24 between 2000 and 2021. </p>
<p>The United States stands apart from other high-income nations in that youth mortality has not declined over the past two decades. In fact, firearm injuries have become the leading cause of death among Americans aged 1 to 24, surpassing car crashes, cancer, and drug overdoses. This trend has been described by public health officials as a crisis. </p>
<p>Yet one potentially influential factor has received comparatively little attention: the portrayal of gun violence in entertainment media. Unlike firearm advertising, which faces restrictions from major networks and online platforms, movies and television remain largely unregulated spaces where real-world firearms frequently appear on screen.</p>
<p>“We have long had an interest in youth firearm use going back to the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut where a young person attacked and killed numerous students and faculty,” said study author Daniel Romer, the research director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) and lead author of the study.</p>
<p>“Our center had previously tracked violence in the media as a potential influence on young people among other health-related risks, such as smoking and drinking. But that event led us to start tracking the specific portrayal of firearm violence in popular entertainment.”</p>
<p>“We did this because young people are learning how to act in the world and popular figures in entertainment media can serve as role models for their behavior. When those figures use firearms to resolve disputes or protect family and friends, those actions can serve as guides to the young. A good example of that influence was the documented role that portrayal of cigarette smoking in entertainment played in youth initiation of smoking. Such portrayals made smoking appear cool while it ignored the long-term harms.”</p>
<p>“We hypothesized that firearm use in popular entertainment may be another influence on young people who see the need to protect themselves or harm others. Many of those portrayals make it look like firearms are safe for the user and an extremely effective but not particularly bloody way to harm others. They also make their use morally justified for the sake of defending oneself or others.”</p>
<p>“Repeated viewing of these glamorous portrayals could well normalize the use of these weapons for those who see a need to protect themselves and have access to firearms,” Romer said. “It is also important to keep in mind that the United States is unique in the world for being awash in firearms and having high rates of firearm injuries, especially in young people.”</p>
<p>To investigate the relationship between entertainment media and firearm violence among youth, the researchers expanded on <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0247780" target="_blank">a previous study published in 2021</a> that analyzed portrayals of firearm use in popular television dramas. The earlier study found that the proportion of violent scenes involving firearms on television increased steadily from 2000 to 2018 and closely tracked the rise in firearm-related homicides among young people during that period. </p>
<p>In the new study, the researchers extended their analysis through 2021 and included top-grossing movies in addition to television. They reviewed the top 30 most-watched television dramas each year from 2000 to 2021, as well as the top 30 box office films annually. A total of 49 television series were included, primarily in the police, crime, and medical genres. Using a random sampling strategy, they coded over 18,000 five-minute segments from television episodes and more than 8,000 five-minute segments from movies.</p>
<p>Trained coders evaluated whether each segment included violence and whether a firearm was used to shoot and hit a target. Only scenes in which a firearm was used to harm another person were included in the final analysis. For each year, the researchers calculated the proportion of violent scenes that involved firearm use, creating a timeline of media portrayals over two decades.</p>
<p>These trends were compared to national statistics on firearm homicides and suicides among individuals aged 15 to 24, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study also examined two other possible contributors to rising firearm deaths: increased childhood poverty and greater firearm availability. To assess the role of economic hardship, the researchers analyzed national child poverty rates over time. To evaluate firearm availability, they relied on annual estimates of handgun purchases, derived from background check data.</p>
<p>The study’s key finding was that the portrayal of firearms in movies strongly aligned with the increase in firearm-related homicides among youth. The upward trend in gun violence in top films was best modeled by an exponential curve, suggesting a rapid and accelerating increase over time. This trend matched closely with the exponential rise in youth firearm homicides. Regression models showed that the portrayal of guns in movies accounted for about 45 percent of the variation in firearm homicide rates among young people during the study period.</p>
<p>In contrast, television portrayals showed a weaker link. While the depiction of guns in television dramas did increase over time, especially in early years of the study, the trend flattened in later years and did not uniquely contribute to the prediction of firearm homicides when movie portrayals were accounted for.</p>
<p>“We first explored the role of entertainment media in a study of firearm use in popular TV police dramas such as NCIS and Law and Order,” Romer told PsyPost. “We found that from 2000 to 2018, use of firearms as a proportion of scenes in which violence occurred was directly related to the use of firearms in homicides among US youth ages 15 to 24. In other words, the more actors in those dramas used firearms to inflict harm, the greater the proportion of firearm use in homicides in that age group.”</p>
<p>“In the current study, we extended the analysis to 2021 and also looked at popular top- grossing movies. We replicated the positive relation between firearm use in popular TV dramas and homicides. But even more dramatically, we found the rise in firearm use in movies was even more closely related to the rise in firearm use in homicides.”</p>
<p>The pattern was different for suicides. While suicide rates among youth did rise over the study period, especially after 2008, they followed a U-shaped curve rather than an exponential one. The portrayal of firearms in media did not correlate strongly with youth suicides. Suicide by firearm was rarely depicted in either movies or television dramas. This lack of representation may help explain why suicide trends did not track media portrayals as closely as homicides did.</p>
<p>The researchers also explored whether other factors might explain the trends in youth firearm deaths. One possibility was that increases in childhood poverty following the 2008 financial crisis may have contributed to higher rates of violence and suicide. While child poverty did rise after the recession and remained elevated for several years, its pattern did not align closely with the rise in firearm homicides. In particular, youth suicides increased earlier, while homicides rose later, suggesting distinct influences.</p>
<p>Another explanation considered was increased access to firearms. Handgun sales rose steadily over the two decades studied, and this trend also showed a strong correlation with youth firearm homicides. However, if gun availability were the sole driver, one would expect to see a similar or even stronger effect on suicides.</p>
<p>“What surprised us was that despite the rise in firearm homicides also paralleling the rise in handgun sales, this was unlikely to be the sole cause of the rise in firearm homicides,” Romer explained. “If it were, we would expect it to also show up for suicides, which is considered particularly sensitive to firearm availability. But that was not the case. For suicides, the use of firearms showed a very different pattern with firearm use declining and then increasing over time. This suggested that firearm use in movies not only helped to sell handguns but also the purpose for their use. Firearm use in suicides was very rare in popular movies or TV dramas, and so this use of firearms was less likely to encourage imitation for this purpose.”</p>
<p>There was also limited evidence for reverse causality. That is, the idea that increases in real-world firearm homicides might inspire more gun portrayals in entertainment. While some correlation was found between movie portrayals and prior-year homicide rates, the association was not robust across longer lags. This suggests that if there is a feedback loop between entertainment and real-world violence, it may be relatively short-term and not the main driver of the trends observed.</p>
<p>The researchers acknowledge that the study cannot establish direct causality at the individual level. The analysis was conducted using aggregate national data, which limits the ability to determine whether individuals who watch violent movies are more likely to engage in gun violence. The sample of movies and television shows, while representative of popular content, may not capture all entertainment media consumed by young people, especially online or user-generated content.</p>
<p>“We interpret the findings to suggest that since the firearm industry is largely unable to advertise its products in mainstream media, the frequent portrayal of gun use in entertainment can serve the same purpose,” Romer said. “Indeed, the growth in handgun sales over the period of the study paralleled the rise in movie firearm violence. Nevertheless, our findings were at the aggregate level, and so further research is needed to study the potential effect of entertainment at the individual level.”</p>
<p>“Consistent with a causal explanation, we found the same relation between the rise in movie firearm use and firearm use by both young Black and white people, suggesting that the media’s influence was wide-ranging. At the same time, it is probably most influential in neighborhoods with high levels of violence, which tend to be greater in poor Black communities.”</p>
<p>Future studies are needed to examine these questions more closely. Longitudinal research could track media exposure and subsequent attitudes toward firearms in young viewers. Such studies could also identify whether certain environments, such as high-crime neighborhoods, increase the likelihood of imitation. Experimental work could build on existing studies showing that children who watch movie scenes involving guns are more likely to pick up a real firearm during a simulated task.</p>
<p>“In the near term, it is not likely that research on firearm violence will be supported by NIH or CDC,” Romer said. “Nevertheless, it will be important to study this phenomenon at the individual level in different communities. We would expect that youth with lots of exposure to firearm use in entertainment media and especially those living in more violent neighborhoods are more likely to carry or intend to obtain firearms. That finding would provide even greater support for the role that firearms in entertainment play in promoting firearm use in young people.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2025.06.016" target="_blank">Firearm Violence in Entertainment Media as a Contributor to the Youth Firearm Health Crisis in the United States</a>,” was authored by Daniel Romer, Patrick E. Jamieson, Lauren E. Hawkins, and Kathleen H. Jamieson.</p></p>
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<p><strong>Forwarded by:<br />
Michael Reeder LCPC<br />
Baltimore, MD</strong></p>
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