EurekAlert! News by Subject: Social & Behavior

Social & Behavior

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 25-Oct-2026 10:17 ET (25-Oct-2026 14:17 GMT/UTC)

15-Jun-2026

EEG-interactive VR meditation improves concentration, relaxation, and emotional regulation in students

KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A study of 52 college students found that VR mindfulness meditation improved emotion regulation, relaxation, and mindful attention more than audio-only practice. The strongest results came from a self-developed EEG-interactive VR forest that changed in response to users' brain signals, while lavender scent improved relaxation but appeared to reduce concentration.

Funder: National Center for Mental Health and Mental Hygiene of China (General Support Project), National Natural Science Foundation of China (General Program)

15-Jun-2026

Australia must tackle unemployment to reduce suicide rates

Adelaide University
Reports and Proceedings

More than 3000 Australians die by suicide each year, yet one of the strongest known drivers of suicide risk – unemployment – remains largely overlooked in Australia’s suicide prevention programs.

Funder: Medical Research Future Fund

14-Jun-2026

Healthy lifespan cut short by sex-dependent depressive symptoms in older adults

Tohoku University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Based on their 18-year long cohort study, researchers at Tohoku University have found which depressive symptoms have the most impact on the “healthspan” (remaining years of healthy living) of older adults, and how this differs for men compared to women.

Journal: Journal of Psychiatric Research

14-Jun-2026

Laxative drug could improve depression-related memory and attention issues

University of Birmingham
Peer-Reviewed Publication

People with depression who find that it affects their memory or attention span could benefit from an existing licensed drug currently used to treat chronic constipation, according to a new study published in Psychological Medicine by academics from the University of Birmingham and University of Oxford.

Journal: Psychological Medicine

13-Jun-2026

Grandparents are a vital resource in the child mental health crisis, says leading child psychologist

Taylor & Francis Group
Book Announcement

As more than 40% of American teenagers report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, a leading child psychologist says grandparents and extended family have a vital role to play.

12-Jun-2026

New framework to model critical infrastructure resilience

KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The authors identify appropriate key performance indicators of resilience for AI-integrated cyber-physical infrastructures, and develop a comprehensive framework that can be used by researchers and practitioners as a guideline to model the resilience of such infrastructures at macro and micro levels. They illustrate how the framework can be applied by means of a case study.

Journal: Journal of Safety Science and Resilience

12-Jun-2026

Health equity after a colorectal cancer screening program

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: In this cross-sectional study, following the implementation of an organized population screening program, colorectal cancer screening participation increased and socioeconomic disparities narrowed over time. Overall uptake in Hong Kong remains low, and some disparities persist in younger age groups (age 50-59 years), single households, individuals with a primary and secondary school education, lower-income groups, and public housing residents. Efforts to increase participation are needed in certain groups to ensure health equity.

Journal: JAMA Health Forum