Game on for mental health? Reviewing the effectiveness of applied and casual games for young people’s mental health

There are interesting avenues for future research arising from the conclusions of this paper, including better understanding from a user-experience perspective of what features or mechanics of games might be especially beneficial for mental health.

Linda Kaye and Kirsten Lawson summarise a large systematic review synthesising the effectiveness of applied and casual games on young people’s mental health.

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The impact of daylight saving time on life satisfaction

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We all had an extra hour in bed this weekend, but what impact does shifting the clocks back and forward each year have on our life satisfaction?

Melanie De Lange summarises a recent study on the welfare effects of time reallocation, which uses Daylight Saving Time evidence from Germany.

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Universal DBT intervention in schools: help or hindrance?

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Sofiia Kornatska reviews a non-randomised trial exploring a dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) based universal intervention on adolescent social and emotional well-being in Australian schools.

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LGBTQ+ wellbeing inequalities in early to middle adolescence

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In his debut blog, Filip Kaleta summarises findings from the #BeeWell study, which explored inequalities in adolescent wellbeing based on gender and sexual identity.

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Brain-body health please: new research supports integrated physical and mental health care

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Athina Aruldass finds that management of serious neuropsychiatric disorders should acknowledge the importance of poor physical health and target restoration of both brain and body function.

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From climate anxiety to climate action: developing global mental health recommendations

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Ella Tuominen considers a set of new global recommendations for action on climate change and mental health across sectors including healthcare, research, policy, and third sector organisations.

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We need to give staff a say, to make sure they will want to stay: what a realist review tells us is missing from the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan

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Justine Karpusheff explores a new realist synthesis of factors affecting retention of staff in UK adult mental health services.

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The impact of bureaucracy on social work practice

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This paper presents the methodology and findings of a systematic review of the available evidence relating to social workers experience of bureaucracy in practice. The study is international, and includes English Language papers published in peer reviewed journals between 1990 and 2020.

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To seek or not to seek? COVID information-seeking linked to poorer mental health

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Olga Lainidi summarises a paper from the UK COVID-19-MH study, which explores the links between COVID-19 information-seeking behaviours during the pandemic, and depression, anxiety and loneliness.

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Are we failing Black students? Mental health of Black students at universities in the UK

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In her debut blog, Kashish Janiani Tulsiyani considers a review exploring the mental health experiences of Black students in UK universities.

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