One of the main challenges associated with conveying findings from behavioural genetic research concerns the relationship between aetiology and intervention. In part, this is because of the widely-held understanding among the lay public that something being “in your genes” means that your fate is sealed. But this challenge is more…
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) affects up to 2% of the population and is associated with serious impairment and disruption among sufferers. Yet, compared to other psychiatric problems, it remains relatively under-researched. Here, I describe our findings from a recent study of the efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy for adolescent BDD.
As sufferers will know all too well, sleep problems and depression often go hand-in-hand. In this post, I summarise the findings of our recent paper investigating the role of genetic factors in underpinning this link.
Clearly, the onset of depressive symptoms, at any stage of an individual’s life, is a cause for deep concern among loved ones. But the emergence of such problems in young children and adolescents is especially worrisome for parents – and never more so than when it coincides with problems at home. But what…
Mark Fisher was a radical writer on cultural issues, based at Goldsmiths, University of London. An old article by Fisher has recently made me question the way that we measure socioeconomic status in our research. Here I lay out Fisher’s argument and suggest how it might be relevant to our work.
Becoming a parent seems to render you fair game for parenting advice, regardless of whether it is based on evidence, opinion or delusion. Family, friends, and even helpful strangers in the street are likely to advise you on … well, everything. In an ideal world, your partner might be expected…
Recently, I completed my PhD studies in the EDIT lab, wrote my thesis, and finished reading all the papers in that pile on my desk (or two of those three). Here I describe my work on the effect of the genome on body mass index and its relationship with our…
Do the words we use to talk about different psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety and schizophrenia, have an influence on how we view them? Does the fact that we all have days when we are anxious make us feel that anxiety disorders are less severe, less important than other disorders…
Recently, I completed my PhD studies in the EDIT lab, wrote my thesis, and retired to a life of luxury and leisure (or two of those three). Across the past four years I have become interested in how now-standard methods in genomics (the study of genetics across the genome) can…
The belief that parental behaviour has an important impact on shaping child development is widespread. Entire books, websites, and industries now exist that are focused on this notion. Right from the moment of conception, parents are bombarded with information telling them that their behaviour can have a profound and long-lasting…
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