I could have called this potpourri, but I chose the title because each study today makes what I think is a helpful distinction. First, Mostajabi, Sperry, King & Wright (2025) published “Uncovering Urgency in Daily Life: Testing a novel method for assessing emotion–impulsivity co-occurrence in momentary data” in Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science. Here’s the edited abstract and impact statement:

Impulsivity is a personality trait with broad health implications. Urgency is a facet of impulsivity defined as the tendency to engage in rash action when experiencing strong emotions. Thus, as defined, urgency is a dynamic, if … then process.

Today we’re looking at empathy. First, Avnor, Atias, Markus & Shamay-Tsoory (2024) published “It Takes Two to Empathize: Interbrain coupling contributes to distress regulation” in Emotion. Here are edited excerpts:

While extant research on empathy has made significant progress in uncovering the mechanisms underlying the responses of an observer (empathizer) to the distress of another (target), it remains unclear how the interaction between the empathizer and the target contributes to distress regulation in the target.

I’ve written before Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) framework before, but am revisiting it today with new theory and research. First, Trayvick, Adams & Nelson (2024) published “The P300 and Hierarchical Dimensions of Psychopathology” in Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science. Here’s the edited abstract and impact statement:

The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) framework offers the potential to better understand how neurobiological mechanisms relate to psychopathology.

Today, we’re looking at three studies of parenting. First, the bad news. Lorence, Hidalgo, Grasmeijer & Jiménez (2025) published “Parental Competencies for Positive Parenting and Their Measurement: A systematic review” in Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. Here are the edited abstract and impact statement:

In the absence of a consensual framework on the competencies required for positive parenting, a systematic review was carried out with two objectives:

Today, we’re looking at three studies of the beginning, middle and end of romantic relationships. First, Traut, Gander, Uhlich, Weidmann, Chopik & Grob (2025) published “Examining Change in Attachment in Romantic Couples: The role of relationship characteristics and codevelopment between partners” in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Here’s the edited abstract:

I recently discovered a number of articles related to gender stereotypes. First, Leshin & Rhodes (2025) published “Girls as Objects, Boys as Humans: Young children tend to be objectified along gender lines” in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Here are the edited abstract and impact statement:

Today, we’re looking at studies of clients in rural areas. First, Kruis, Sprouse-McClam, Johnson, Guille & Harvey (2024) published “Barriers and Facilitators to Implementing Psychiatric Collaborative Care in Rural United States: A mixed-methods systematic review” in Journal of Rural Mental Health. Here are the edited abstract and impact statements:

Behavioral health (BH) disorders are highly prevalent in the United States and especially concerning in rural areas, which severely lack access to BH services.

Today, we’re looking at three studies of satisfaction in young adults. First, Lansford et al. (2025) published “Predictors of Young Adults' Primal World Beliefs in Eight Countries” in Child Development. Here’s the edited abstract:

Primal world beliefs (“primals”) capture understanding of general characteristics of the world, such as whether the world is Good and Enticing. Children (N = 1215, 50% girls), mothers, and fathers from Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Philippines, Sweden,

Today I am presenting three articles related to stereotype threat. First, Fourgassie, Subra & Sanitioso (2025) published “Revisiting the Concept of Stereotype Threat(s): Is it all about the situation?” in Psychological Review.  Here’s the edited abstract:

Nearly 30 years ago, Steele and Aronson (1995) proposed the concept of stereotype threat. Despite the rich literature on the topic, the robustness and significance of stereotype threat effects face scrutiny due to unsuccessful replications and meta-analyses.

Today, I look at two studies that I thought were important especially to white professionals working with clients different from themselves. First, Cobb, Schwartz & Martinez (2025) published “A Theory of Cultural Continuity: Heritage culture retention as an important psychological motivation” in Psychological Review.  Here’s the edited abstract:

In this article, we advance the thesis, called the cultural continuity hypothesis, which states that heritage culture retention represents an important psychological motivation that underlies a wide array of human behaviors and that is important for positive psychosocial functioning.

Today, I present two articles that address mindfulness. First, Mak, Wong & Ng (2023) published “The Use of Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Stroke Rehabilitation: A scoping review” in Rehabilitation Psychology. Here are the edited abstract and impact statements:

There is emerging evidence for the use of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) to improve health outcomes in the context of stroke rehabilitation. This scoping review identified recently available evidence and possible research gaps regarding how MBIs affect psychological and physical rehabilitation outcomes in individuals poststroke.

Drexler et al. (2024) published “Longitudinal Relations among Temperament, Cognitive Control, and Anxiety: From toddlerhood to late adolescence” in Developmental Psychology.  Here are the edited abstract and impact statements:

Children with a history of behaviorally inhibited (BI) temperament face a heightened risk for anxiety disorders and often use control strategies that are less planful.

Today, I present lengthy excerpts from an article I found interesting. McLaughlin, Marshall & McAuliffe (2024) published “Developing Conceptions of Forgiveness across the Lifespan in Child Development. Here are edited excerpts:

Understanding how to respond to transgressions is central to cooperation, yet little is known about how individuals understand the consequences of these responses.

Today, I present information from an article I found methodologically intriguing. Vermeent, Young, DeJoseph, Schubert & Frankenhuis (2024) published “Cognitive Deficits and Enhancements in Youth from Adverse Conditions: An integrative assessment using Drift Diffusion Modeling in the ABCD study” in Developmental Science. Here are the edited abstract and conclusion:

Childhood adversity can lead to cognitive deficits or enhancements, depending on many factors.

I found four very interesting articles related to gender diverse youth. First, Abreu, Martin, Hainsworth, Toomey, Vázquez & Gattamorta (2024) published “Radical Hope in Parents of Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth in the United States” in Journal of Family Psychology. Here’s the edited abstract:

I don’t bother with most COVID research I see because it is so often obvious. Today, I look at three studies I found interesting for very different reasons. The first one is a correction so it’s presented oddly, but the abstract itself is worth reading. “Correction to ‘Parenting young children during COVID-19: Parenting stress trajectories, parental mental health, and child problem behaviors’ by Aviles et al. (2024)” in Journal of Family Psychology. Here’s the edited abstract:

I recently found two articles about older adults that I found intriguing. First, Fenton, Smail, Lin, Striley & Kaufmann (2024) published “Associations between Driving Cessation and Mental Health among Rural and Urban Older Adults” in Journal of Rural Mental Health. Here are the edited abstract and impact statements:

Today, I present abstracts regarding three instruments that may be of interest to those who do psychological testing. First, Laslo-Roth & George-Levi (2024) published “The Development and Validation of the Emotional Entitlement Questionnaire (EEQ)” in Emotion. Here’s the edited abstract:

Beliefs about what one is entitled to emotionally may make a unique contribution to emotional and interpersonal experiences.

I was unfamiliar with Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome and am devoting today to it. Becker (2025) published “Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome: A construct at the crossroads” in American Psychologist. Here are some excerpts:

Initially described in the mid-1980s, cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS; previously termed sluggish cognitive tempo) is a set of symptoms comprising excessive daydreaming, mental confusion, and hypoactivity that is distinct from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and other psychopathology dimensions and independently associated with functional outcomes.

Since last time we looked at bullying and anger, today we’re looking at compassion and self-compassion. First, Sun, Wu & Goodwin (2025) published “Are Moral People Happier? Answers from reputation-based measures of moral character” in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Here’s the edited abstract:

Philosophers have long debated whether moral virtue contributes to happiness or whether morality and happiness are in conflict. Yet, little empirical research directly addresses this question.