What we can learn from a PLOS Medicine study of antidepressants and violent crime

Update October 1 7:58 PM: note the inaccuracy that I correct in response to a comment by DJ Jaffe, for which I am thankful. An impressively large-scale study published in PLOS Medicine of the association between antidepressants and violent crime … Continue reading »

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Promoting a positive psychology self-help book with a Wikipedia entry

This edition of Mind the Brain continues an odd and fascinating story of an aggressive promotion of a positive psychology self-help book. In this chapter, I tell how the promotion is being aided by the author’s son creating a laudatory … Continue reading »

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More sciencey than the rest? The competitive edge of positive psychology coaching

Is positive psychology coaching better than what its competitors offer? Is positive psychology coaching the science-oriented brand or does it just look sciency? How do we judge?     In Mind the Brain, we have been showing that critical appraisal … Continue reading »

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Delusional? Trial in Lancet Psychiatry claims brief CBT reduces paranoid delusions

In this issue of Mind the Brain, I demonstrate a quick assessment of the conduct and reporting of a clinical trial.  The authors claimed in Lancet Psychiatry a “first ever” in targeting “worries” with brief cognitive therapy as a way … Continue reading »

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BMC Medicine gets caught up in Triple P Parenting promoters’ war on critics and null findings

Undeclared conflicts of interest constitute scientific misconduct. Why we should be as concerned about conflicts of interest of interest in evaluations of nonpharmacological treatments, like psychotherapy. Whack! Triple P promoters (3P) Cassandra L Tellegen and Kate Sofronoff struck again against … Continue reading »

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Pay $1000 to criticize a bad ‘blood test for depression’ article?

No way, call for retraction. Would you pay $1,000 for the right to criticize bad science in the journal in which it originally appeared? That is what it costs to participate in postpublication peer review at the online Nature Publishing … Continue reading »

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Failing grade for highly cited meta-analysis of positive psychology interventions

The many sins of Sin and  Lyubomirsky I recently blogged about Linda Bolier and colleagues’  meta-analysis of positive psychology interventions [PPIs] in BMC Public Health. It is the new kid on the block. Sin and Lyubomirsky’s  meta analysis is accepted … Continue reading »

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How to critique claims of a “blood test for depression”

Special thanks to Ghassan El-baalbaki and John Stewart for their timely assistance. Much appreciated. “I hope it is going to result in licensing, investing, or any other way that moves it forward…If it only exists as a paper in my … Continue reading »

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Soothing psychotherapists’ brains with NeuroBalm

Promoters of Emotionally Focused Psychotherapy offer sciencey claims with undeclared conflicts of interest, cherry picked evidence, and bad science.

The temptation exists for researchers and clinicians to search for the strongest and most provocative version of their knowledge, which will

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Critical analysis of a meta-analysis of a treatment by authors with financial interests at stake

trust me 2

Update June 2, 2014. This blog has been updated to  respond to information provided in comments on the blog, as well as my examination of the membership of International Scientific Advisory Committee for Triple P Parenting that these comments prompted.

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