Behavioral Health | Penn Today

Breaking bad habits: Routines trump willpower

A study co-authored by Asaf Mazar of the Wharton School finds that routines matter far more than willpower or conscious choices when it comes to breaking bad habits.

Debt is bad for mental health. Relief from Biden’s student loan forgiveness could take time

Courtney Boen of the School of Arts & Sciences says that debt contributes to higher stress levels and worse health, and that Black and Hispanic Americans carry more of it.

College admission: Thanks in advance

The Character Lab, co-founded by Angela Duckworth of the School of Arts & Sciences, is cited for its resources on the positive power of gratitude.

Stop eating these foods when pregnant

A study by Stefanie Hinkle of the Perelman School of Medicine and colleagues advises mothers-to-be to keep daily caffeine consumption low to avoid pregnancy complications.

Four adolescents sitting on the top of a skate ramp.

Targeting impulsivity early in adolescence could prevent later behavioral disorders

Tendencies toward impulsivity in early adolescence are linked with a variety of poor outcomes in later adolescence. By mid-adolescence, it may be too late to target impulsivity to prevent those developments.

How to excel with ADHD

Michael Ascher of the Perelman School of Medicine recommends that people with ADHD reframe their narrative, shifting focus from their struggles to what makes their brains unique.

Does the Navy SEAL power nap really leave you feeling rested in eight minutes?

Sigrid Veasey of the Perelman School of Medicine says that most people, especially those who do high levels of physical activity, could benefit from trying the Navy SEAL nap position.

College admission: This is not a race

Admissions Dean Whitney Soule explains the reasoning behind a new short-answer prompt for Penn applicants that emphasizes gratitude for others.

A person, Helaine Heggs, standing outside in front of a tree.

‘Trusted messengers’ distill science, debunk myths about COVID-19 vaccine

VaxUpPhillyFamilies, led by Penn’s School of Nursing, engages Philadelphia parents and caregivers as vaccine ambassadors to identify concerns and provide support related to COVID-19 vaccines, increase vaccine uptake, and address social support needs.

An illustration of an old television with a person in sunglasses on it. On top sits a laptop computer with an arm reaching out past the screen, holding a rolled up newspaper. Another newspaper lays flat on top of the screen.

TV news top driver of political echo chambers in U.S.

Duncan Watts and colleagues found that 17% of Americans consume television news from partisan left- or right-leaning sources compared to just 4% online. For TV news viewers, this audience segregation tends to last month over month.

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