http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Mindfulness training may help to boost standardized test scores and improve working memory, according to a new study in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-mindfulness-boost-scores-memory.html Psychology & Psychiatry Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:45:49 EST news283520729 The importance of play—crucial for children's healthy psychological development and ability to thrive in life—is woefully underestimated by parents and educators, according to Peter Gray, a Boston College developmental psychologist and author of the new book Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-free-vital-children-healthy-psychologist.html Psychology & Psychiatry Mon, 04 Mar 2013 11:47:38 EST news281619992 Although the long-term consequences of childhood obesity are well documented, some school districts have reduced physical education classes to devote more time to the 3 Rs in education—reading, writing, and arithmetic. However, there is new evidence that leaving out an important fourth R—aerobics—could actually be counterproductive for increasing test scores. A new study scheduled for publication in The Journal of Pediatrics studied the associations between aerobic fitness, body mass index (BMI), and passing scores on standardized math and reading tests. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-arithmetic-aerobics-academic.html Pediatrics Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:00:03 EST news281211180 If you're thinking that little old lady driving 35 miles per hour in the passing lane shouldn't be behind the wheel, you may be right. Studies at Rhode Island Hospital, and elsewhere, have shown that our driving abilities decline with age, and for those with cognitive issues such as dementia, it can be even worse. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-ri-hospital-standardized-road-results.html Health Wed, 05 Dec 2012 11:23:34 EST news273928991 Are you good at coping when life gets tough? Do people call you a straight-shooter? Will you help others without expecting anything in return? http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-tough-relief-placebo.html Psychology & Psychiatry Thu, 15 Nov 2012 10:38:53 EST news272198326 A few minutes of exercise can help children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder perform better academically, according to a new study led by a Michigan State University researcher. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-school-kids-adhd.html Attention deficit disorders Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:17:43 EST news269612118 (Medical Xpress)—New research can identify the neural structures associated with poor reading skills in young children, and could lead to an early warning system for struggling students. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-brain-scans-children-ability.html Psychology & Psychiatry Thu, 11 Oct 2012 11:25:52 EST news269173546 Three years ago, Donald Sefcik, senior associate dean of Michigan State University's College of Osteopathic Medicine, set out to write a guide to help medical and physician assistant students study for standardized tests. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-osteopathic-faculty-text-standardized-takers.html Other Tue, 03 Apr 2012 08:42:10 EST news252661318 We depend on a barrage of standardized tests to assess everything from aptitude to intelligence. But do they provide an accurate forecast when it comes to something as complex as language? A study by Diane Pesco, an assistant professor in Concordia's Department of Education, and co-author Daniela O'Neill, published earlier this year in the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, shows that the Language Use Inventory (LUI) does. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-children-language.html Psychology & Psychiatry Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:58:45 EST news249656310 High schools in Virginia where students reported a high rate of bullying had significantly lower scores on standardized tests that students must pass to graduate, according to research presented at the 119th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-bullying-contribute-scores.html Psychology & Psychiatry Sun, 07 Aug 2011 13:39:35 EST news231943155