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  • Sleep disturbances are prevalent in substance use disorders (SUDs). Objective (e.g., polysomnography) and subjective (e.g., Pittsburgh sleep quality index [PSQI]) assessments are commonly used, with polysomnography enabling sleep architecture analysis and diagnosis of sleep disorders, but its use limited by logistical constraints. Actigraphy offers a feasible alternative for longitudinal and naturalistic assessment. We aimed to synthesize actigraphy-based sleep outcomes in individuals with SUDs and compare them with subjective sleep measures. We conducted a meta-analysis (PROSPERO: CRD420251072028), searching 8 databases by March, 2026. Studies included adults with SUDs reporting actigraphy-based parameters and/or subjective sleep outcomes. Nine studies (n = 1366) met inclusion criteria. Actigraphy showed reduced total sleep time in alcohol use disorder (AUD) (mean difference [MD] = −44.67; 95%CI: −56.10 to −33.24) and opioid use disorder (MD = −40.00, 95%CI = −72.08 to −7.92), and increased wake after sleep onset in nicotine use disorder (MD = 6.60; 95%CI: 2.41−10.80). Subjective data indicated poorer sleep quality in AUD (PSQI MD = 4.37; 95%CI: 1.28−7.47). Available evidence suggests consistent objective and subjective sleep disturbances in AUD and general concordance between actigraphy- and polysomnography-derived sleep parameters. Actigraphy appears to be a feasible objective tool for sleep assessment in SUDs, though additional studies across diverse substances are needed. © 2026

  • Philosophers have long speculated that individual differences in temperament influence philosophical thinking, yet empirical research has rarely explored the role of neurodivergent traits in this domain. In this large online study (N = 1,254), we investigated whether participants with training in philosophy differ from the general population when it comes to six psychological traits–autism, ADHD, aphantasia, anendophasia, anauralia, and representational manipulation–and also whether these traits correlate with responses to two widely studied philosophical thought experiments: the “trolley problem” and the “rollback deterministic universe.” Compared to the general population, participants with training in philosophy had higher scores on measures of ADHD, internal verbalization, and representational manipulation, but lower scores on measures of visual imagery. These cognitive traits were also correlated with participants’ moral and metaphysical judgments (independent of their level of philosophical training)–e.g. participants who scored higher in visualization were less likely to judge that hitting the switch in the trolley problem is permissible but not obligatory, and also less likely to attribute free will and moral responsibility to agents in the rollback universe. Finally, we employed machine learning to develop predictive models that classify a randomly selected participant as either a philosopher or a non-philosopher. Models trained solely on responses to measures for neurodivergent traits achieved better performance than models trained solely on responses to philosophical thought experiments. This suggests that stable, trait-level neurodivergent characteristics may be more diagnostic of philosophical interest, aptitude, or training than judgments philosophers make on domain-relevant problems. © 2026 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

  • The same dataset can be analysed in different justifiable ways to answer the same research question, potentially challenging the robustness of empirical science1-3. In this crowd initiative, we investigated the degree to which research findings in the social and behavioural sciences are contingent on analysts' choices. We examined a stratified random sample of 100 studies published between 2009 and 2018, in which, for one claim per study, at least five reanalysts independently reanalysed the original data. The statistical appropriateness of the reanalyses was assessed in peer evaluations, and the robustness indicators were inspected along a range of research characteristics and study designs. We found that 34% of the independent reanalyses yielded the same result (within a tolerance region of ±0.05 Cohen's d) as the original report; with a four times broader tolerance region, this indicator increased to 57%. Of the reanalyses conducted, 74% reached the same conclusion as the original investigation, 24% yielded no effects or inconclusive results and 2% reported the opposite effect. This exploratory study indicates that the common single-path analyses in social and behavioural research should not be simply assumed to be robust to alternative analyses4. Therefore, we recommend the development and use of practices to explore and communicate this neglected source of uncertainty. © 2026. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.

  • The fear of missing out (FoMO)—the apprehension that others are having rewarding experiences in one's absence—has been linked to diminished well-being and maladaptive behaviors. While research has primarily focused on neurotypical populations, little is known about how FoMO associates with and manifests in neurodiverse cognitive profiles. The present study examined associations between general and workplace FoMO and individual differences in ADHD symptoms, autistic traits, and internal cognitive representation styles (visual imagery, internal verbalization, representational manipulation) in a U.S. sample of full-time employees ( N = 302). Across both regression and machine learning analyses, ADHD symptoms emerged as the most robust and consistent predictor of FoMO in both domains. Visual imagery significantly predicted general FoMO, whereas internal verbalization and representational manipulation showed stronger associations with workplace FoMO. Autistic traits, as measured by the AQ-10, were not significantly related to FoMO. Classification models (e.g., logistic regression, SVM) distinguished high versus low FoMO participants with moderate-to-high accuracy, with ADHD symptoms consistently ranked as the most influential feature. These findings extend the literature by highlighting domain-specific predictors of FoMO and the potential of neurodiversity-informed approaches for understanding and addressing FoMO in both social and occupational settings. © 2026 Elsevier Ltd.

  • Understanding the thermal sensitivity of reproductive interactions is crucial given global warming. Previous studies have almost exclusively focused on interactions before mating, even though important interactions between the sexes also occur after mating (e.g. gamete interactions), which are likely also affected by temperature. Thus, it remains unknown how temperature affects the influence of female reproductive fluid on sperm performance, thereby altering female control over fertilization (cryptic female choice). This gap limits our understanding of how sexual selection changes with seasonal temperature fluctuations and temperatures outside the range of historical norms. We tested how temperatures relevant to current conditions and climate change projections influence the mechanisms underlying cryptic female choice in a marine fish, Symphodus ocellatus. Under typical, cooler thermal conditions, female reproductive fluid enhances sperm velocity and biases fertilization dynamics to favour preferred, dominant males over sneaker males. We find that warmer temperatures decrease female influence on sperm velocity, especially for dominant males. This results in dominant males having slower sperm than sneaker males at warmer temperatures, reducing the expected paternity of preferred, dominant males. Our results highlight that considering the thermal sensitivity of female–male interactions that occur after mating will be essential for understanding how seasonal variation and climate change can influence fertility, reproduction and sexual selection. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. © 2026 The Author(s). Functional Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society.

  • INTRODUCTION: Individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) are at increased risk for sleep disturbances, creating a bidirectional relationship that may heighten relapse risk. While polysomnography is the gold standard for measuring sleep, many studies have used actigraphy, a noninvasive, wrist-worn device that estimates rest-activity patterns and sleep-wake characteristics. Despite its utility, the use of actigraphy in populations with SUDs remains limited, and findings vary across substances and methodologies. This protocol outlines a systematic review and meta-analysis aiming to synthesize evidence on actigraphy-derived sleep outcomes across various substances. METHOD AND ANALYSIS: We will include peer-reviewed observational or interventional studies involving individuals aged 18 or older with a diagnosis of substance use (e.g., alcohol, benzodiazepines, cannabis, cocaine, opioids, methamphetamine, or nicotine) who use actigraphy to assess sleep compared to matched controls. Studies will be excluded during screening if they do not use actigraphy, do not include populations with SUDs, or focus on participants younger than 18. There will be no restrictions on location, setting, or language. Databases to be searched include PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, ClinicalTrials.gov, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Embase. Titles and abstracts will be screened in the first phase, followed by full-text screening using eligibility criteria. At least two independent reviewers will assess risk of bias using the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies of Exposures (ROBINS-E) tool. A synthesis will summarize key findings, including study characteristics, population differences, and methodological variations. DISCUSSION: This review will offer a clear and comprehensive assessment of the current literature on actigraphy to examine sleep in SUD and to inform future research to study sleep and its implications in SUD populations. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION NUMBER: International Prospective Register for Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) number CRD420251072028. Copyright: © 2026 Paredes Naveda et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

  • Parental care is a critical determinant of offspring fitness. Female presence and male competition affect paternal care, but male-male cooperation during mating may also be an important, yet underappreciated, driver of paternal care. In many systems, males work together to court females or defend territories against male competitors. This male-male cooperation can alter actual or perceived paternity of the parenting male and could, therefore, influence how males invest in care during the postmating period. Here, we measured how reproductive and social dynamics between nesting and satellite males during mating correlate with nesting male paternal care in the ocellated wrasse (Symphodus ocellatus). Although paternal care (fanning rates) was repeatable across days within the same nesting cycle, it was not repeatable across different nesting cycles, suggesting that males plastically alter care in response to the environment. Nesting males provided care for fewer days at nests with the most unstable relationship between the nesting and satellite male: nests with low satellite cooperation and high male-male conflict where the satellite eventually left or was evicted from the nest. Nesting males also parented more intensively, but for fewer days in the warmer year, suggesting that males may adjust care in response to temperature. Collectively, our results suggest that there is no fixed male trait that females can use to predict paternal care behavior. Instead, females may use male-male interactions as a proxy for the quality of care her offspring will receive, suggesting that sexual selection may favor the co-evolution of paternal care with male-male cooperation. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press in association with International Society for Behavioral Ecology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site - for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.

  • This study examined whether embedding baselining within the Reality Interview (RI) protocol enhances intuitive veracity judgments. Baselining involves using a person’s truthful verbal behavior as a reference point for evaluating the veracity of subsequent statements. We hypothesized that access to a comparable truth baseline (CTB) would improve veracity judgment accuracy. Eyewitnesses of a mock crime were interviewed with the RI and instructed to respond either honestly or deceptively. Laypeople (Experiment 1) and police officers (Experiment 2) evaluated these statements with or without a CTB. With a CTB, laypeople showed significantly higher accuracy in detecting deception and a reduced truth bias. However, police officers showed no improvement, maintaining chance-level performance regardless of statement veracity. These findings suggest that CTBs enhance lie detection in laypeople but not in trained professionals. Future research should explore tailored approaches to improving veracity judgments, perhaps incorporating specific guidelines on how to best use available cues. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

  • Background: Stimulant use disorder (StUD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently co-occur. This comorbidity complicates treatment and worsens clinical outcomes. Despite the high prevalence, shared vulnerability and clinical relevance of this comorbidity, evidence on effective pharmacotherapies among individuals with this dual diagnosis remains limited. Materials and methods: This systematic review protocol is reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA-P) statement and will include randomized controlled trials involving adults with comorbid StUD (cocaine, amphetamines, or methamphetamines) and ADHD. The following databases will be searched: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science. Covidence will be used to support independent screening and data extraction. Two reviewers will independently screen studies (title/abstract and full text). One author will extract data, which will be independently verified by a second reviewer. Quality assessment of included articles will be assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias instrument, and certainty of the evidence for each outcome will be assessed using Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) methodology. Primary outcomes include duration of continuous abstinence, odds of stimulant-negative urine samples, ADHD symptom changes, and medication adverse events. Where feasible, meta-analyses will be conducted using random-effects models. Significance and dissemination: This review will synthesize existing evidence on the efficacy of pharmacotherapies (stimulants and non-stimulants) for individuals with co-occurring StUD and ADHD. The results of this study will likely inform clinical practice by evaluating outcomes such as reduction in stimulant use and abstinence, and improvement in ADHD symptoms. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication and presentations to reach both clinical and academic audiences. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO, CRD420250655356. Copyright © 2025 Oliva, Pulido-Saavedra, Paredes-Naveda, Forselius, Potenza, Jegede and Angarita.

  • PURPOSE: Autistic adults consistently report difficulties understanding speech in adverse listening environments, which may be related to differences in social communication and participation. Research examining masked-speech recognition in autistic adults is limited, particularly in competing speech backgrounds with high degrees of informational masking. This work characterizes speech-in-speech and speech-in-noise recognition in young adults on the autism spectrum, as well as evaluates self-reported functional listening abilities and listening-related fatigue. METHOD: Masked-speech recognition was evaluated in both autistic (n = 20) and non-autistic (n = 20) young adults with normal hearing. Speech reception thresholds were adaptively measured in two-talker speech and speech-shaped noise using target sentences that were either semantically meaningful or anomalous. Functional listening abilities and listening-related fatigue were assessed using the Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale and the Vanderbilt Fatigue Scale for Adults. Autism characteristics and social communication experiences were quantified using the Social Responsiveness Scale-Second Edition. RESULTS: Autistic adults displayed significantly poorer speech-in-speech recognition than their non-autistic peers, while speech-in-noise recognition did not differ between groups. Functional listening difficulties in daily life and listening-related fatigue were significantly higher for autistic participants. Autism characteristics strongly predicted functional listening abilities and listening-related fatigue in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Autistic young adults experience objective speech-in-speech recognition difficulties that correspond with listening challenges in daily life. Autism characteristics and social communication experiences predict functional listening abilities reported by both autistic and non-autistic young adults with normal hearing. Speech-in-speech recognition difficulties observed here may amplify social communication challenges for adults on the autism spectrum. Future work must prioritize improved awareness of autistic listening differences.

  • Constructing a personal narrative and consolidating identity is an ongoing process that becomes pressing in the face of mortality. The current pilot study examined the process of life review in a sample of older people, specifically examining the effects of participation in a memoir course on wisdom, identity, and well-being. We hypothesized that wisdom, identity fidelity and coherence, and subjective well-being would increase for those in the memoir group compared to a control. Eighteen elderly individuals from two senior retirement communities were randomly assigned to participate in weekly classes, for four weeks, either to work on a memoir or discuss films (control group). After engaging in the process of organizing their life story and writing about important memories, the nine individuals in the memoir group scored significantly higher on self-report measures of wise reminiscence, identity fidelity, and subjective well-being compared to those in the control group. Furthermore, exploratory analyses found that wise reminiscence statistically mediated relationships between the memoir condition and the outcome measures of identity fidelity, identity coherence, and subjective well-being. These findings point to the benefits of memoir writing for positive aging as well as potential mechanisms underlying its effectiveness.

  • Stereotypes about aging and aging anxieties are common and when internalized are related to poor physical and psychological outcomes. As a result, older adults may view themselves as having their best years behind them. The present study investigates ageism and aging anxiety as barriers to positive self-development. Participants (n = 360) between ages of 19 and 77 years old (M = 39, SD = 15.9) were recruited using Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and completed measures of Ageism, Aging Anxiety, and were asked to identify when they have been or will be their Best Self. With increasing age, adults with more internalized ageism and more aging anxiety, specifically physical appearance and fear of loss, identified their Best Self with a time in the past. These findings support the idea that internalization of ageism and aging anxiety can be counterproductive for expectations for growth as one ages.

  • Across three online studies, we examined the relationship between the Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and moral cognition and behavior. Study 1 (N = 283) examined whether FoMO influenced moral awareness, judgments, and recalled and predicted behavior of first-person moral violations in either higher or lower social settings. Study 2 (N = 821) examined these relationships in third-person judgments with varying agent identities in relation to the participant (agent = stranger, friend, or someone disliked). Study 3 (N = 604) examined the influence of recalling activities either engaged in or missed out on these relationships. Using the Rubin Causal Model, we created hypothetical randomized experiments from our real-world randomized experimental data with treatment conditions for lower or higher FoMO (median split), matched for relevant covariates, and compared differences in FoMO groups on moral awareness, judgments, and several other behavioral outcomes. Using a randomization-based approach, we examined these relationships with Fisher Tests and computed 95% Fisherian intervals for constant treatment effects consistent with the matched data and the hypothetical FoMO intervention. All three studies provide evidence that FoMO is robustly related to giving less severe judgments of moral violations. Moreover, those with higher FoMO were found to report a greater likelihood of committing moral violations in the past, knowing people who have committed moral violations in the past, being more likely to commit them in the future, and knowing people who are likely to commit moral violations in the future.

  • Abstract Objectives Listening2Faces (L2F) is a therapeutic, application-based training program designed to improve audiovisual speech perception for persons with communication disorders. The purpose of this research was to investigate the feasibility of using the L2F application with young adults with autism and complex communication needs. Methods Three young adults with autism and complex communication needs completed baseline assessments and participated in training sessions within the L2F application. Behavioral supports, including the use of cognitive picture rehearsal, were used to support engagement with the L2F application. Descriptive statistics were used to provide (1) an overview of the level of participation in L2F application with the use of behavioral supports and (2) general performance on L2F application for each participant. Results All three participants completed the initial auditory noise assessment (ANA) as well as 8 or more levels of the L2F application with varying accuracy levels. One participant completed the entire L2F program successfully. Several behavioral supports were used to facilitate participation; however, each individual demonstrated varied levels of engagement with the application. Conclusions The L2F application may be a viable intervention tool to support audiovisual speech perception in persons with complex communication needs within a school-based setting. A review of behavioral supports and possible beneficial modifications to the L2F application for persons with complex communication needs are discussed.

  • The kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system is implicated in dysphoria and as an “anti-reward system” during withdrawal from opioids. However, no clear consensus has been made in the field, as mixed findings have been reported regarding the relationship between the KOR system and opioid use. This review summarizes the studies to date on the KOR system and opioids. A systematic scoping review was reported following PRISMA guidelines and conducted based on the published protocol. Comprehensive searches of several databases were done in the following databases: MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane. We included preclinical and clinical studies that tested the administration of KOR agonists/antagonists or dynorphin and/or measured dynorphin levels or KOR expression during opioid intoxication or withdrawal from opioids. One hundred studies were included in the final analysis. Preclinical administration of KOR agonists decreased drug-seeking/taking behaviors and opioid withdrawal symptoms. KOR antagonists showed mixed findings, depending on the agent and/or type of withdrawal symptom. Administration of dynorphins attenuated opioid withdrawal symptoms both in preclinical and clinical studies. In the limited number of available studies, dynorphin levels were found to increase in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of opioid use disorder subjects (OUD). In animals, dynorphin levels and/or KOR expression showed mixed findings during opioid use. The KOR/dynorphin system appears to have a multifaceted and complex nature rather than simply functioning as an anti-reward system. Future research in well-controlled study settings is necessary to better understand the clinical role of the KOR system in opioid use.

  • Memes on social media can carry ageist messages and can elicit reactions that are both emotional and self-evaluative. The present study investigates age-related differences in nine discrete emotions and in the evaluation of when individuals have been or will be their best selves. Participants (n = 360) representing young (m = 26 years), middle-aged (m = 39 years) and older adults (m = 63 years) were randomly assigned to view either non-ageist (animals) or ageist (e.g., incompetent older people) memes. After viewing memes, we assessed nine emotional reactions (i.e., fear, anger, sadness, happiness, anxiety, discomfort, disgust, surprise, enjoyment) and Best Self evaluations. Younger and middle-aged people reported more intense emotional reactions to memes than older people, with the exception that older people reported more discomfort and disgust in response to ageist versus non-ageist memes. Younger adults were less surprised by ageist memes (vs. non-ageist) and for all age groups ageist memes (vs. non-ageist) elicited less happiness and enjoyment and were less likely to be shared. With respect to evaluations of one's Best Self, older individuals were more likely to report being their best selves in the past, while after viewing ageist memes, younger individuals were more likely to report being their best selves in the future. Emotions of disgust and discomfort were related to identifying one's Best Self as further in the past. The current study adds to the literature on the impact of ageism by examining age-related differences in the emotions and self-evaluations experienced when confronted with memes on social media.

  • Detecting deception is challenging; there exists no universal cue that gives away deceit and people vary greatly in how they communicate. One way to potentially improve deception detection is by comparing multiple responses of the same individual to identify verbal deviations – a method known as baselining. This study examined the impact of baselining embedded in a specific interview protocol to improve lie detection. Participants (N = 179) viewed mock crimes and were instructed to lie or tell the truth about what they witnessed. Next, they were interviewed including a truthful baseline (Reality Interview Modified: RIM), or no baseline (Reality Interview: RI; Structured Interview: SI). Results showed that truth tellers in the SI and RI conditions provided more details than liars during free recall, while no detail differences emerged for the RIM condition. Follow-up questions in all conditions showed truth tellers offered more details than liars. Surprisingly, we found no evidence that verbal deviations from a baseline can be used as effective indicators of deception. In sum, further research is needed to explore the best application of baselining for lie detection purposes.

  • Purpose: As part of the development of a speech-in-noise screener, speech recognition was measured in quiet and in an interrupted noise for 59 children with typical development according to parent report. Method: There were 39 monolingual and 20 bilingual participants. A corpus of 107 words were presented by a male and female speaker and present in the following conditions: +3 dB signal-to- noise ratio (SNR), −3 dB SNR, and quiet. Results: The participants showed increasing difficulty with speech identification as the SNR decreased. Additionally, age-related differences in accuracy were observed at each noise level. Conclusion: Our findings provide preliminary support for the utility and efficacy of a speech-in-noise screener for use with children.

Last update from database: 5/8/26, 4:15 PM (UTC)

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