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Take a moment and imagine the happiest person you know. Got him or her in mind? Now think about how you would describe that person’s personality. Did adjectives like outgoing, energetic, or bubbly come to mind? It’s very likely that one of the personality traits you described is related to extroversion, or the tendency to draw energy from being engaged in the world and social situations. Studies do show that the extroverted among us are also more likely to be happier....

The term “rainbow baby” refers to a healthy baby born to parents who experienced a previous loss through miscarriage, stillbirth (the death of a baby in utero after 20 weeks), neonatal death (the passing of a baby shortly after birth), or other infant loss. The symbolism of the term comes from the idea that a rainbow only appears after the darkness of a rainy, stormy sky—just like rainbow babies are only born after the pain of loss....

The Losada Ratio, also known as the Critical Positivity Ratio or Losada Line, was a positive psychology concept originally proposed in 2005 in a paper published in the journal American psychologist by Marcial Losada of the Universidade Católica de Brasília and psychologist Barbara Frederickson of the University of Michigan. This concept originally received support in the academic community with over 1000 citations (specifically, the positive psychology field) and was promoted in the popular media....

Your child has had all or most of their vaccines, but you can’t find their vaccine records. Your doctor can’t find them either. What do you do? Does he need to start getting shots all over again? Unfortunately, this happens much more often than you would think. Finding Lost Shot Records Families move, doctors retire, and records get lost. If this happens to you before you go any further, there are a few things you can do to locate your child’s shot records:...

People enjoy and need the closeness and support of other people, so it can be difficult to be separated from those that you care about. Whether the separation is permanent or temporary, it is perfectly normal to start missing someone when you are apart. Whether you’re missing a friend who has moved away, moving on after a divorce, or grieving the loss of a loved one, it is natural to yearn for the people who are no longer a part of your daily life....

Not too long ago, having an episiotomy during childbirth was almost expected. But, research over the last few decades shows the procedure may not be as beneficial as doctors once thought. Therefore, it is no longer as routine as it was years ago. However, an episiotomy is still helpful and necessary in certain circumstances. Here’s what you need to know about an episiotomy including when it’s recommended and when it’s not, how to try to prevent one, and what to do if you need it....

When to give babies dairy products can be confusing because yogurt (and cheese) is okay before one year of age, but milk is not. The advice varies on the ideal age at which your baby can eat yogurt. Your best bet is to talk to your pediatrician. They might have a suggested timeline for introducing foods—either for their patients in general or your baby in particular. Before you include dairy in your baby’s diet, there are a few things to consider....

It’s not hard to see why pregnant women can begin to feel overwhelmed as the months and trimesters wear on; few people get so much well-meaning, but unsolicited advice as expectant mothers. For first-time mothers, the feeling of not knowing what you’re doing often turns into guilt. Even second, third, or fourth-time mothers can feel guilty when they make common pregnancy “mistakes.” Common Pregnancy Guilt Trips Woman are commonly held to incredibly high standards, and arguably even more so when there is a little baby’s life involved....

Parenting can be quite a journey. You may sometimes find yourself in unfamiliar territory and realize that you have endless unanswered questions. Perhaps you are looking at ways to lose pregnancy weight or want to know how to create a healthy diet for your family. Maybe you want some tips on how to balance work while being a busy mom or learn ways to raise bilingual and multicultural kids. When you find yourself struggling, it helps to turn to mommy bloggers who love to share practical tips and advice for navigating motherhood....

Most kids love being outside: the way sunlight casts interesting shadows on the ground, the noisy birds and colorful bugs, and the feeling of squishy mud and slippery grass. It all provides kids with an engaging sensory experience that they just can’t get indoors. Plus, when you go outside you get to run as fast as you want and be as loud as you can without anyone telling you to slow down or use your indoor voice....

Understanding the attachment style of children may help to address mental health issues, and understanding where these attachment styles come from is a key piece of that puzzle. In fact, a study published in the International Journal of Psychology earlier this year found that the adult attachment of fathers can influence the anxiety levels of their children into adolescence. Key Takeaways Recent research shows that a father’s attachment style may impact their child’s anxiety levels....

Heavy drinking increases the risk of a variety of negative health consequences from liver disease to cancer. But some people who drink heavily appear to be at a greater risk for developing these problems than others. Researchers believe the difference between those with greater risk and those with lower risk may involve how the body metabolizes, or breaks down and eliminates alcohol, which can vary widely from individual to individual....

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are two disorders that can occur at the same time. This is not entirely surprising given that PTSD is a trauma- and stressor-related disorder that can manifest in different ways from one person to the next. As such, PTSD (a disorder caused by exposure or threats of death, serious injury, or sexual violence) can lead to other disorders that each have their own set of unique causes, characteristics, and symptoms....

Anal sex is more popular than ever among heterosexual couples. Whether it is already part of your sexual repertoire or something you’re considering experimenting with, you might have wondered whether it’s possible to get pregnant from anal intercourse. The short answer is that it is highly unlikely to get pregnant from anal sex alone. However, doctors warn that unprotected anal intercourse should never be relied upon as a form of contraception....

If your twins or multiples are born prematurely, they may require hospitalization in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) while their immature systems catch up. It can be a frightening and frustrating experience for parents on many levels. Not only are you worried about your precious babies, but you may feel utterly helpless. Doctors, nurses, and medical staff are in charge of your babies, and you have little control over the situation....

When people get shingles or hear about someone who has the condition, they often worry about the contagiousness especially with regard to their children. Although your child cannot get shingles from another person, they can get chickenpox. For this reason, it’s important to know how shingles spreads and how it causes chickenpox in children. Here’s a closer look at the varicella-zoster virus. How Shingles Spreads If someone you know has shingles, you cannot catch shingles itself from them....

Students with ADHD may find that the level of support at the college level is quite different from what they experienced in high school. While all colleges are required to offer disability services, the type and intensiveness of these services can vary dramatically from one school to the next. It can be helpful to look for a school that offers strong support for students with ADHD. By researching your options early on, you may have a better experience and find stronger ADHD resources to support your educational journey....

Edward Bradford Titchener was a student of Wilhelm Wundt and is often credited with introducing the structuralist school of thought. While Wundt is sometimes identified as the founder of structuralism, Titchener theories differed in important ways from Wundt’s. While he was a dominant force in psychology during his life, the school of thought he founded essentially died with him. Learn more about his life, career, and influence on psychology in this brief biography....

The vast majority of schools returned to in-person learning this year. Experts nationwide believed that businesses and travel opening up, returning to face-to-face learning, and lessening COVID restrictions would improve kids’ mental health. But according to a new survey focused on the mental health of Gen Z students, so far, this hasn’t been the case. Key Takeaways More than 50% of students ages 18 to 25 say their mental health is the same or worse than last year....

How long it will take to get pregnant after birth control depends partially on what kind of birth control you were using. For those that take birth control pills, 1 in 5 conceive the first cycle after discontinuing the pill, and a little more than half conceive after six months. By the one-year mark, about 8 in 10 are pregnant. However, your choice of contraception does matter. If you had implants or a hormonal IUD, your fertility may take longer to return....