Carers support others everyday, but who supports carers? This study reports barriers to mental health care for paid & unpaid carers of older adults: lack of guidance, limited social care support, no time off, unsupportive work cultures. @wileyhealth.bsky.social pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

Congratulations to Dr Noelia Lucía Martínez Rives on successfully completing her PhD at Universidad de Murcia @um.es on suicidal behaviour from a cross-cultural perspective, comparing Spain 🇪🇸 & Japan 🇯🇵. Honoured to serve as co-supervisor, alongside M. Pilar Martín Chaparro.

Meta-analysis on lifestyle medicine for depression (50RCTs) found multi-component lifestyle interventions can reduce depressive symptoms, though effects were small & less clear beyond short term. @elsevierconnect.bsky.social doi.org/10.1016/j.ja...

Our new paper: “Recovery Colleges: Adaptation to Organizational Constraints, COVID and Culture.” Published in English and Spanish by the Asociación Madrileña de Rehabilitación Psicosocial. www.amrp.info/boletin-amrp...

Digital lifestyle interventions may help mental health. In 61 RCTs (22,483 adults), they reduced depression, anxiety and stress, while effects on well-being remained inconclusive. Promising for self-management, but digital health equity matters. @jmirpub.bsky.social doi.org/10.2196/56975

Social connection services are not culturally neutral. Norms around disclosure, turn-taking, help-seeking may support some participation styles more than others. My new commentary proposes a practical symbol-value-norm audit: link.springer.com/article/10.1... @springernature.com

Lifestyle matters for mental health, but the evidence varies. This meta-review found the strongest support for physical activity, growing causal evidence on smoking, and promising but less certain findings for sleep and diet. @wileyhealth.bsky.social doi.org/10.1002/wps....

This cross-cultural psychology book explores a wide range of topics. When it comes to "Silences," there are no descriptions: only a quote and references 🤣 Well conveyed! "Exploring Cross-Cultural Psychology" www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/1... @routledgebooks.bsky.social

My Correspondence published in The Lancet Psychiatry @thelancet.com. Placebo & nocebo effects are culturally embedded: expectations are shaped by shared meanings of illness, healing, authority, trust, and communication. These mechanisms need cultural specification. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

A few moments from Sofia, Bulgaria 🇧🇬 Enjoyed exploring the city between conference activities: beautiful architecture, colourful gardens, local food, and a little Bulgarian culture. Many thanks to Krum, Alexander and Plama at Sofia University!

Great to be at ENMESH 2026, connecting with international colleagues and exchanging ideas on mental health research. I presented our recent global Delphi study and new work on estimating cultural distance. doi.org/10.21203/rs.... Thanks to Stynke for the photo of my talk!

Held the RECOLLECT International Advisory Board meeting (hybrid) in Sofia. Great time discussing our latest findings with international colleagues about Recovery Colleges around the world. A productive meeting, and a lovely lunch together beforehand.

Carers need mental health support, but often cannot access it. Interviews with paid and unpaid carers of older adults found barriers including poor signposting, lack of time or respite, personal duty, and unsupportive work cultures. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

A strong preference for self-reliance may stop young people seeking mental health support. In this Australian study of 5,203 young people, perceived social support played a key role in balancing autonomy and help-seeking. @springernature.com doi.org/10.1007/s001...

Dignity is central to person-centred palliative care. This paper offers 10 tips for dignity-conserving practice, including compassion, dialogue, cultural adaptation, and asking: “What should I know about you as a person to give you the best care possible?” pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

Faith communities can be important partners in mental health care. This scoping review of 32 US partnerships found promising evidence for improving literacy, stigma, symptoms, referrals. Stronger evaluation and bidirectional collaboration are still needed. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

Digital scalability ≠ cultural scalability. My @jamapsychiatry.com comment argues digital eating disorder interventions need cultural validation, not only of outcomes, but of engagement. Stigma, shame, privacy, family expectations may shape who engages/benefits. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Help-seeking is not only about access. The Cultural Determinants of Help Seeking model shows how culture shapes: (a) noticing wellness/distress (b) interpreting symptoms (c) who feels safe to ask (d) social costs of seeking help #CrossCulturalMentalHealth pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

Self-compassion means being supportive toward ourselves when we struggle. Neff's review shows self-compassion is not selfish, weak, or self-indulgent. Instead, it's linked to wellbeing, resilience, motivation, and better care for others. @annualreviews.bsky.social doi.org/10.1146/annu...

Nature can support healthy ageing 🌿 A review (84 studies) found nature-based interventions for older adults may improve wellbeing, physical health, social connection, behaviour, spiritual outcomes. Indoor help too; outdoor may offer unique psychological benefits. doi.org/10.1093/agei...

Daily routines may seem ordinary, but they matter for child development. This review of 170 studies found routines linked to better cognitive, emotional, academic, mental, and physical health outcomes, especially in high-risk environments. @ncfr.bsky.social doi.org/10.1111/jftr...

Why do humans do rituals? Rituals can help us manage anxiety, prepare for important tasks, and feel connected to others.This review explains how repeated actions & symbolic meaning can support emotion regulation, performance, and belonging. @spspnews.bsky.social pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29130838/

"Flourishing is both universal and cultural. This paper argues we should look for shared aspects of flourishing (eg meaning, relationships, health) while respecting how cultures and traditions understand “living well” differently. @elsevierconnect.bsky.social doi.org/10.1016/j.ss...

Being thankful for what we have is associated w greater life satisfaction. But this sys rev adds an important caution. Gratitude interventions may help, yet don’t clearly work better than others. Gratitude is powerful but the science still needs nuance. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

Gratitude can sound simple, but may really help. Systematic rev+meta-analysis of 64 RCTs found gratitude interventions linked to better mental health, higher life satisfaction, fewer anxiety/depression symptoms. Small acts of gratitude can go a long way. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

Meaning making can help people adjust to stressful life events. This @apajournals.bsky.social review shows it’s not just about “searching for meaning.” What matters is whether people can make adaptive meanings that support recovery and growth. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20192563/

Nature may be more than a setting for wellbeing. Spirituality and wellbeing are distinct but connected, and nature can nurture meaning, wholeness, and care for the planet. Bridging between eudaimonic wellbeing, spirituality, and nature. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

Meaning in life is linked to lower depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicidality, & can improve through psychotherapy, mindfulness, narrative methods, psychoeducation. Recovery is also about helping people find meaning. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

Received these excellent service-user guides from Kanagawa Human Rights Advocacy for Psychiatric Health. Thank you for sharing this important work, developed from service users’ perspectives: a valuable example of standing in their shoes!

What does “healthy ageing” mean across cultures. Kitayama et al. suggest US older adults may face pressure to remain energetic, positive, independent, whereas East Asian contexts may provide more age-graded roles for adjustment, meaning, social belonging. doi.org/10.1037/amp0...

Regular exercise needs regular maintenance. As I exercise regularly, I’m trying to look after my body before problems happen. Sports massage is one way I support injury prevention and recovery. Much better to maintain the body than seek treatment after injuries occur!

Kurdish migrants face a high mental health burden. This SR found elevated PTSD, depression, anxiety, shaped by war, persecution, discrimination, isolation, family separation, fear of deportation. Need for culturally tailored, trauma-informed support. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

Our preprint reports 20-country Delphi study w cross-cultural de-centring to clarify Anglophone assumptions + enhance global interoperability of Recovery College tools. This approach may inform other interventions dev'd in Anglophone contexts for global use. www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-9...

Social determinants of mental health are among the most modifiable targets for prevention. Evidence on poverty, discrimination, childhood adversity, migration, loneliness, neighbourhood disadvantage, climate-related risks. 7 social justice recommendations. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

Extrinsic goals such as wealth, status and image may fuel economic growth, but they do not necessarily support wellbeing. This paper argues that capitalism can undermine basic psychological needs: security, autonomy, competence and relatedness @academic.oup.com doi.org/10.1093/heap...

My rapid response to a BMJ article @bmj.com bmj.com/content/393/... Debates about banning social media should not focus only on access/risk, but also on cultural context: how adolescents, families, schools, and societies interpret connection, autonomy, and harm.

Self-criticism is often treated as universal inner process, but how people experience, express, respond to it may differ across cultures. This systematic review shows qualitative research on self-criticism remains fragmented, with no shared framework yet. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

Cross-cultural code-switching can be psychologically demanding. This study of int'l medical graduates in New Zealand shows adapting to new cultural/professional norms is not just a skills issue, but can affect authenticity, competence, fatigue, isolation. link.springer.com/article/10.1...

The event photographer kindly shared more photos from the 100th anniversary ceremony for Psychology at @masarykuniversity.bsky.social. A lovely reminder of a very special occasion. It was an honour to give a keynote on cultural pathways to recovery, and I’m grateful for the warm welcome.

A major new global study of wellbeing: the Global Flourishing Study includes 200,000+ participants across 22 countries. Initial findings highlight links with childhood experiences, relationships, employment, and religious service attendance @springernature.com www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Culture shapes whether pursuing happiness helps or harms wellbeing. Valuing happiness predicted lower wellbeing in the US; no clear association in Germany; higher wellbeing in Russia & East Asia. Socially engaged ways of seeking happiness may be key. @apajournals.bsky.social doi.org/10.1037/xge0...

Honour to give a keynote on cultural pathways to recovery at the 100th anniversary celebration of psychology at @masarykuniversity.bsky.social 🇨🇿 Wonderful event, and I look forward to more collaboration! psych.phil.muni.cz/100-let-psyc...

Culture may shape not only the mind, but also the brain. Kitayama & Uskul (2011) suggest repeated cultural practices can become “embrained” through neuroplasticity. A strong reminder of the behaviour-culture-brain-gene connection. @annualreviews.bsky.social doi.org/10.1146/annu...

Culture does not just influence the self from outside. Culture and self continuously make each other. This classic paper by Markus & Kitayama shows why psychology needs to study people and sociocultural worlds together, not separately. doi.org/10.1177/1745...

Thank you the Voice of Islam Radio UK for having me on the Breakfast Show! I talked about ikigai (生きがい), chisoku (知足), and the cultural dimension of Time Orientations in relation to "Life Worth Living in the Face of Suffering" My interview is 1:27:45–1:40:45: soundcloud.com/voislam/brea...

Mental disorder prevalence in Czechia 🇨🇿 after COVID-19 varied by survey method, but the treatment gap remained around 80% from 2017 to 2022. More than half of help-seekers also faced structural barriers such as waiting lists. @sciencedirect.bsky.social doi.org/10.1016/j.ps...

Culture is more than East-West. This review notes many non-Western cultures are interdependent, but in different ways. Same behaviour can mean something different depending on the cultural context. Important for making a global psychology. @annualreviews.bsky.social doi.org/10.1146/annu...

Culture matters in emotion regulation 🌏 This review suggests people in more interdependent contexts may be more motivated to regulate emotion, and suppression may carry fewer wellbeing costs there than in more independent contexts. @sciencedirect.bsky.social doi.org/10.1016/j.co...

Virtual nature shows promise for wellbeing, but evidence is still mixed. This review suggests we now need more rigorous research to understand what works, for whom, and in which contexts. @sciencedirect.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Higher education may not just raise knowledge. It may also bring people’s values closer to WEIRD cultural norms. Across 95 countries, education mattered more than income or subjective status. @natureportfolio.nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s41...