How does heat affect family violence?

Climate change is bringing rising temperatures and more frequent extreme heatwaves, with consequences at many levels. Over the next three years, Antonio Piolanti, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Klagenfurt’s Department of Health Psychology, will explore how extreme ambient temperatures may contribute to violence against women in intimate relationships and to child maltreatment. He has secured an MSCA Global Postdoctoral Fellowship from the European Commission (Horizon Europe) as well as an Erwin Schrödinger Fellowship from the Austrian Science Fund FWF to support this research.

Read more →

More than 6% of child worldwide experiences forced sexual intercourse: Large-scale meta-analysis shows prevalence of sexual violence against children

165 studies with data from around 960,000 children from 80 countries were analysed by a research team including Antonio Piolanti and Heather Foran (Department of Health Psychology, Global Mental Health & Health Psychology Research Group at the University of Klagenfurt). The study was published on 13 January in the highly renowned journal JAMA Pediatrics.

Read more →

Supporting the mental health of adolescents in Eastern Europe

Early adolescence is often a crucial time when it comes to healthy continued development in terms of mental health. Young people in Eastern Europe are currently facing particular challenges, as they are confronted by poverty and inequality on the one hand, and are often adversely affected by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine on the other. Heather Foran is working with partners to develop tools to provide affordable and scalable mental health programmes for the young people of Eastern Europe in particular. In recent weeks, her team has visited Moldova and Northern Macedonia for the purpose of training.

Read more →

Women and men equally act as barometers for the future of their relationship

Researchers studying mixed-sex relationships have long believed that women have a more acute sense for shaping and predicting future relationship satisfaction. However, this assumption has never been subjected to thorough investigation. An international research team has now analysed the data gathered in two large studies and has reached the following conclusion: There is no difference between the sexes. In both men and women, current satisfaction has an equal influence on future relationship satisfaction.

Read more →