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Journal of Physical Therapy Science Dec 2023[Purpose] Trust among patients and clinical suppliers is the foundation for achieving appropriate treatment. This double-blind randomized control trial aimed to...
[Purpose] Trust among patients and clinical suppliers is the foundation for achieving appropriate treatment. This double-blind randomized control trial aimed to determine whether providing patients a pre-treatment physical therapists' introductions and positive appraisal can enhance the trust of patients in therapists. [Participants and Methods] This study included patients diagnosed with lumbar spine spondylosis or non-acute lower back muscle strain who were divided into intervention and control groups. The previously recorded video informed the intervention group patients that they were assigned to our best therapist because of their participation. The primary outcome was evaluated twice, once before and once after the treatment, and the secondary outcome was measured using the second time pain inventory evaluation. [Results] A total of 32 patients participated in this study. No significant difference was found in patients' trust in therapists between the two groups, and a lower successful treatment rate with a higher pain influence level to daily life was noted in the intervention group. [Conclusion] Doctors who offer introductions with a positive assessment of physical therapists cannot change the trust of patients on therapists. Furthermore, this action may risk worse treatment outcomes.
PubMed: 38075515
DOI: 10.1589/jpts.35.802 -
Complementary Therapies in Clinical... Feb 2024The role of the patient in hypnotherapy can be underestimated by both the therapist and the patient. This is likely due to the focus the hypnosis literature has had on...
The role of the patient in hypnotherapy can be underestimated by both the therapist and the patient. This is likely due to the focus the hypnosis literature has had on the role played by the hypnotist/therapist and less on the phenomenological control (control over subjective experience) applied by the patient. Whilst early approaches to hypnosis and hypnotherapy included concepts such as autosuggestion and self-hypnosis, the role of the self has been largely overlooked. Here we aim to highlight the importance of the self in hypnotherapy and hypnosis by considering the concept of self-hypnosis and how it relates to hetero-hypnosis. We will show that: 1) historically the self was an important component of the concept of hypnosis; 2) extant theories emphasise the role of the self in hypnosis; 3) self-hypnosis is largely indistinguishable from hetero-hypnosis; 4) self-hypnosis is as effective as hetero-hypnosis. We also argue that highlighting the role of the self in hypnotherapy and hypnosis could increase feelings of self-efficacy, especially given that it can be considered a skill that can be advanced and implies self-control and not "mind-control". Highlighting the role of phenomenological control by the patient could also increase the uptake of hypnotherapy as treatment for various disorders.
Topics: Humans; Hypnosis; Emotions; Self Efficacy; Brainwashing
PubMed: 38061322
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2023.101810 -
Heliyon Nov 2023The abstract which complements proposals, articles, and dissertations, is a remarkable convention in scientific studies since it creates access for readers and authors...
The abstract which complements proposals, articles, and dissertations, is a remarkable convention in scientific studies since it creates access for readers and authors to read or publish studies or articles. Research abstracts (RA) function as the gateway to view an article, journals' selection for contributions, and for conferences to accept or reject articles (Lores, 2004) In this study, we aimed to investigate the preferences of writers in 160 PhD dissertation abstracts, encompassing both male and female native and non-native authors, across various fields of study, both in the hard and soft sciences. Our primary objective was to discern the writers' inclinations towards utilizing specific linguistic resources, as proposed by Martin and White's Appraisal theory (2005), to convey their positions and engage with the perspectives articulated by their peers. The analysis of the data, conducted using statistical methods, unveiled a pervasive utilization of appraisal resources by the writers, enabling them to articulate their viewpoints, prospects, perceptions, and evaluations concerning diverse subjects. Among these resources, Attitude resources stood out prominently, constituting a substantial 84% of the total Appraisal resources employed in all the abstracts. Graduation resources held an intermediate position, while Engagement resources were the least utilized. Within the realm of Attitude subcategories, Appreciation resources emerged as the most prevalent. Remarkably, female authors specializing in the soft sciences displayed a higher degree of proficiency in the use of these resources, surpassing their counterparts in other categories. This finding suggests that female writers in the soft sciences possess exceptional interpersonal communication skills, making them particularly persuasive and inspirational. The implications of this study extend to the domains of language teaching and learning, material development, and syllabus design. It sheds light on how writers employ linguistic resources to convey their positions effectively, offering valuable insights for educational practices and curriculum enhancement.
PubMed: 38027711
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22074 -
Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2023Enhancing public awareness for epidemic prevention is crucial for safeguarding public health. This experimental study investigated the effectiveness of a combined...
Enhancing public awareness for epidemic prevention is crucial for safeguarding public health. This experimental study investigated the effectiveness of a combined approach involving three persuasive elements in public health advertising. Specifically, the study examined the interplay between emotional appeals (fear messages versus efficacy messages) and spokesperson type on the public's response to health announcements. The results demonstrated that fear messages were more persuasive when conveyed by real human spokespersons (versus animated spokespersons), whereas efficacy messages were more acceptable when conveyed by animated spokespersons (versus real humans). Furthermore, the study revealed that the impact of emotional appeals and spokesperson type is moderated by benefit appeals (self-benefit or other-benefit). The joint effects of these persuasive variables on individuals' intention to adopt preventive measures indicated that the interactions significantly differed across the two types of benefit appeal. Taken together, the findings represent a pioneering contribution to the field of health communication by comparing the persuasive effects of different combinations of emotional appeals, spokesperson types, and benefit appeals on public behavior. These findings offer practical guidance for public communicators to design more appropriate health advertisements based on the results of this study, thereby enhancing public acceptance of disease prevention measures.
PubMed: 37998664
DOI: 10.3390/bs13110917 -
Patient Education and Counseling Feb 2024Current dietary recommendations for MS suggest following national dietary guidelines developed for the general population. The aim of this study was to explore the...
OBJECTIVES
Current dietary recommendations for MS suggest following national dietary guidelines developed for the general population. The aim of this study was to explore the interpretation of MS-targeted nutrition messages.
METHODS
Using the Elaboration Likelihood Model of persuasion, three nutrition messages were developed targeting the strongest evidence for MS: vitamin D, dietary fat, and dietary diversity. Semi-structured interviews including the cognitive 'thinking-aloud' technique were used to test the messages with adults living with MS. Data were transcribed and coded thematically.
RESULTS
Theoretical saturation was reached by 15 interviews. The data corpus indicated three themes and seven subthemes. The data revealed that people living with MS changed their diet after MS diagnosis. Dietary change was due to uncertainty, fear of disease progression and risk of relapse. The admiration and scepticism of extremist MS diets depended on personal vulnerability and support from health care professionals. The unique MS journey appeared influential to message interpretation; driven by engagement, practicality, and credibility.
CONCLUSION
The interpretation of targeted nutrition messages revealed that dietary changes made after diagnosis are a coping mechanism to improve sense of control and self-management.
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
The potential psychological benefit of dietary change for MS management must be prioritised using person-centred care.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Multiple Sclerosis; Diet; Nutritional Status; Persuasive Communication; Qualitative Research
PubMed: 37952402
DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2023.108039 -
Social Cognitive and Affective... Nov 2023Activity within the ventral medial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) during encoding of persuasive messages has been shown to predict message-consistent behaviors both within...
Activity within the ventral medial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) during encoding of persuasive messages has been shown to predict message-consistent behaviors both within scanner samples and at the population level. This suggests that neuroimaging can aid in the development of better persuasive messages, but little is known about how the brain responds to different message features. Building on past findings, the current study found that gain-framed persuasive messages elicited more VMPFC activation than loss-framed messages, but only when messages addressed outcomes that would be experienced by participants directly. Participants also perceived gain-framed messages as more effective than loss-framed messages, and self-reported perceptions of message effectiveness were positively correlated with VMPFC activation. These results support theories that VMPFC activity during message encoding indexes perceptions of value and self-relevance and demonstrate that established theories of persuasion can improve the understanding of the neural correlates of persuasion.
Topics: Humans; Persuasive Communication; Health Behavior; Prefrontal Cortex; Self Report; Health Promotion
PubMed: 37952097
DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsad069 -
JMIR MHealth and UHealth Nov 2023Informal caregivers are vital in caring for their family and friends at home who may have illnesses or disabilities. In particular, the demands for caregiving can be...
BACKGROUND
Informal caregivers are vital in caring for their family and friends at home who may have illnesses or disabilities. In particular, the demands for caregiving can be even more challenging for those with limited resources, support systems, and language barriers, such as immigrant informal caregivers. They face complex challenges in providing care for their relatives. These challenges can be related to sociocultural diversity, language barriers, and health care system navigation. Acknowledging the global context of the increasing number of immigrants is essential in designing inclusive mobile health apps.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to investigate the needs of immigrant informal caregivers in Sweden and discuss the application of the Persuasive System Design Model (PSDM) to develop an e-coaching prototype. By addressing the unique challenges faced by immigrant informal caregivers, this study will contribute to the development of more effective and inclusive mobile health apps.
METHODS
The participants were considered immigrants and included in the study if they and their parents were born outside of Sweden. Through various channels, such as the National Association of Relatives, rehabilitation departments at municipalities, and immigrant groups, we recruited 13 immigrant informal caregivers. These immigrant informal caregivers were primarily women aged 18 to 40 years. Most participants belonged to the Middle Eastern region whereas some were from North Africa. However, all of them spoke Arabic. We used semistructured interviews to gather data from the participants in Arabic, which were translated into English. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and discussed in relation to the extended PSDM. The needs of the caregivers were compared with the description of persuasive design principles, and a design principle was chosen based on the match. The PSDM was extended if the need description did not match any principles. Several brainstorming and prototyping sessions were conducted to design the mobile e-coaching app.
RESULTS
Immigrant informal caregivers have various needs in their caregiving role. They reported a need for training on the illness and future caregiving needs, assistance with understanding the Swedish language and culture, and help with accessing internet-based information and services. They also required recognition and appreciation for their efforts, additional informal support, and easy access to health care services, which can be important for their mental health. The PSDM was adapted to the informal caregiving context by adding "facilitating conditions" and "verbal encouragement" as additional persuasive design principles. This study also presents the subsequent mobile e-coaching app for immigrant informal caregivers in Sweden.
CONCLUSIONS
This study revealed important immigrant informal caregivers' needs based on which design suggestions for a mobile e-coaching app were presented. We also proposed an adapted PSDM, for the informal caregiving context. The adapted PSDM can be further used to design digital interventions for caregiving.
Topics: Female; Humans; Caregivers; Emigrants and Immigrants; Mentoring; Mobile Applications; Persuasive Communication; Male; Adolescent; Young Adult; Adult
PubMed: 37943598
DOI: 10.2196/50038 -
Revista Espanola de Salud Publica Sep 2023Health communication aims to modify attitudes and behaviors, which is why it uses, among others, persuasive strategies and the use of cognitive biases. Both elements...
OBJECTIVE
Health communication aims to modify attitudes and behaviors, which is why it uses, among others, persuasive strategies and the use of cognitive biases. Both elements have been investigated in previous studies, however, no research precedents have been found that evaluate government messages from both perspectives at the same time. The objective of this research was to analyze the type of information related to the COVID-19 vaccination that was distributed on the official page of the Government of Spain, evaluating its persuasive capacity and the use of cognitive biases as tools against vaccination reluctance.
METHODS
The information from the official page on vaccination of COVID-19 of the Government of Spain was analysed, taking into account both its structure and the content of the information. Special attention was paid to the communication strategy developed to develop pro-vaccine messages.
RESULTS
First, the information coming from the Government was presented in a concise, clear and simple way on a well-structured webpage. Second, the content shared revolved around certain recurring themes such as the benefits and the vaccination process. Third, the content had a highly scientific nature and was supported by arguments to overthrow cognitive biases against vaccination. Lastly, the communication strategy was based on content that were more informative (rational) than persuasive (emotional).
CONCLUSIONS
Knowing the techniques of persuasion and the implication of cognitive biases, especially in the area of vaccination, will help guide communication strategies in Public Health.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19 Vaccines; Spain; COVID-19; Public Health; Communication; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 37921433
DOI: No ID Found -
JMIR Aging Oct 2023With the increase in the older adult population, sensor-based care solutions that can monitor the deviations in physical, emotional, and physiological activities in...
BACKGROUND
With the increase in the older adult population, sensor-based care solutions that can monitor the deviations in physical, emotional, and physiological activities in real-time from a distance are demanded for prolonging the stay of community-dwelling older adults with cognitive impairment. To effectively develop and implement these care solutions, it is important to understand the current experiences, future expectations, perceived usefulness (PU), and communication needs of the informal caregivers of older adults with cognitive impairment regarding such solutions.
OBJECTIVE
This comprehensive study with informal caregivers of older adults with cognitive impairment aims to (1) highlight current experiences with (if any) and future expectations from general sensor-based care solutions, (2) explore PU specifically toward unobtrusive sensing solutions (USSs), (3) determine the information communication (IC) needs and requirements for communicating the information obtained through USSs in different care scenarios (fall, nocturnal unrest, agitation, and normal daily life), and (4) elicit the design features for designing the interaction platform in accordance with the persuasive system design (PSD) model.
METHODS
A multimethod research approach encompassing a survey (N=464) and in-depth interviews (10/464, 2.2%) with informal caregivers of older adults with cognitive impairment was used. The insights into past experiences with and future expectations from the sensor-based care solutions were obtained through inductive thematic analysis of the interviews. A convergent mixed methods approach was used to explore PU and gather the IC needs from USSs by using scenario-specific questions in both survey and interviews. Finally, the design features were elicited by using the PSD model on the obtained IC needs and requirements.
RESULTS
Informal caregivers expect care infrastructure to consider centralized and empathetic care approaches. Specifically, sensor-based care solutions should be adaptable to care needs, demonstrate trust and reliability, and ensure privacy and safety. Most informal caregivers found USSs to be useful for emergencies (mean 4.09, SD 0.04) rather than for monitoring normal daily life activities (mean 3.50, SD 0.04). Moreover, they display variations in information needs including mode, content, time, and stakeholders involved based on the care scenario at hand. Finally, PSD features, namely, reduction, tailoring, personalization, reminders, suggestions, trustworthiness, and social learning, were identified for various care scenarios.
CONCLUSIONS
From the obtained results, it can be concluded that the care scenario at hand drives PU and IC design needs and requirements toward USSs. Therefore, future technology developers are recommended to develop technology that can be easily adapted to diverse care scenarios, whereas designers of such sensor-driven platforms are encouraged to go beyond tailoring and strive for strong personalization while maintaining the privacy of the users.
PubMed: 37878353
DOI: 10.2196/49319 -
Social Science & Medicine (1982) Dec 2023In this article we develop the concept of the 'idealised policy patient' to contribute to a better understanding of patient-family activism and the mechanisms through...
In this article we develop the concept of the 'idealised policy patient' to contribute to a better understanding of patient-family activism and the mechanisms through which powerful and persuasive patient narratives are facilitated and mobilised. The context through which we explore the idealised policy patient is the UK debates about the legalisation of mitochondrial donation, which primarily took place between 2011 and 2015. In our example, the idealised policy patient was constructed around a culturally persuasive narrative of patient suffering, where mitochondrial donation was presented as a desirable and ethical solution. We draw on interviews with patient-families and stakeholders, and documentary analysis to identify four dimensions of the idealised policy patient - narrating, curating, enacting and navigating. Narrating describes how the idealised policy patient appears in public and policy spaces, as a culturally available narrative which conveys certain meanings and is designed to invoke an emotional and practical response. Curating identifies the multiple forms of labour and facilitation involved in supporting patient-families in activist activities which strengthen the dominant narrative and its embodiment. Enacting focuses on the work of patient-families themselves in supporting and contributing to the idealised policy patient in a way that enlivens and embodies the specifically curated narrative. Finally, navigating considers how those offering an opposing viewpoint position themselves in relation to the idealised policy patient. To conclude, we argue that medical sociology has often given insufficient scrutiny to how the capacity of patients to leverage their status for political ends is bolstered through alignment with existing powerful groups, particularly in hegemonic campaigns. We encourage future researchers to examine how the idealised policy patient is reproduced and reorientated within different policy contexts.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Narration; Labor, Obstetric; Policy; Persuasive Communication
PubMed: 37871394
DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116333