Quality of life, craniomandibular function, and psychosocial factors related to pain and movement in patients with head and neck cancer.

PURPOSE: To describe the characteristics of and the associations between health-related quality of life, pain, craniomandibular function, and psychosocial factors related to pain and fear of movement in patients with head and neck cancer. METHODS: Seventy-eight patients diagnosed with HNC were recruited. Measurements of the maximum mouth opening range and pressure pain thresholds on the masseter muscle and the distal phalanx of the thumb were conducted, as well as a battery of self-report questionnaires were administrated, including the QoL Questionnaire (EORT QLQ-H&N35), Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), the Spanish translation of the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia for Temporomandibular Disorders (TSK-TMD), and the short version of the Craniofacial Pain and Disability Inventory (CF-PDI-11). RESULTS: The study sample (66.7% men, mean age 60.12 [11.95] years) experienced a moderate impact on their QoL levels (57.68 [18.25] EORT QLQ-H&N35) and high kinesiophobia values (20.49 [9.11] TSK-TMD). Pain was present in 41% of the patients, but only 3.8% reported severe pain. 26.4% had a restricted mouth opening range, and 34.62% showed significant catastrophism levels. There were strong positive correlations between EORT QLQ-H&N35 and CF-PDI-11 (r = 0.81), between NRS and CF-PDI-11 (r = 0.74), and between PCS and CF-PDI-11 (r = 0.66). CONCLUSION: Patients with HNC experience negative effects in their QoL, related to their impairment in craniomandibular function. Fear of movement, pain intensity, and catastrophism are associated with poorer functionality; relationships that should be considered when attempting to improve health care.

Social anxiety and psychological distress among polycystic ovarian syndrome patient's in Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the fear of negative evaluation as a predictor, and to explore the association of social anxiety with psychological correlates among women with polycystic ovaries. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2020 to November 2021 after approval form the University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan, and comprised unmarried women aged 18-26 diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome. The sample was raised from different clinics and hospitals based in Lahore and Gujranwala cities. The sample was divided into obese, hirsutism and acne vulgaris groups. Data was collected using a demographic proforma along with standardised Derriford Appearance Scale, Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, University of California, Los Angeles, Loneliness Scale and the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale. Data was analysed using SPSS 24. RESULTS: Of the 180 patients, 60(33.3%) were in each of the 3 groups. The overall mean age was 21.4+/-2.27 years. A significant association of fear of negative evaluation was found with appearance distress, social anxiety and loneliness (p<0.05). The fear of negative evaluation and appearance distress also significantly predicted loneliness in the subjects (p<0.01). The obese group scored significantly higher in terms of fear of negative evaluation and social anxiety compared to the other groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: Women with polycystic ovaries were found to be suffering from adverse psychological outcomes and social anxiety.

Development and initial validation of an open-access online Behavioral Avoidance Test (BAT) for spider fear.

The behavioral avoidance test (BAT) is a well-known diagnostic tool assessing fear by directly measuring avoidance behavior. For instance, in spider phobia, participants or patients gradually approach a live spider until they feel too uncomfortable to continue. However, the use of different BAT protocols in various studies hampers the comparability of results. Moreover, conducting the test requires considerable preparation by researchers and clinicians. Thus, we have developed an open-access online BAT (vBATon). We validated its efficacy in measuring avoidance behavior and eliciting feelings of anxiety and disgust by comparing it to a real-life BAT (rl-BAT). Spider-fearful (N = 31) and nonfearful (N = 31) individuals completed a rl-BAT and vBATon on two separate dates within a 1-week interval. As expected, both tests successfully distinguished between spider-fearful and nonfearful individuals. Crucially, equivalence tests confirmed that vBATon captures avoidance behavior, anxiety, and disgust equal to the rl-BAT. Assessing validity, we found moderate to high correlations between vBATon and (a) the rl-BAT and (b) self-report measurements of spider fear (Spider Phobia Questionnaire, Fear of Spiders Questionnaire). Overall, our study displayed initial evidence of validity of vBATon and suggests that it is a standardized, efficient, and user-friendly alternative to rl-BATs for measuring spider fear. It can be utilized in both research and clinical practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Effect of Preoperative Education Regarding Intraoperative Care on a Patient's Level of Fear of Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Study.

This randomized controlled study aimed to investigate the effect that preoperative education provided by the perioperative nurse about the OR environment and intraoperative care has on surgical fear in patients who come to the OR for surgical intervention. The study involved 92 patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery who were randomly assigned to the intervention or routine care group. Preoperatively, patients in the intervention group received education via a form that described the OR environment, the surgical process, and intraoperative care. The patients' surgical fear levels were assessed in the patients' rooms, in the clinic before education, and on arrival to the OR after education. The results showed that preoperative education about the OR environment and intraoperative processes significantly reduced patients' surgical fears.

Caring for a child with cancer during COVID-19 pandemic: an assessment of the parents' perception and stress level.

Background: The emergence of COVID-19 pandemic has led to heightened fear and uncertainty among parents of children with cancer. This study was conducted to evaluate the parental perceptions toward effects of COVID-19 infection to children with cancer, determine their stress level and factors contributing to high stress level during the pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in three paediatric oncology centres in Malaysia from September 2020 until December 2022. A total of 167 parents were recruited. Parents completed a set of questionnaires to assess their perception on effect of COVID-19 infection to children with cancer and COVID Stress Scale (CSS) to assess the parents' stress level. Results: Patients' mean age at study entry was 8.75 years (SD 4.38). Ninety-one (54.5%) patients were still on active treatment. More than 80% of the parents obtained information regarding COVID-19 infection from mass media and social networking. Fear of their children contracting COVID-19 infection was high especially among patients who were still on treatment. Forty-nine (29.3%) parents were significantly affected by the pandemic leading to loss of job or monthly income. Twenty-nine (17.4%) patients required treatment modification during the pandemic. The median total score for CSS was 78.0 (IQR 25th 64.0; 75th 95.0). Ninety-one (54.5%) respondents were very/extremely stressed based on the CSS scores. Components with high scores were xenophobia (median score 18.0; IQR 25th 13.0, 75th 22.0), fear of danger (median score 17.0; IQR 25th 14.0, 75th 20.0) and contamination fears (median score 16.0; IQR 25th 12.0, 75th 19.0). Lower household income was associated with higher stress level (p = 0.006). Conclusion: Our study demonstrated high awareness regarding risk of COVID-19 infection among parents of oncology children. Half of the parents had high stress level, with low household income identified as a factor associated with high stress level.

A randomized clinical trial: Efficacy of group-based acceptance and commitment therapy program for breast cancer patients with high fear of progression.

BACKGROUND: Fear of progression (FOP) is a common and significant concern among cancer patients, encompassing worries about cancer progression during active treatment. Elevated levels of FOP can be dysfunctional. This study aims to assess the efficacy of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based intervention on FOP, anxiety sensitivity (AS), and quality of life (QOL) in breast cancer patients. METHODS: A clinical trial was conducted involving 80 stage I-III active-treatment breast cancer patients with a score greater than 34 on the Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form scale. These patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either an intervention group, which received weekly 70-min sessions of 5-ACT-bsed group-therapy, or a control group that received usual treatment. Variables including FOP, AS, QOL, and ACT-related factors were assessed using ASQ, QLQ-C30, Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire, and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II at three time points: baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up. The efficacy of the intervention was evaluated using mixed model analysis across all time-points. RESULTS: The fidelity and acceptability of the ACT-based manual were confirmed using significant methods. A significant reduction in FOP was observed only in the ACT group at post-intervention (P-valueACT < 0.001; Cohen dACT = 1.099). Furthermore, the ACT group demonstrated a more significant reduction in FOP at follow-up. Furthermore, all secondary and ACT-related variables, except for the physical symptoms subscale, showed significant improvement in the ACT group compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Our ACT-based manual showed promise for reducing FOP, AS, and improving QOL, and ACT-related variables in breast cancer patients 3 months following the intervention.

Marital Self-Disclosure Intervention for the Fear of Cancer Recurrence in Chinese Patients With Gastric Cancer: Protocol for a Quasiexperimental Study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with gastric cancer experience different degrees of fear of cancer recurrence. The fear of cancer recurrence can cause and worsen many physical and psychological problems. We considered the "intimacy and relationship processes in couples' psychosocial adaptation" model. OBJECTIVE: The study aims to examine the effectiveness of a marital self-disclosure intervention for improving the level of fear of cancer recurrence and the dyadic coping ability among gastric cancer survivors and their spouses. METHODS: This is a quasiexperimental study with a nonequivalent (pretest-posttest) control group design. The study will be conducted at 2 tertiary hospitals in Taizhou City, Jiangsu Province, China. A total of 42 patients with gastric cancer undergoing chemotherapy and their spouses will be recruited from each hospital. Participants from Jingjiang People's Hospital will be assigned to an experimental group, while participants from Taizhou People's Hospital will be assigned to a control group. The participants in the experimental group will be involved in 4 phases of the marital self-disclosure (different topics, face-to-face) intervention. Patients will be evaluated at baseline after a diagnosis of gastric cancer and reassessed 2 to 4 months after baseline. The primary outcome is the score of the Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FoP-Q-SF) for patients. The secondary outcomes are the scores of the FoP-Q-SF for partners and the Dyadic Coping Inventory. RESULTS: Research activities began in October 2022. Participant enrollment and data collection began in February 2023 and are expected to be completed in 12 months. The primary results of this study are anticipated to be announced in June 2024. CONCLUSIONS: This study aims to assess a marital self-disclosure intervention for improving the fear of cancer recurrence in Chinese patients with gastric cancer and their spouses. The study is likely to yield desirable positive outcomes as marital self-disclosure is formulated based on evidence and inputs obtained through stakeholder interviews and expert consultation. The study process will be carried out by nurses who have received psychological training, and the quality of the intervention will be strictly controlled. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05606549; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05606549. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/55102.

Exploring the influence of appearance evaluation apprehension: How fear of negative evaluation affects quality of life in people with Vestibular Schwannoma.

People diagnosed with Vestibular Schwannoma (VS) can experience several symptoms both pre and post-treatment. These, alongside the diagnosis experience, can significantly impact their daily life. The present research is a continuation of a larger study aiming to explore the impacts of symptomology and body image/fear of negative evaluation (FNAE) on the quality of life (QOL) for people with VS. The research design was exploratory and involved a nationwide survey with a total of 52 participants. FNAE was assessed using a measurement of the same name, and QOL was assessed using the Penn Acoustic Neuroma Quality of Life scale (PANQOL). Comparing management groups revealed a significant difference in FNAE with higher scores for surgery compared to radiation treatment. Regression analyses revealed that FNAE significantly accounted for 10.9% of the variance in QOL. However, no symptom was significantly predictive of FNAE. In conclusion, VS is associated with several symptoms that can persist post-treatment. Body satisfaction contributes to QOL and may differ between management types. However, due to inconclusive findings on the predictability of symptoms on FNAE, other moderator factors could influence these direct relationships. Future studies should evaluate the variables that could mitigate or protect from the impacts of FNAE for this population.

Relationship between fear of progression and symptom burden, disease factors and social/family factors in patients with stage-IV breast cancer in Shandong, China.

OBJECTIVE: To assess fear of progression (FoP)'s relationship with symptom burden and disease and social/family factors, as well as, determine the status of FoP in women with stage-IV breast cancer in Shandong, China. METHODS: Two hundred and sixteen women were recruited from the department of breast cancer internal medicine, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute. Data for this observational study were collected between October 2020 and January 2021 using the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory, the Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FoP-Q-SF) and a participant information scale. SPSS 23.0 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: After excluding invalid responses, the data of 200 participants were analysed. The average total FoP-Q-SF score was 29.39 ± 9.39 (95% confidence interval, 21.81-27.64). The FoP level among the participants was relatively low. For disease and social/family factors, FoP statistically significantly differed by satisfaction with family emotional support and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score. The ECOG score was positively correlated with FoP. Furthermore, symptom burden was positively correlated with FoP. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with stage-IV breast cancer, satisfaction with family emotional support, ECOG score and symptom burden play key roles in FoP. Interventions, including providing appropriate emotional support from family, improving physical fitness and relieving symptom burden, must be considered in future studies, which may improve patients' overall physical and mental status and provide a supportive therapeutic environment.

Assessment of Preoperative Anxiety and Influencing Factors in Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery: An Observational Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and Objectives: Preoperative anxiety is a common emotional response before elective surgery that influences postoperative outcomes and can increase analgesic requirements. However, clinicians frequently overlook these concerns. This study aimed to quantify preoperative anxiety and evaluate its association with patient-related factors. Materials and Methods: Anxiety levels were evaluated in adult patients awaiting elective surgery using the Korean-translated version of the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Korean YZ form (STAI-KYZ). The patients were also surveyed regarding the subjective causes of preoperative anxiety. Results: The study found that a total of 55 adult patients had a well-balanced subject distribution. Both questionnaires showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha values of 0.85 and 0.93). Significant correlations were observed in situational anxiety scores from the questionnaires, indicating differences between groups with high trait anxiety and those with normal anxiety levels (p < 0.05). Notably, female sex was the only patient-related factor that significantly affected the anxiety scores (p < 0.05). Furthermore, when considering additional patient factors stratified by sex, it became evident that younger females and females with prior general anesthesia experience displayed higher anxiety levels than their male counterparts. The most commonly reported subjective concern related to anesthesia was the fear of not regaining consciousness, followed by concerns about postoperative pain, intraoperative emergence, and other issues. Conclusions: This study confirms that being female is a significant risk factor for preoperative anxiety. Therefore, it is necessary to provide enhanced preoperative anxiolytic therapies, including preoperative patient education and other interventions, to individuals undergoing surgical procedures.

Lived Experiences and Fear of Cancer Recurrence Among Survivors of Localized Cutaneous Melanoma.

Importance: Most of the rapid increase in cutaneous melanoma incidence in the US has been localized disease that is treated surgically and is associated with high survival rates. However, little is known about the psychological well-being of survivors in the US. Objective: To explore the lived experiences and fear of cancer recurrence among survivors of localized cutaneous melanoma. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a qualitative and survey-based study that used semistructured interviews and the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory short form (FCRI-SF) survey tool with participants recruited from an academic dermatology practice affiliated with the University of Texas, Austin. Interviews were completed via telephone or in person from August 2021 to September 2022. Each of the 9 items in the FCRI-SF was rated on a 5-point Likert scale, scored from 0 to 4, with a maximum possible score of 36 points. Data analyses were performed from February 2022 to June 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures: Semistructured interviews were analyzed for themes and subthemes associated with the lived experiences of survivors of cutaneous melanoma. The FCRI-SF scores were tabulated, with scores of 13 or greater identifying potential cases of clinically significant fear of cancer recurrence. Results: In all, 51 participants (mean [SD] age, 49.5 [11.7] years; 34 [67%] female and 17 [33%] male) with a history of localized melanoma (stage 0-IIA) completed the interview and survey. Among them, 17 (33%) had survived a diagnosis of stage 0 melanoma, and the remainder, at least 1 invasive melanoma diagnosis (stage I-IIA). Semistructured interviews revealed several themes: (1) emotions surrounding follow-up appointments, (2) intensity of melanoma surveillance, (3) lifestyle changes regarding sun exposure, and (4) thoughts about life and death. Thirty-eight of 51 participants had an FCRI-SF score above the threshold for clinical fear of cancer recurrence. Conclusions and Relevance: This qualitative and survey-based study found that despite having an excellent prognosis, some survivors of localized melanoma, even those who had stage 0, have high rates of fear of cancer recurrence and intense survivorship experiences that affect their psychological well-being.

Neurocognitive mechanisms of mental imagery-based disgust learning.

Disgust imagery represents a potential pathological mechanism for disgust-related disorders. However, it remains controversial as to whether disgust can be conditioned with disgust-evoking mental imagery serving as the unconditioned stimulus (US). Therefore, we examined this using a conditioned learning paradigm in combination with event-related potential (ERP) analysis in 35 healthy college students. The results indicated that the initial neutral face (conditioned stimulus, CS+) became more disgust-evoking, unpleasant, and arousing after pairing with disgust-evoking imagery (disgust CS+), compared to pairing with neutral (neutral CS+) and no (CS-) imagery. Moreover, we observed that mental imagery-based disgust conditioning was resistant to extinction. While the disgust CS + evoked larger P3 and late positive potential amplitudes than CS- during acquisition, no significant differences were found between disgust CS+ and neutral CS+, indicating a dissociation between self-reported and neurophysiological responses. Future studies may additionally acquire facial EMG as an implicit index of conditioned disgust. This study provides the first neurobiological evidence that associative disgust learning can occur without aversive physical stimuli, with implications for understanding how disgust-related disorders may manifest or deteriorate without external perceptual aversive experiences, such as in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

An investigation of the role of estradiol in fear reduction during a single session of exposure therapy.

Research suggests that estradiol may moderate fear extinction. It is unclear whether these results generalize to exposure therapy. The aim of the current study was to determine whether estradiol moderates outcomes in exposure therapy among women with anxiety disorders. Participants were 35 women with a primary diagnosis of an anxiety disorder who participated in the study as part of routine care at an anxiety specialty clinic. Endogenous estradiol was assessed via saliva. They provided subjective distress ratings before (pre) and after (post) an exposure session, as well as after a brief delay (recall). Contrary to predictions, there were no significant differences in exposure outcomes between the high and low estradiol groups. However, among participants with primary obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), results were partially consistent with the hypotheses. Women with lower estradiol initially demonstrated more improvement in subjective distress from pre- to post-exposure, but after the delay, significantly greater distress (attenuated extinction recall). Results suggest that women with lower estradiol may respond less favorably to exposure therapy for OCD relative to women with higher estradiol. These findings await replication in larger samples with longer recall delays. Should replication occur, these results may inform the use of estradiol to augment exposure therapy.

The association between fear of progression and medical coping strategies among people living with HIV: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Due to the chronic nature of HIV, mental health has become a critical concern in people living with HIV (PLWHIV). However, little knowledge exists about the association between fear of progression (FoP) and medical coping modes (MCMs) in PLWHIV in China. METHODS: A cohort of 303 PLWHIV were consecutively enrolled and their demographic, clinical and psychological information was collected. The Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FoP-Q-SF), Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), Internalized HIV Stigma Scale (IHSS) and MCMs Questionnaire were utilized. RESULTS: Of the participants, 215 PLWHIV were classified into the low-level FoP group, and 88 were grouped into the high-level FoP group based on their FoP-Q-SF scores, according to the criteria for the classification of dysfunctional FoP in cancer patients. The high-level group had a higher proportion of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) stage (P = 0.005), lower education levels (P = 0.027) and lower income levels (P = 0.031). Additionally, the high-level group had lower scores in social support (P < 0.001) and its three dimensions, with total SSRS scores showing a negative correlation with two dimensions of FoP-Q-SF, namely physical health (r2 = 0.0409, P < 0.001) and social family (r2 = 0.0422, P < 0.001). Further, the high-level group had higher scores in four dimensions of internalized HIV stigma, and a positive relationship was found to exist between IHSS scores and FoP-Q-SF scores for physical health (r2 = 0.0960, P < 0.001) and social family (r2 = 0.0719, P < 0.001). Social support (OR = 0.929, P = 0.001), being at the AIDS stage (OR = 3.795, P = 0.001), and internalized HIV stigma (OR = 1.028, P < 0.001) were independent factors for FoP. Furthermore, intended MCMs were evaluated. FoP were positively correlated with avoidance scores (r2 = 0.0886, P < 0.001) and was validated as the only factor for the mode of confrontation (OR = 0.944, P = 0.001) and avoidance (OR = 1.059, P = 0.001) in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: The incidence of dysfunctional FoP in our study population was relatively high. High-level FoP was associated with poor social support, high-level internalized HIV stigma and a negative MCM among PLWHIV.

Investigating fear of cancer recurrence among female breast cancer survivors and their spouses in southwest China: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Examining fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) among breast cancer survivors and their spouses, and the protective effect of family resilience on FCR among couples affected by breast cancer. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey design. SETTING: Ten general grade IIIa (>500 beds) hospitals in southwest China. PARTICIPANTS: Overall, 392 early breast cancer survivors and their spousal caregivers (N=392) were recruited from cancer centres in hospitals. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Spouses' and survivors' FCR were the primary outcome measures. Family resilience and perceived stress were the secondary outcome measures. Using a convenience sampling method, we collected data on-site using paper questionnaires. The Chinese version of the Family Resilience Assessment Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Fear of Progression Questionnaire Short Form and Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form for spouses were used to evaluate the outcomes. RESULTS: The model accounted for 66.3% and 53.6% of the variance in spouses' FCR and survivors' FCR, respectively. Family resilience directly negatively affected perceived stress and spouses' and survivors' FCR (ß=-0.22; ß=-0.13; ß=-0.19). Perceived stress was a partial mediator of the association between family resilience and survivors' FCR (ß=-0.070; 95% CI :-0.151 to -0.022). Spouses' FCR partially mediated the association between family resilience and survivors' FCR (ß=-0.048; 95% CI= -0.092 to -0.015). Perceived stress and spouses' FCR played a significant chain-mediated role between family resilience and survivors' FCR (ß=-0.061; 95% CI: -0.119 to -0.022). CONCLUSIONS: Family-centred approaches to reducing survivors' perceived stress can improve the psychological well-being of couples affected by breast cancer and ultimately reduce FCR. Medical staff should consider the psychological feelings of survivors and their spousal caregivers when devising the intervention plan, which should address the families' potential and mobilise family and community resources for increasing family resilience.

Trajectories of fear of cancer recurrence and its influence factors: A longitudinal study on Chinese newly diagnosed cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: The fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is an ongoing and common psychological problem faced by cancer patients. The objective of this study was to explore the variation trend of FCR and its influencing factors in Chinese newly diagnosed cancer patients from admission to 2 months after discharge. Demographic and tumor characteristics, as well as experiential avoidance (EA), were used as predictors. METHOD: A longitudinal design and a consecutive sampling method were used to select 266 newly diagnosed cancer patients admitted to a tertiary cancer hospital in China from July to December 2022. Measurements of FCR and EA were obtained at admission (T1), 1 month after discharge (T2), and 2 months post-discharge (T3). Generalized estimating equations were used to identify factors associated with FCR for longitudinal data analysis. RESULTS: A total of 266 participants completed the follow-up. Both FCR and EA scores of patients with newly diagnosed cancer showed a significant trend of first increasing and then decreasing at baseline and follow-up (p < 0.001). The junior secondary and less education level, rural residence, advanced tumor and high EA level were risk factors for higher FCR. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the FCR levels of most newly diagnosed cancer patients in China are different at the three time points and affected by different factors, with the highest level at 1 month after discharge. These results have significant implications for future identifying populations in need of targeted intervention based on their FCR trajectories.

Perception and recognition of primary and secondary emotions by children with neurofibromatosis type 1.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a genetic disease that can lead to impaired social adaptation and functioning, thus affecting quality of life. To date, studies of these children's social cognition abilities have been scant and far from exhaustive. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to assess the ability of children with NF1, compared with controls, to process facial expressions of emotions - not only including the usual primary emotions (happiness, anger, surprise, fear, sadness and disgust), but secondary emotions, too. To do so, the links between this ability and the characteristics of the disease (mode of transmission, visibility, and severity) were examined. A total of 38 children with NF1 aged 8-16 years 11 months (mean = 11.4, SD = 2.3) and 43 sociodemographically comparable control children performed the emotion perception and recognition tests of a social cognition battery. Results confirmed that the processing of primary and secondary emotions is impaired in children with NF1, but there were no significant links with either mode of transmission, severity, or visibility. These results encourage further comprehensive assessments of emotions in NF1, and suggest that investigations should be extended to higher level social cognition skills, such as theory of mind and moral judgments.

Effect of Emotional Freedom Technique Applied to Patients Before Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy on Surgical Fear and Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: No studies have investigated the effect of the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) on the surgical fears and anxieties of patients before laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This study aimed to determine the effect of EFT on patients' surgical fears and anxieties before laparoscopic cholecystectomy. DESIGN: The research was conducted using a pretest, post-test, and randomized controlled experimental research design. METHODS: A total of 112 patients (56 in the intervention group and 56 in the control group) were included in the study. While routine care and treatment practices were applied to the control group, EFT was applied to the intervention group. A Patient Information Form, an Anxiety Specific to Surgery Questionnaire, a Surgical Fear Questionnaire, and Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD) were used to collect the research data. FINDINGS: There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of descriptive and clinical features (P > .05). The post-test score averages of EFT group in the Surgical Fear Questionnaire, Anxiety Specific to Surgery Questionnaire, and SUD were significantly lower than in the control group (P < .001). The EFT significantly reduced the SUD scores of the patients by 54.4% (η2 = 0.544, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: EFT was found to be useful in clinical practice in the preoperative period, reducing surgery-specific anxiety and surgical fear. EFT can be recommended for application during the preoperative period in clinics.

Physiological arousal underlies preferential access to visual awareness of fear-conditioned (and possibly disgust-conditioned) stimuli.

Fear and disgust have been associated with opposite influences on visual processing, even though both constitute negative emotions that motivate avoidance behavior and entail increased arousal. In the current study, we hypothesized that (a) homeostatic relevance modulates early stages of visual processing, (b) through widespread physiological responses, and that (c) the direction of these modulations depends on whether an emotion calls for immediate regulatory behavior or not. Specifically, we expected that increased arousal should facilitate the detection of fear-related stimuli, and inhibit the detection of disgust-related stimuli. These hypotheses were tested in two preregistered experiments (data collected in 2022, total N = 120, ethnically homogeneous Polish sample). Using a novel, response bias-free version of the breaking continuous flash suppression paradigm, we examined localization and discrimination of fear- and disgust-conditioned stimuli at individually determined perceptual thresholds. Our first hypothesis was confirmed: fear-conditioned stimuli were detected and discriminated better than neutral stimuli, and the magnitude of conditioning-related perceptual preference was related to arousal during conditioning acquisition. In contrast with our second hypothesis, perceptual access to disgust-conditioned stimuli was not diminished. Exploratory analyses suggest that discrimination of disgust-conditioned stimuli was also enhanced, although these effects appeared weaker than those evoked by fear conditioning. The current study strengthens previous evidence for facilitated perception of threatening objects and shows for the first time that stimuli evoking disgust might also gain preferential access to awareness. The results imply that homeostatically relevant stimuli are prioritized by the visual system and that this preference is grounded in the underlying arousal levels. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Fear of childbirth after induced abortion in primiparous women: Population-based register study from Finland.

INTRODUCTION: Fear of childbirth (FOC) is a common obstetrical challenge that complicates about every 10th pregnancy. Background factors of FOC are diverse. We evaluated the association of induced abortion (IA) and FOC in subsequent pregnancy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Population-based register study based on three Finnish national registers: the Register of Induced Abortions, the Medical Birth Register and the Hospital Discharge Register. The study cases were primigravid women undergoing an IA in 2000-2015 and subsequent pregnancy ending in live singleton birth up to 2017. Each case had three controls, matched by age and residential area, whose first pregnancy ended in a live birth. The main outcome was the incidence of FOC in the subsequent pregnancy. In a secondary analysis, we assessed other risk factors for FOC. RESULTS: The study cohort consisted of 21 455 women and 63 425 controls. Altogether, 4.2% of women had a diagnosis of FOC. The incidence was higher in women with a history of IA than in controls (5.6% vs 3.7%, P < 0.001). A history of IA was associated with higher odds for FOC: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.20 with 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.11-1.30. In addition, a history of psychiatric diagnosis (aOR 3.48, 95% CI 3.15-3.83), high maternal age, 30-39 years old (aOR 1.55, 95% CI 1.43-1.67; P < 0.001) and ≥40 years old (aOR 3.00, 95% CI 2.37-3.77; P < 0.001) and smoking (aOR 1.20, 95% CI 1.11-1.31; P < 0.001) were associated with increased odds for FOC. Women living in densely populated or rural areas and those with lower socioeconomic class had lower odds for FOC. CONCLUSIONS: A history of IA is associated with increased odds for FOC in subsequent pregnancy. However, the associations of FOC with a history of psychiatric diagnosis and elevated maternal age (especially ≥40 years old) are more pronounced.