Estimation of implicit discount rates for climate change adaptation policies.

This article used evidence from tourists' willingness to pay (WTP) for a set of climate change adaptation policies to estimate implicit discount rates under different discounting structures. A choice experiment with two different split samples framed at two different time horizons was used to analyse how WTP changes as a function of the timing of the expected benefits. Results confirm that individuals are time sensitive to different horizons and provide support for the use of a very low discount rate in the evaluation of policies having effects in the long and very long run and show that the social acceptability of climate change (CC) adaptation policies can be affected by the timing of the benefits and the use of one or another discounting model.

Do we care about sustainability? An analysis of time sensitivity of social preferences under environmental time-persistent effects.

Environmental cost-benefit analysis has traditionally assumed that the value of benefits is sensitive to their timing and that outcomes are valued higher, the sooner in time they occur following implementation of a project or policy. Though, this assumption might have important implications especially for the social desirability of interventions aiming at counteracting time-persistent environmental problems, whose impacts occur in the long- and very long-term, respectively involving the present and future generations. This study analyzes the time sensitivity of social preferences for preservation policies of adaptation to climate change stresses. Results show that stated preferences are time insensitive, due to sustainability issues: individuals show insignificant differences in benefits they can experience within their own lifetimes compared to those which occur in the longer term, and which will instead be enjoyed by future generations. Whilst these results may be specific to the experimental design employed here, they do raise interesting questions regarding choices over time-persistent environmental problems, particularly in terms of the desirability of interventions which produce longer-term benefits.

Valuing the recreational benefits of wetland adaptation to climate change: a trade-off between species' abundance and diversity.

Climate change will further exacerbate wetland deterioration, especially in the Mediterranean region. On the one side, it will accelerate the decline in the populations and species of plants and animals, this resulting in an impoverishment of biological abundance. On the other one, it will also promote biotic homogenization, resulting in a loss of species' diversity. In this context, different climate change adaptation policies can be designed: those oriented to recovering species' abundance and those aimed at restoring species' diversity. Based on the awareness that knowledge about visitors' preferences is crucial to better inform policy makers and secure wetlands' public use and conservation, this paper assesses the recreational benefits of different adaptation options through a choice experiment study carried out in S'Albufera wetland (Mallorca). Results show that visitors display positive preferences for an increase in both species' abundance and diversity, although they assign a higher value to the latter, thus suggesting a higher social acceptability of policies pursuing wetlands' differentiation. This finding acquires special relevance not only for adaptation management in wetlands but also for tourism planning, as most visitors to S'Albufera are tourists. Thus, given the growing competition to attract visitors and the increasing demand for high environmental quality and unique experiences, promoting wetlands' differentiation could be a good strategy to gain competitive advantage over other wetland areas and tourism destinations.

Positive psychology interventions in breast cancer. A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Positive psychology is an emerging area of empirical study, not only in clinical, but also in health psychology. The present systematic review aims to synthesize the evidence about the positive psychology interventions utilized in breast cancer. METHODS: Relevant studies were identified via Pubmed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, CINAHL, Wiley Online Library, TDX, and DIALNET databases (up to April 2013). Only those papers focused on interventions related to positive psychology and carried out on breast cancer patients were included. RESULTS: Of the 7266 articles found through databases, 16 studies were finally included in this review. Five groups of therapies were found: mindfulness-based approaches, expression of positive emotions, spiritual interventions, hope therapy, and meaning-making interventions. These specific interventions promoted positive changes in breast cancer participants, such as enhanced quality of life, well-being, hope, benefit finding, or optimism. However, the disparity of the interventions and some methodological issues limit the outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Some studies provided relevant evidence about the clear development of positive aspects from the breast cancer experience. Positive interventions applied to patients and survivors of breast cancer were found to be able to promote positive aspects. A global consensus of a positive therapies classification is needed to take one more step in structuring positive psychology.

Positive psychotherapy for distressed cancer survivors: Posttraumatic growth facilitation reduces posttraumatic stress.

There is increasing evidence that positive life changes, such as posttraumatic growth (PTG), can result from the experience of coping with cancer. However, no interventions have been specifically designed to facilitate the development of PTG in cancer. In this article, we describe and assess the results of Positive Psychotherapy for Cancer (PPC) survivors. It aims to facilitate PTG as a way of achieving significant reductions in the symptoms of emotional distress and posttraumatic stress. In addition, the corroboration of this PTG facilitation is assessed using interpersonal indicators. Method: We allocated 126 consecutive survivors of cancer with high levels of emotional distress and who were seeking psychological support to either an experimental group (PPC) or a waiting list group. Results: The PPC group obtained significantly better results after treatment than the control group, showing reduced distress, decreased posttraumatic symptoms, and increased PTG. The benefits were maintained at 3 and 12 months' follow-up. Participants' PTG was correlated to the PTG that their significant others attributed to them, corroborating PTG facilitation. Conclusions: PPC appears to promote significant long-term PTG and can reduce emotional distress and posttraumatic stress in cancer survivors. In addition, PTG facilitation induced by PPC is corroborated by significant others.

ANTECEDENTES/OBJETIVO: La evidencia científica muestra la importante presencia de cambios vitales positivos, como el crecimiento postraumático (CPT), tras afrontar un cáncer. Sin embargo, ninguna intervención ha sido específicamente diseñada para facilitar el CPT en pacientes con cáncer. En este artículo, se describen y evalúan los resultados de la Psicoterapia Positiva dirigida a supervivientes de Cáncer (PPC), diseñada para facilitar el CPT como vía para reducir el malestar emocional y estrés postraumático. Utilizamos indicadores interpersonales para validar la autenticidad del CPT. Método: Ciento veintiséis supervivientes de cáncer con elevados niveles de malestar emocional fueron consecutivamente asignados al grupo experimental (PPC) o al grupo de lista de espera. Resultados: El grupo de PPC obtuvo significativamente mejores resultados después del tratamiento que el grupo control, mostrando una reducción del malestar psicológico, de los síntomas de estrés postraumático y un incremento del CPT. Los beneficios se mantuvieron a los 3 y 12 meses. El CPT fue corroborado por los seres queridos de los participantes. Conclusiones: La PPC parece promover de forma significativa el CPT y reduce el malestar emocional y el estrés postraumático en supervivientes de cáncer. Además, la facilitación de CPT inducido por la PPC es corroborada por los seres queridos.

Positive psychological functioning in breast cancer: An integrative review.

This integrative review aimed to analyze the research into positive psychological functioning after breast cancer, and to integrate the most relevant findings relating to sociodemographic, medical and psychosocial factors. Relevant outcomes were identified from electronic databases (Medline, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, CINAHL, and Wiley Online Library) up to July 2015. A Google search was performed to identify unindexed literature. Dissertations and theses were searched on Proquest Dissertations and Theses, DIALNET and TDX. Selection criteria included empirical studies assessing relationships between breast cancer and positive functioning, without restrictions on type of participants. In total, 134 studies met the inclusion criteria. The sociodemographic, medical, and psychosocial characteristics associated with well-being, posttraumatic growth, finding benefit and meaning were being young, undergoing chemotherapy, and having social support. The last two of these characteristics were time-oriented. The culture of the different samples and positive dispositional characteristics like optimism had an influence on the women's coping styles. Socioeconomic status and level of education were also associated with positive psychological functioning. The perceived impact of breast cancer on patient, as well as the perceived support from significant others can result in better functioning in women with breast cancer. The results highlight that oncology health professionals should take into account not only the individual and medical characteristics, but also the stage of the oncological process and the psychosocial environment of patients in order to promote their positive functioning.