Supporting Well-Being: Exploring the Value of a Digital Coach for Older Adults in the Transition from Work to Retirement.

Supporting older adults' health and well-being in the transition from work to retirement requires a holistic perspective and needs to address physical, mental, and social aspects of life. In a field study, applying a mixed-methods approach, we investigated to what extent the prototype of a digital coach can support older adults in this sensitive phase. We aim at answering the central research question: How can a digital coach support older adults in the transition from work to retirement to establish and maintain a healthy lifestyle? Overall, 32 participants from Austria and Belgium took part in an eight-week trial. App-based interventions in different domains (physical, mental, social) were provided and aimed at motivating the target group to become and/or stay active. The study shows that the digital coach has potential to support health and well-being on various levels. In particular, the mental activities proofed valuable and supported older adults' well-being.

Indirect acquisition of pain-related fear: an experimental study of observational learning using coloured cold metal bars.

BACKGROUND: Previous research has demonstrated that pain-related fear can be acquired through observation of another's pain behaviour during an encounter with a painful stimulus. The results of two experimental studies were presented, each with a different pain stimulus, of which the aim was to investigate the effect of observational learning on pain expectancies, avoidance behaviour, and physiological responding. Additionally, the study investigated whether certain individuals are at heightened risk to develop pain-related fear through observation. Finally, changes in pain-related fear and pain intensity after exposure to the feared stimulus were examined. METHODS: During observational acquisition, healthy female participants watched a video showing coloured cold metal bars being placed against the neck of several models. In a differential fear conditioning paradigm, one colour was paired with painful facial expressions, and another colour was paired with neutral facial expressions of the video models. During exposure, both metal bars with equal temperatures (-25° or +8° Celsius) were placed repeatedly against participants' own neck. RESULTS: Results showed that pain-related beliefs can be acquired by observing pain in others, but do not necessarily cause behavioural changes. Additionally, dispositional empathy might play a role in the acquisition of these beliefs. Furthermore, skin conductance responses were higher when exposed to the pain-associated bar, but only in one of two experiments. Differential pain-related beliefs rapidly disappeared after first-hand exposure to the stimuli. CONCLUSIONS: This study enhances our understanding of pain-related fear acquisition and subsequent exposure to the feared stimulus, providing leads for pain prevention and management strategies.

Observational learning and pain-related fear: exploring contingency learning in an experimental study using colored warm water immersions.

UNLABELLED: This study investigated observational learning of pain-related fear and subsequent extinction after first-hand exposure to the feared stimulus. Moreover, the specific contingencies that are learned when observing others in pain were explored. A differential fear-conditioning paradigm was used, showing video models displaying either a painful (CS+ color; aversively conditioned stimulus) or a neutral (CS- color; neutrally conditioned stimulus) facial expression in the presence of a colored warm water task (WWT; observation phase). In 1 condition (open WWT cover), the model's hand was immersed in the colored liquid, while in the other condition (closed WWT cover), no contact was displayed between the model and the liquid. During exposure, participants subsequently immersed their own hand into each WWT with equal temperatures. Results revealed successful acquisition of pain-related fear. Participants with higher levels of pain catastrophizing, intolerance of uncertainty, trait fear of pain, or dispositional empathy were more prone to develop pain-related fear. Pain-related fear extinguished quickly after direct exposure to both WWTs. Contingencies between the color of the WWT and either the painful facial expressions or the assumed properties of the colored liquid were learned in both conditions. Clinical implications and limitations of the current study are discussed, providing avenues for future research in observational learning of pain-related fear. PERSPECTIVE: Pain-related fear promotes the development as well as the continuation of chronic pain. A better understanding of the acquisition and extinction of this fear may help to improve pain treatment programs. Furthermore, we intended to identify individuals who are more prone to develop pain-related fear.

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Dutch Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale: Comparison of the full and short version.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS) was developed for assessing reactions to ambiguous situations, uncertainty, and future events. The IUS has been validated in different languages, but equivocal factor structures, in combination with highly interrelated items and factors, resulted in a redundancy of the items of the English version. In the current study, the psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the IUS were examined, and compared with the shortened 12-item version (IUS-12). METHODS: Confirmatory factor analyses were used to investigate different factor structures of both the full and short version of the IUS. RESULTS: Results indicated that the IUS-12 model with two factors (Prospective Anxiety and Inhibitory Anxiety) provides the best fit. The reduced measure has equally good internal consistency, and is highly correlated with the full version. LIMITATIONS: Future research could investigate whether the current findings generalize to clinical populations. CONCLUSION: To summarize, the usage of the short 12-item version of the IUS should be encouraged in future research concerning intolerance of uncertainty.

Observational learning and pain-related fear: an experimental study with colored cold pressor tasks.

UNLABELLED: The primary aim of the current study was to experimentally test whether pain-related fear can be acquired through observational learning, whether extinction occurs after actual exposure to the aversive stimulus, and whether pain-related fear was associated with increased pain ratings. During an observation phase, female volunteers watched a video showing models performing cold pressor tasks (CPT), of which the color served as a conditioned stimulus (CS). In a differential fear conditioning paradigm, each of 2 colors were either paired with models' painful (CS+) or neutral (CS-) facial expressions. Exposure consisted of participants performing CPTs of both colors (10°C). Self-reported fear of pain and expected pain ratings were obtained after the observation period, while actual pain and avoidance measures were obtained during and after exposure. Results show that after observing another person performing the CPT associated with the painful faces, subjects report more fear of pain and expect more intense and unpleasant pain as compared with the CPT associated with the neutral faces. This effect of observational learning on pain-related fear persisted until after exposure. During and after exposure no stimulus-type effect for pain ratings was found. This study provides preliminary evidence for observational learning of pain-related fear in humans. PERSPECTIVE: Fear of pain can be more disabling than pain itself, and is a risk factor for chronic pain. Knowledge about the acquisition of pain-related fear may help to develop novel pain management programs. This study is one of the first to demonstrate the effects of observational learning on pain-related fear.