The role of base-rate neglect in cyberchondria and health anxiety.

Cyberchondria is characterized by excessive health-related online search behavior associated with an unfounded escalation of concerns about common symptomatology. It often co-occurs with health anxiety. We investigated whether base-rate neglect-the cognitive bias to ignore a priori probabilities (e.

General rather than specific: Cognitive deficits in suppressing task irrelevant stimuli are associated with buying-shopping disorder.

Objective: To investigate associations between buying-shopping disorder (BSD) propensity and the performance in the Stroop Matching Task. This task measures stimulus interference, one specific component of behavioral impulsivity, using neutral (i.e.

Pathological buying symptoms are associated with distortions in judging elapsed time.

Background And Aims: Pathological buying (PB) is often assumed to be related to deficits in impulse control. Distortions in judging elapsed time are one component of behavioral impulsivity. This study was set out to examine the hypothesis that PB propensity is associated with distorted time perception, such that time is perceived to pass more slowly.

To change or not to change - That is the question: A qualitative study of lifestyle changes following acute myocardial infarction.

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate key factors related to lifestyle changes following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) by eliciting survivors' subjective needs for, attitudes towards and experiences with behaviour changes in their everyday life to improve future interventions promoting lifestyle changes. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 individuals who had recently experienced an AMI. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim.

How Does a Shared Decision-Making (SDM) Intervention for Oncologists Affect Participation Style and Preference Matching in Patients with Breast and Colon Cancer?

Unlabelled: The aims of this study are to assess patients' preferred and perceived decision-making roles and preference matching in a sample of German breast and colon cancer patients and to investigate how a shared decision-making (SDM) intervention for oncologists influences patients' preferred and perceived decision-making roles and the attainment of preference matches. This study is a post hoc analysis of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) on the effects of an SDM intervention. The SDM intervention was a 12-h SDM training program for physicians in combination with decision board use.

Effects of mood state on impulsivity in pathological buying.

Pathological buying is characterized by irrepressible buying behaviour and its negative consequences. A possible mechanism contributing to its development and maintenance is that buying episodes act as a maladaptive strategy to cope with negative emotions. Accordingly, pathological buying has been repeatedly associated with impulsivity, in particular with the tendency to experience strong reactions under negative affect.

When do cancer patients regret their treatment decision? A path analysis of the influence of clinicians' communication styles and the match of decision-making styles on decision regret.

Objective: To test the influence of physician empathy (PE), shared decision making (SDM), and the match between patients' preferred and perceived decision-making styles on patients' decision regret.

Methods: Patients with breast or colon cancer (n=71) completed questionnaires immediately following (T1) and three months after a consultation (T2). Path analysis was used to examine the relationships among patient demographics, patient reports of PE, SDM, the match between preferred and perceived decision-making styles, and patient decision regret at T2.

Inpatient and Day-Clinic Experience Scale (IDES) - a Psychometric Evaluation.

Objectives: The Inpatient and Day-Clinic Experience Scale (IDES) was developed to assess common factors in a multimodal psychotherapy setting from the patients' perspective. The questionnaire measures different aspects of therapeutic relationships, a positive self-view and a critical attitude towards therapy.

Methods: Three samples (total N = 821) were used to evaluate the psychometric properties and factor structure of the questionnaire.

Shared Decision Making and the Use of Decision Aids.

Background: In shared decision making (SDM), the patient and the physician reach decisions in partnership. We conducted a trial of SDM training for physicians who treat patients with cancer.

Methods: Physicians who treat patients with cancer were invited to participate in a cluster-randomized trial and carry out SDM together with breast or colon cancer patients who faced decisions about their treatment.

The German version of the Four Habits Coding Scheme - association between physicians' communication and shared decision making skills in the medical encounter.

Objective: To translate a measure of physicians' communication skills, the Four Habits Coding Scheme (4HCS), into German, to examine its psychometric properties, and to analyze its association with the OPTION Scale, which assesses physicians' shared decision making (SDM) behavior.

Methods: We performed a secondary data analysis of 67 audio-recorded medical consultations. Reliability, internal consistency, and factorial validity of the translated 4HCS were analyzed.

The OPTION scale for the assessment of shared decision making (SDM): methodological issues.

Background: Promoting patient involvement in medical decision making has become a desirable goal in medical consultations. Reliable and valid measures are necessary to evaluate interventions designed to promote shared decision making and to understand determinants and associations. The OPTION ("observing patient involvement") scale is the most prominent observation instrument for assessing the extent to which clinicians actively involve patients in decision making.

Patterns of alcohol expectancies and alcohol use across age and gender.

Aims: To investigate the relationship between alcohol expectancies and alcohol use in a community sample as a function of age and gender.

Methods: The study is based on a national probability sample of 6467 German adults. Respondents were grouped into five age groups ranging from 18 to 59 years.

Interprofessional education about patient decision support in specialty care.

Specialty care involves services provided by health professionals who focus on treating diseases affecting one body system. In contrast to primary care - aimed at providing continuous, comprehensive care - specialty care often involves intermittent episodes of care focused around specific medical conditions. In addition, it typically includes multiple providers who have unique areas of expertise that are important in supporting patients' care.

The comprehensive alcohol expectancy questionnaire: confirmatory factor analysis, scale refinement, and further validation.

The Comprehensive Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire (CAEQ; Demmel & Hagen, 2003a, 2003b) is a self-report measure designed to assess an individual's alcohol expectancies. In this study, we examined the CAEQ in a student sample (N= 932) and in a clinical sample of alcohol-dependent inpatients (N= 744). The Five-factor structure was confirmed by means of confirmatory factor analysis.

How does your doctor talk with you? Preliminary validation of a brief patient self-report questionnaire on the quality of physician-patient interaction.

The quality of physician-patient interaction is increasingly being recognized as an essential component of effective treatment. The present article reports on the development and validation of a brief patient self-report questionnaire (QQPPI) that assesses the quality of physician-patient interactions. Data were gathered from 147 patients and 19 physicians immediately after consultations in a tertiary care outpatient setting.

Effects of mode of presentation on ratings of empathic communication in medical interviews.

Objective: To test the impact of nonverbal behaviour on the assessment of a clinician's level of empathic communication.

Methods: One hundred volunteers were asked to assess a clinician's level of empathic communication using the Rating Scales for the Assessment of Empathic Communication in Medical Interviews (REM). Participants were randomly assigned to three groups differing with regard to the level of nonverbal information made available to them.

Training physicians in shared decision-making-who can be reached and what is achieved?

Objective: To report on experiences with a general shared decision-making (SDM) physician training program offered to physicians throughout Germany.

Methods: This study enrolled 150 physicians in an 8-h SDM training program. Physicians were assessed with standardized instruments before and after training.

The impact of gender stereotypes on the evaluation of general practitioners' communication skills: an experimental study using transcripts of physician-patient encounters.

Objective: The present study has been designed to test for the effect of physicians' gender on the perception and assessment of empathic communication in medical encounters.

Methods: Eighty-eight volunteers were asked to assess six transcribed interactions between physicians and a standardized patient. The effects of physicians' gender were tested by the experimental manipulation of physicians' gender labels in transcripts.

Self-efficacy and alcohol relapse: concurrent validity of confidence measures, self-other discrepancies, and prediction of treatment outcome.

Objective: Self-efficacy has been shown to predict relapse following treatment for alcohol dependence. Most studies use comprehensive multi-item scales to assess clients' confidence. The development and validation of simple measures may encourage both clinicians and researchers to assess self-efficacy more frequently over the course of treatment.

Alcohol expectancies and current mood state in social drinkers.

Background: Whereas the relationship between affective states and drinking behaviour is well established, there is only limited evidence to support the notion that an individual's current mood state is related to his or her alcohol expectancies. Moreover, previous research focused predominantly on the impact of affective valence and, at the same time, failed to assess an individual's evaluation of alcohol effects.

Method: Three hundred and fifty-seven volunteers completed a German-language version of the Anticipated Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale (ABAES), a mood form, and a brief questionnaire on background variables and drinking habits.