A biopsychosocial formulation of pain communication.

We present a detailed framework for understanding the numerous and complicated interactions among psychological and social determinants of pain through examination of the process of pain communication. The focus is on an improved understanding of immediate dyadic transactions during painful events in the context of broader social phenomena. Fine-grain consideration of social transactions during pain leads to an appreciation of sociobehavioral events affecting both suffering persons as well as caregivers.

Practice guidelines for assessing pain in older persons with dementia residing in long-term care facilities.

Purpose: Frail patients with dementia most frequently present with musculoskeletal pain and mobility concerns; therefore, physiotherapy interventions for this population are likely to be of great benefit. However, physiotherapists who work with older adults with dementia confront a considerable challenge: the communication impairments that characterize dementia make it difficult to assess pain and determine its source. For an effective physiotherapy programme to be implemented, valid pain assessment is necessary.

Reconceptualizing the role of fear of falling and balance confidence in fall risk.

Objective: This article aimed to critically examine preexisting conceptualizations of the relationship among fear of falling, falls efficacy, and falls and to offer a new theoretical model incorporating findings from the recent literature.

Method: This is a theoretical article based on a review of preexisting findings pertaining to fear of falling and falls efficacy.

Results: Traditional conceptualizations consider avoidance of activity and deconditioning to be mediators in the relationship between fear of falling and falls, but recent findings suggest that this mediational conceptualization may not be accurate.

Ethical and legal considerations for internet-based psychotherapy.

The provision of mental health services over the Internet is becoming increasingly commonplace as new technologies continue to develop. Evidence in support of the efficacy of many such interventions is accumulating. Given the potential global reach of Internet-based psychological services, the authors examine ethical issues relating to this growing area of practice through the lens of the Universal Declaration of Ethical Principles for Psychologists (International Union of Psychological Science, 2008).