The influence of video-based social modelling on the nocebo effect.

Objective: Seeing someone else experience side effects (i.e., social modelling) can increase negative expectations and subsequent nocebo effects.

Association of Single-blind Placebo Run-in Periods With the Placebo Response in Randomized Clinical Trials of Antidepressants: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: Single-blind placebo run-in (PRI) periods are common in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of treatment for depression. They aim to increase sensitivity to detect drug effects; however, the association of PRI periods with study outcomes remains unclear. This is concerning given the costs of PRI periods to patients and investigators.

Protocol for the avatar acceptability study: a multiperspective cross-sectional study evaluating the acceptability of using patient-derived xenografts to guide personalised cancer care in Australia and New Zealand.

Introduction: Patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) have the potential to transform personalised cancer care, however, little is known about the acceptability of using PDXs to guide treatment decision-making. Given that patient and community preferences can influence satisfaction with care as well as the success of new technologies, we will evaluate the acceptability of PDXs in individuals affected by cancer and community comparisons.

Methods And Analysis: This comparative cross-sectional study will recruit 323 individuals affected by cancer (cancer survivors (of childhood or adult cancer) and parents of childhood cancer survivors) and 323 community comparisons (adults and parents).

Using Learning Strategies to Inhibit the Nocebo Effect.

Learning is a key mechanism underpinning the development of the nocebo effect. The learning literature has cataloged and explored numerous ways in which the environment can be manipulated to prevent, reduce, or eradicate learning. Knowledge of these processes could be used to both inhibit the development of nocebo effects and reduce already established nocebo learning.

Psychological outcomes and surgical decisions after genetic testing in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer with and without a family history.

In patients with early breast cancer, personal and tumour characteristics other than family history are increasingly used to prompt genetic testing to guide women's cancer management (treatment-focused genetic testing, 'TFGT'). Women without a known strong family history of breast and/or ovarian may be more vulnerable to psychological sequelae arising from TFGT. We compared the impact of TFGT in women with (FH+) and without (FH-) a strong family history on psychological adjustment and surgical decisions.

Parent-targeted home-based interventions for increasing fruit and vegetable intake in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Context: Parent interventions delivered in the home represent a valuable approach to improving children's diets.

Objective: This review aims to examine the effectiveness of parent-targeted in-home interventions in increasing fruit and vegetable intake in children.

Data Sources: Five electronic databases were searched: MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO.

Family history-taking practices and genetic confidence in primary and tertiary care providers for childhood cancer survivors.

Background: There is growing impetus for increased genetic screening in childhood cancer survivors. Family history-taking is a critical first step in determining survivors' suitability. However, the family history-taking practices of providers of pediatric oncology survivorship care and the confidence of these providers to discuss cancer risks to relatives are unknown.

Autonomic Arousal as a Mechanism of the Persistence of Nocebo Hyperalgesia.

Unlabelled: Placebo and nocebo mechanisms can lead to clinically significant modulation of pain. Although learning is considered to be the broad mechanism underlying placebo analgesia as well as nocebo hyperalgesia, critical differences have emerged in their specific mechanisms. One of the most interesting of these is that whereas placebo analgesia seems to be relatively short-lived, nocebo hyperalgesia appears more resistant to extinction, often persisting indefinitely.

Distance-delivered physical activity interventions for childhood cancer survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This review aimed to determine the feasibility of distance-delivered physical activity (PA) interventions in childhood cancer survivors (CCS), and assess the effect on PA levels, and physical, physiological and psychological outcomes. We searched electronic databases until May 2016, including studies following intensive treatment. Meta-analyses were conducted on randomized controlled trials.

Family Communication, Risk Perception and Cancer Knowledge of Young Adults from BRCA1/2 Families: a Systematic Review.

Understanding challenges in familial communication of cancer risk has informed genetic service delivery. Parent-child interactions have received considerable attention, but few studies focus on young adulthood experiences within BRCA1/2 families. Young adults are approaching, or at a life stage where awareness of hereditary cancer risk is vital for informed choice of risk management options.

Streamlined genetic education is effective in preparing women newly diagnosed with breast cancer for decision making about treatment-focused genetic testing: a randomized controlled noninferiority trial.

Purpose: Increasingly, women newly diagnosed with breast cancer are being offered treatment-focused genetic testing (TFGT). As the demand for TFGT increases, streamlined methods of genetic education are needed.

Methods: In this noninferiority trial, women aged <50 years with either a strong family history (FH+) or other features suggestive of a germ-line mutation (FH-) were randomized before definitive breast cancer surgery to receive TFGT education either as brief written materials (intervention group (IG)) or during a genetic counseling session at a familial cancer clinic (usual-care group (UCG)).

Sources of Placebo-Induced Relief From Nausea: The Role of Instruction and Conditioning.

Objectives: It is well documented that expectancies alter the nauseous response. However, the lack of integration in research examining sources of expectancy has limited our understanding of how expectancies are formed and, consequently, our ability to intervene. The present study explored the role of both instructions and conditioning in placebo-induced relief from nausea.

Acceptability of, and Information Needs Regarding, Next-Generation Sequencing in People Tested for Hereditary Cancer: A Qualitative Study.

Next generation sequencing (NGS) for patients at risk of hereditary cancer syndromes can also identify non-cancer related mutations, as well as variants of unknown significance. This study aimed to determine what benefits and shortcomings patients perceive in relation to NGS, as well as their interest and information preferences in regards to such testing. Eligible patients had previously received inconclusive results from clinical mutation testing for cancer susceptibility.

Nocebo Hyperalgesia, Partial Reinforcement, and Extinction.

Unlabelled: Many studies have found evidence of conditioning-induced nocebo hyperalgesia. However, these studies have exclusively involved continuous reinforcement (CRF) schedules. Thus, it is currently unknown whether nocebo hyperalgesia can result after partial reinforcement (PRF).

Placebo interventions for nausea: a systematic review.

Background: Expectancy often predicts nausea, but the extent to which placebo interventions can alter nausea is less clear.

Purpose: We conducted a systematic review to determine 1) if placebo interventions can affect nausea and 2) which features of these interventions are effective.

Methods: Articles were identified via PsychInfo, Medline, and PubMed databases.

Preferences regarding targeted education and risk assessment in people with a family history of major depressive disorder.

Genetic testing for susceptibility to major depressive disorder (MDD) is not available for clinical use at present. Given this, family history remains the best predictor for development of MDD, and family-history-based risk assessment and information about familial aspects of MDD may be useful to clients at increased risk for MDD attending for genetic counseling. This study uses a mixed-methods design to assess the information needs and preferences of people at increased familial risk for MDD.