Previous Expectations Research Articles

The Role of Satisfaction in Mediating the Relationship between Brand Trust and Brand Image towards Consumer Loyalty on E-Commerce Platforms

The rapid development of communication technology today offers increasingly diverse forms of communication, making communication unrestricted by boundaries, distance, space, or time. This is also driven by the continuous growth in internet usage, which has become a lifestyle for people to meet their needs. One of the needs that massively utilizes the internet is the activity of purchasing goods or services online, or what is known as e-commerce, which refers to the use of communication networks and computers to conduct business processes. The online business world is closely associated with various issues such as fraud, dissatisfaction, and other forms of dishonesty by marketers. Customer satisfaction has a positive impact on customer loyalty. Customer loyalty is usually identified through repeated purchasing patterns. Satisfied customers tend to make repeat purchases and demonstrate loyalty to the product. Customer satisfaction is the feeling of pleasure or disappointment experienced by a customer when comparing a product's performance with their previous expectations of the product. If the product's performance fails to meet expectations, the customer will be dissatisfied. This research aims to determine whether satisfaction can mediate the relationship between brand trust and brand image towards loyalty. The population in this study consists of residents in Denpasar City, with the sample determined using purposive sampling. Data analysis techniques use SEM PLS.

No sleep, no dreams: imaginings and expectations in online student mobility to Japan during the Covid-19 crisis

The Covid-19 pandemic radically accelerated the digitalization dynamics that were already in motion in many areas of society, from teleworking to e-commerce, online leisure and e-learning. This resulted in a contradictory redefinition of place as a heterotopic site in which different times and spaces were simultaneously juxtaposed. In the case of higher education, universities had to suddenly digitalize their classes in a broader attempt to ensure the continuity of their curricula. Study abroad programs thereby found themselves in the paradoxical situation of being forced to change to an online format, despite having been fully designed for physical mobility. Through a qualitative approach, the article focuses on a group of undergraduate students of Japanese Studies in Spain, who eventually dropped out of their online mobility placement, which they had started in the belief they would be able to finish it in person in Japan. Drawing on ethnographic interview data, it reveals how they managed to regain their autonomy of action over the narrative of their experience – in a self-liberating process in which empowerment and agency were fundamental – and thus rise above an immobility regime whose chronotopic nature had placed them out of line with their previous imaginings and expectations.

Metode Pelaksanaan Pekerjaan Struktur Balok dan Pelat Lantai 2 Pembangunan Gelanggang Generasi Muda Majalengka

Beams and Floor Plates are a very important construction structure in a building. In carrying out work on floor slabs and beams, a method is needed to complete the work in the field. Especially when facing obstacles caused by field conditions that do not match previous expectations. For this reason, applying construction implementation methods that are appropriate to field conditions will be very helpful in the process of completing construction projects. Research on the construction method for the beam and floor slab construction was carried out at the Majalengka Young Generation Center construction. The casting method for the beams and floor slabs is conventional using ready mix concrete with a slump test value of 12 ± 2. From the results of the research on the construction implementation method for the Majalengka Young Generation Arena, it was found that: beam and floor plate work includes, preparatory work includes measuring work, scaffolding installation and formwork installation, then there is reinforcement/reinforcing work, namely steel fabrication in the project area, then there is work Casting the beams and floor plates using a tower crane. Next, maintenance work is carried out on the concrete mixture during the drying process, namely by watering according to regulations.

Assessment of treatment expectations in people with suspected endometriosis: A psychometric analysis.

Treatment expectations influence clinical outcomes in various physical and psychological conditions; however, no studies have explored their role in endometriosis treatment. It is necessary to understand how these expectations can be measured to study treatment expectations and their effects in clinical practice. This study aimed to psychometrically analyze and compare different treatment expectation measurements and describe treatment expectations in women with suspected endometriosis. Analysis of cross-sectional baseline data of a mixed-method clinical observational study of N=699 patients undergoing laparoscopy in Germany. Descriptives, bivariate associations, convergent and discriminant validity of four expectation measurements (Treatment Expectation Questionnaire (TEX-Q); Generic rating scale for previous treatment experiences, treatment expectations, and treatment effects (GEEE); numerical rating scales (NRS) assessing improvement and worsening of endometriosis symptoms, expected Pain Disability Index (PDI); range: 0 to 10) were estimated. A cluster analysis was performed on the three GEEE items. Most participants expected high improvement ( M=6.68 to 7.20, SD=1.90 to 2.09) and low worsening ( M=1.09 to 2.52, SD=1.80 to 2.25) of disability from laparoscopy. Participants who expected greater worsening expected more side effects ( r=.31 to .60, p<.001). Associations between the positive and negative expectation dimensions, including side effects, were small to non-significant ( r =|.24| to .00, p<.001 to.978). Four distinct clusters, described as'positive', 'no pain, no gain', 'diminished', and 'uniform' were found, with a total PVE of 62.2%. Women with suspected endometriosis reported positive expectations concerning laparoscopy, but wide ranges indicated interindividual differences. Treatment expectations seem to be a multidimensional construct in this patient group. The investigated measurements did not correlate to the extent that they measured exactly the same construct. The selection of measurements should be carefully considered and adapted for the study purposes. Clusters provide initial indications for individualized interventions that target expectation manipulation. ID NCT05019612 ( ClinicalTrials.gov).

Evolution of lateralized gustation in nematodes.

Animals with small nervous systems have a limited number of sensory neurons that must encode information from a changing environment. This problem is particularly exacerbated in nematodes that populate a wide variety of distinct ecological niches but only have a few sensory neurons available to encode multiple modalities. How does sensory diversity prevail within this neuronal constraint? To identify the genetic basis for patterning different nervous systems, we demonstrate that sensory neurons in the Pristionchus pacificus respond to various salt sensory cues in a manner that is partially distinct from that of the distantly related nematode C. elegans . By visualizing neuronal activity patterns, we show that contrary to previous expectations based on its genome sequence, the salt responses of P. pacificus are encoded in a left/right asymmetric manner in the bilateral ASE neuron pair. Our study illustrates patterns of evolutionary stability and change in the gustatory system of nematodes.

SiTGF-β1 and pirfenidone contained Ionizable-Liposomal nanodrug for enhanced treatment of Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a challenging interstitial lung disease characterized by heterogeneous manifestations and significant mortality. Due to the relative complexity of IPF pathogenesis, currently approved clinical drugs mainly for anti-inflammatory or anti-fibrotic present limited disease containment and insufficient damage repair, falling far short of previous expectations. To address this limitation, we developed an ionizable liposome nanodrug (named as TPNPs) co-loaded with small interfering RNA targeting TGF-β1 (siTGF-β1) and pirfenidone (PFD) for enhanced IPF therapy. The siTGF-β1 (blocking TGF-β signaling pathway) and PFD were carefully selected and integrated in consideration of their crucial roles in endothelial mesenchymal transition, alveolar epithelial cell apoptosis, and fibroblast differentiation and migration, which are closely related to IPF development. As a result, TPNPs exhibited synergistic enhancement effects against the damage of alveolar epithelial cells and fibroblasts in vitro. Notably, repeated administration of TPNPs mitigated the injury to alveolar epithelium, inhibited the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM), and alleviated the destruction of lung, thereby synergistically ameliorating the lung function in a bleomycin (BLM)-induced murine model. This work provides a promising therapeutic strategy that combines nucleic acid with small molecule for enhanced treatment of IPF.

Effectiveness and User Experience of a Smoking Cessation Chatbot: Mixed Methods Study Comparing Motivational Interviewing and Confrontational Counseling.

Cigarette smoking poses a major public health risk. Chatbots may serve as an accessible and useful tool to promote cessation due to their high accessibility and potential in facilitating long-term personalized interactions. To increase effectiveness and acceptability, there remains a need to identify and evaluate counseling strategies for these chatbots, an aspect that has not been comprehensively addressed in previous research. This study aims to identify effective counseling strategies for such chatbots to support smoking cessation. In addition, we sought to gain insights into smokers' expectations of and experiences with the chatbot. This mixed methods study incorporated a web-based experiment and semistructured interviews. Smokers (N=229) interacted with either a motivational interviewing (MI)-style (n=112, 48.9%) or a confrontational counseling-style (n=117, 51.1%) chatbot. Both cessation-related (ie, intention to quit and self-efficacy) and user experience-related outcomes (ie, engagement, therapeutic alliance, perceived empathy, and interaction satisfaction) were assessed. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 16 participants, 8 (50%) from each condition, and data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results from a multivariate ANOVA showed that participants had a significantly higher overall rating for the MI (vs confrontational counseling) chatbot. Follow-up discriminant analysis revealed that the better perception of the MI chatbot was mostly explained by the user experience-related outcomes, with cessation-related outcomes playing a lesser role. Exploratory analyses indicated that smokers in both conditions reported increased intention to quit and self-efficacy after the chatbot interaction. Interview findings illustrated several constructs (eg, affective attitude and engagement) explaining people's previous expectations and timely and retrospective experience with the chatbot. The results confirmed that chatbots are a promising tool in motivating smoking cessation and the use of MI can improve user experience. We did not find extra support for MI to motivate cessation and have discussed possible reasons. Smokers expressed both relational and instrumental needs in the quitting process. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Rupture segmentation on the East Anatolian fault (Turkey) controlled by along-strike variations in long-term slip rates in a structurally complex fault system

Abstract The East Anatolian fault in Turkey exhibits along-strike rupture segmentation, typically resulting in earthquakes with moment magnitude (Mw) up to 7.5 that are confined to individual segments. However, on 6 February 2023, a catastrophic Mw 7.8 earthquake struck near Kahramanmaraş (southeastern Turkey), defying previous expectations by rupturing multiple segments spanning over 300 km and overcoming multiple geometric complexities. We explore the mechanics of successive single- and multi-segment ruptures using numerical models of the seismic cycle calibrated to historical earthquake records and geodetic observations of the 2023 doublet. Our model successfully reproduces the observed historical rupture segmentation and the rare occurrence of multi-segment earthquakes. The segmentation pattern is influenced by variations in long-term slip rate along strike across the kinematically complex fault network between the Arabian and Anatolian plates. Our physics-based seismic cycle simulations shed light on the long-term variability of earthquake size that shapes seismic hazards.

Actin Filament Barbed-End Depolymerization by Combined Action of Profilin, Cofilin, and Twinfilin

Cellular actin dynamics results from the collective action of hundreds of regulatory proteins, majority of which target actin filaments at their barbed ends. Three key actin binding proteins—profilin, cofilin, and twinfilin—individually depolymerize filament barbed ends. Notwithstanding recent leaps in our understanding of their individual action, how they collectively regulate filament dynamics remains an open question. In the absence of direct and simultaneous visualization of these proteins at barbed ends, gaining mechanistic insights has been challenging. We have here investigated multicomponent dynamics of profilin, cofilin, and twinfilin using a hybrid approach that combines high-throughput single filament experiments with theory. We discovered that while twinfilin competes with profilin, it promotes binding of cofilin to filament sides. Interestingly, contrary to previous expectations, we found that profilin and cofilin can simultaneously bind the same filament barbed end, resulting in its accelerated depolymerization. Our study reveals that pairwise interactions can effectively capture depolymerization dynamics in simultaneous presence of all three proteins. We thus believe that our approach of employing a theory-experiment dialog can potentially help decipher multicomponent regulation of actin dynamics. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Fostering Students’ Self-Directed Language Learning: Approaches to Advising

This paper describes and discusses how two formats of advising in language learning offered at the Masaryk University Language Centre attempt to respond to students’ needs in self-regulating their learning. The focus is on comparing the advising sessions incorporated into an elective L2 course aiming at learner autonomy development and the sessions offered in obligatory L3 courses. A small study was conducted in both settings, identifying differences between students’ previous experiences, skills and expectations. Furthermore, two cases of individual advisees were analysed to gain a deeper insight into how similar students are supported by the different advising formats and available choices about their language learning. The case studies briefly portray how advising sessions navigate students in choosing their learning materials or methods. The aim of the paper is to illustrate that allowing students to make decisions about their language learning fosters their self-regulated learning.

Blended Psychological Interventions for Emotional Disorders in Youth: Acceptability and Intention to Use in a Sample of Portuguese Psychologists.

The rise of mental health problems in youth highlights the need for accessible and cost-effective psychological interventions. Blended interventions, which combine face-to-face and online sessions, can be an adequate response to the increase in demands for youth mental health services. Although this can be a promising approach, effective dissemination depends on the professionals´ acceptance. This study aimed to explore the acceptability of and intention to use blended interventions by psychologists working with children with emotional disorders and to examine their predictors, including previous knowledge, expectancies (i.e., performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions), and attitudes toward evidence-based practices. The sample consisted of 76 Portuguese psychologists (Mage = 37.26 years, SD = 10.47; 92.1% female) working in youth mental health services. The participants completed an online protocol to evaluate the different dimensions included in the study. The results showed that most participants demonstrated moderate to high acceptability of blended psychological interventions for emotional disorders in youth and intend to use them in the future. Regression analysis showed that performance expectancy and positive attitudes toward evidence-based practices were significant predictors of acceptance of blended interventions and that social influence was a significant predictor of both acceptance of and intention to use blended interventions. These results emphasize the importance of sharing the findings of blended interventions, changing professionals' attitudes toward evidencebased practices, and collaborating more closely with organizations and institutions to advance standards that encourage the adoption of this intervention format.

Eyes on the past: Gaze stability differs between temporal expectation and temporal attention.

Temporal expectation and temporal attention distinctly improve performance and gaze stability, and interact at the behavioral and neural levels. Foreperiod-the interval between the preparatory signal and stimulus onset-facilitates temporal expectation. Preceding foreperiod-the foreperiod in the previous trial-modulates expectation at behavioral and oculomotor levels. Here, we investigated whether preceding foreperiod guides temporal attention. Regardless of the preceding foreperiod, temporal attention improved performance, particularly at early moments,and consistently accelerated gaze stability onset and offset by shifting microsaccade timing. However, only with preceding expected foreperiods, attention inhibited microsaccade rates. Moreover, preceding late foreperiods weakened expectation effects on microsaccade rates, but such a weakening was overridden by attention. Altogether, these findings reveal that the oculomotor system's flexibility does not translate to performance, and suggest that although selection history can be utilized as one of the sources of expectation in subsequent trials, it does not necessarily determine, strengthen, or guide attentional deployment.

Rationale and design of the early valve replacement in severe asymptomatic aortic stenosis trial

Aortic valve replacement in asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis is controversial. The Early valve replacement in severe ASYmptomatic Aortic Stenosis (EASY-AS) trial aims to determine whether early aortic valve replacement improves clinical outcomes, quality of life and cost-effectiveness compared to a guideline recommended strategy of 'watchful waiting'. In a pragmatic international, open parallel group randomized controlled trial (NCT04204915), 2844 patients with severe aortic stenosis will be randomized 1:1 to either a strategy of early (surgical or transcatheter) aortic valve replacement or aortic valve replacement only if symptoms or impaired left ventricular function develop, or other cardiac surgery becomes nessessary. Exclusion criteria include other severe valvular disease, planned cardiac surgery, ejection fraction <50%, previous aortic valve replacement or life expectancy <2 years. The primary outcome is a composite of cardiovascular mortality or heart failure hospitalization. The primary analysis will be undertaken when 663 primary events have accrued, providing 90% power to detect a reduction in the primary endpoint from 27.7% to 21.6% (hazard ratio 0.75). Secondary endpoints include disability-free survival, days alive and out of hospital, major adverse cardiovascular events and quality of life. Recruitment commenced in March 2020 and is open in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Serbia. Feasibility requirements were met in July 2022, and the main phase opened in October 2022, with additional international centers in set-up. The EASY-AS trial will establish whether a strategy of early aortic valve replacement in asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis reduces cardiovascular mortality or heart failure hospitalization and improves other important outcomes.

Knowing and experiencing the benefits: Factors influencing restoration evoked by nature photographs

Nature experiences improve various measures of human wellbeing. Even viewing nature photographs can lead to subjective restoration, as well as improvement in mood and cognitive function. To investigate how merely viewing images can promote such benefits, we investigated in three online studies whether knowledge about beneficial effects related to nature experiences predicts restoration after viewing nature photographs. Following a Pilot Study (N = 224) with limited conclusiveness, we used a between-subjects design in Study 1 (N = 490) and manipulated knowledge about physical and mental health effects related to nature experiences before participants viewed nature photographs and rated them for preference. In Study 1, we found small differences in preference compared to two of the control conditions and for restoration outcome compared to one of the control conditions. In Study 2 (N = 360), we varied between-subjects the assessment of outcome expectancy. Although the assessment itself did not predict restoration, for the respective sub-sample actual restoration was positively related to expected restoration. Moreover, measured knowledge about beneficial effects of nature and - even stronger - reported restorative effects of the participants’ last stay in nature positively predicted restoration evoked by the nature photographs. Overall, our results show that knowledge about beneficial effects of nature exposure can be predictive for restoration evoked by visual representations of nature. However, related factors, such as previous experiences and outcome expectancy, may play more important roles than factual knowledge.

Revisiting the Polarization of the Emission of the Internal Shock in the Jet of Blazars

Recent Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) observations of blazars tend to support the shock model for the X-ray emission, but report a low degree of polarization (Π ∼ 10%) in X-rays compared with the previous theoretical expectations in the shock model. In order to reconcile the theoretical expectations with observations, we revisit the polarization of the shock emission by considering different types of directions in the distribution of the shock-generated magnetic fields (sgMFs). Here, w sg ′ ∝ ( sin θ ′ ) ζ sg ?> with θ ′ = 0 ?> along the shock normal direction is used to describe the direction in the distribution of sgMFs in the shock comoving frame. It is found that the polarization in the X-ray and radio emission for a general jet in blazars can be described as &Pgr; ∼ 44.5 [ 1 − exp ( − ζ sg / 2.6 ) ] % ?> and &Pgr; ∼ 20 [ 1 − exp ( − ζ sg / 2.4 ) ] % ?> , respectively. Correspondingly, one can have ζ sg ∼ 1−1.5 according to IXPE observations. Besides the sgMFs, the magnetic fields generated by the Richtmyer–Meshkov instability (RMI) (rmMFs) are supposed to be present in the jets. The direction of the rmMFs is mainly distributed along the shock normal in the simulations and thus w rm ′ ∝ ( cos θ ′ ) ζ rm ?> is adopted to describe the direction of the distribution in rmMFs. We find that rmMFs are likely to significantly affect the polarization properties at low-frequency emission, especially when the sgMFs decay rapidly. Based on contemporaneous radio and X-ray observations, we find that the emission of electrons in rmMFs makes a significant contribution to the low-frequency emission and the ordered background magnetic fields can be neglected.

Translating knowledge on placebo and nocebo effects into clinical practice.

Positive and negative treatment expectations are powerful modulators of health and treatment outcomes. A substantial part of treatment success is due to contextual factors modulating patient's expectations towards a treatment. Consequently, treatment expectations should be a target of therapeutic interventions themselves. This article highlights the neurobiological underpinnings of treatment expectations as well as strategies to modulate contextual factors to optimize treatment outcomes in daily clinical settings. This clinical update aligns with the 2022 IASP Global Year Translating Pain Knowledge into Practice and selectively reviews the best available evidence and practice. The effects of treatment expectations, also known as placebo and nocebo effects, are observed in various clinical conditions and physiological systems. However, most of our knowledge comes from the field of pain, where expectation effects substantially contribute to overall analgesic treatment outcomes. Experimental placebo analgesia paradigms provide the best illustration of how analgesic effects can be attributed not only to a pharmacological or specific treatment, but instead are the result of the expectation towards the treatment. The impact of expectations on treatment outcome is highly variable between individuals, and the identification of factors predicting an individual's response has proven to be challenging. Further research is required to provide personalized treatment strategies for the daily clinical practice. Patient's previous experiences and expectations are powerful modulators of treatment efficacy, tolerability, and adherence. By providing a comprehensive overview of recent advances in this field, this review offers valuable insights for clinicians and researchers seeking to improve patient-clinician interaction.

Assessment of treatment expectations in women with suspected endometriosis: A psychometric analysis

Background Treatment expectations influence clinical outcomes in various physical and psychological conditions; however, no studies have explored their role in endometriosis treatment. It is necessary to understand how these expectations can be measured to study treatment expectations and their effects in clinical practice. This study aimed to psychometrically analyze and compare different treatment expectation measurements and describe treatment expectations in women with suspected endometriosis. Method Analysis of cross-sectional baseline data of a mixed-method clinical observational study of N=699 patients undergoing laparoscopy in Germany. Descriptives, bivariate associations, convergent and discriminant validity of four expectation measurements (Treatment Expectation Questionnaire (TEX-Q); Generic rating scale for previous treatment experiences, treatment expectations, and treatment effects (GEEE); numerical rating scales (NRS) assessing improvement and worsening of endometriosis symptoms, expected Pain Disability Index (PDI); range: 0 to 10) were estimated. A cluster analysis was performed on the three GEEE items. Results Most participants expected high improvement (M=6.68 to 7.20, SD=1.90 to 2.09) and low worsening (M=1.09 to 2.52, SD=1.80 to 2.25) of disability from laparoscopy. Participants who expected greater worsening expected more side effects (r=.31 to .60, p&lt;.001). Associations between the positive and negative expectation dimensions, including side effects, were small to non-significant (r =|.24| to .00, p&lt;.001 to.978). Four distinct clusters, described as’positive’, ‘no pain, no gain’, ‘diminished’, and ‘uniform’ were found, with a total PVE of 62.2%. Conclusions Women with suspected endometriosis reported positive expectations concerning laparoscopy, but wide ranges indicated interindividual differences. Treatment expectations seem to be a multidimensional construct in this patient group. The investigated measurements did not correlate to the extent that they measured exactly the same construct. The selection of measurements should be carefully considered and adapted for the study purposes. Clusters provide initial indications for individualized interventions that target expectation manipulation. Trial Registration Number ID NCT05019612 (ClinicalTrials.gov)

Does group-based parent support during the transition to parenthood affect child socio-emotional problems and health care utilization? A randomized controlled trial

As government-funded universal programs for new parents continue to expand, it is critical to investigate their short- and longer-term effects. The level of knowledge, especially on the effect of group-based interventions, is sparse. This study is the second report from a large trial of a widely implemented universal group-based parenting program in Denmark and includes outcomes on child socio-emotional problems and use of health services. A sample of 1701 unborn children from families representative within the area, were randomized to intervention or care as usual beginning November 2014. From these families, 1268 mothers and 999 partners (mean age 29.4 and 31.19, respectively; 6% migration background) filled in the Ages and Stages Questionnaire. Intention-to-treat-analyses showed fewer socio-emotional problems in the intervention group (between-group difference - 2.34, 95% CI [0.40, 4.30], d = - 0.13) as reported by mothers, but not partners, when children were 10 months old. This finding was transitory (no longer significant at 19 months). No effects were found on health care utilization. The previous report from this trial showed no effects on measures of parenting. In total, these findings serve the purpose of adjusting future expectations to the size and type of effect to be gained from a universal parent program in a resourceful setting. We conclude that even if the Family Startup Program (DK: Familieiværksætterne) 2 was liked, well implemented, and well attended by the parents, the positive effect on children's socio-emotional problems, was too modest to be the argument that can carry the weight of policy going forward. Public significance statementThis study examined the effects of the Family Startup Program (DK: Familieiværksætterne), a universal, group-based program to support parents during the transition to parenthood. Results showed a modest transitory preventive effect on children's socio-emotional problems and no effects on health care utilization. These findings adjust down previous expectations to the size and type of effects to be gained from universal group-based parent support in a well-resourced setting.

The problem of pain and its assessment in children with epidermolysis bullosa

Goal. Currently, there is an increasing interest in the treatment and improvement of the quality of life of patients with rare chronic diseases, and one of the urgent issues remains the problem of pain syndrome assessment and prevention. The purpose of the review article was to study the problem of pain and its assessment in children with epidermolysis bullosa. Theoretical justification. In the article, the problem of pain is considered as a complex biopsychosocial phenomenon, according to the results of a theoretical review, the main provisions of the concept of the multifactorial nature of pain are presented, which must be taken into account when selecting tools for assessing pain when working with gene dermatoses (epidermolysis bullosa) in childhood. Based on the analysis of Russian and foreign studies, a number of the most problematic areas in the assessment of pain in children are identified. Results and their discussion. According to the results of the analysis of a number of studies, the description of the main manifestations of epidermolysis bullosa and possible causes of pain is given. The biopsychosocial multifactorial nature of pain is considered, its neurobiological, psychological and functional consequences are presented, and on the basis of the research presented, conclusions are drawn for the first time about the principles of selecting the most effective tools for assessing pain and its impact on the vital activity of children with a chronic incurable disease. Pain assessment should include children’s previous experiences and expectations, coping strategies and pain relief resources, and communication features with caring adults. All forms of epidermolysis bullosa are characterized by pain and discomfort, and their elimination plays a key role in terms of the patient’s well-being and quality of life.

Examining Illusory Touch Perception in Virtual Reality among Virtual Reality Users

The phenomenon of illusory touch perception in virtual reality (VR) is a subject of increasing intrigue within online VR communities, where users report experiencing tactile sensations in the absence of direct physical contact, triggered solely by visual stimuli. This paper presents an exploratory study aimed at understanding the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the development of such illusory touch perceptions in immersive virtual environments. Through an online survey targeting VR users, this study collected qualitative data on the nature and frequency of these experiences. The survey was complemented by a review of existing literature on touch perception and multisensory integration, providing a foundational understanding of how sensory information is processed and perceived. The findings suggest that certain visual cues in VR can evoke tactile sensations, a phenomenon that may be enhanced by the immersive quality of the virtual environment and the user's previous sensory experiences and expectations. This paper discusses potential contributors to the phenomenon, such as the realism of the virtual environment, the user's level of immersion and presence, and the congruence of multisensory stimuli. Although this study sheds light on the conditions that may facilitate illusory touch perception in VR, the complexity of human sensory processing necessitates further research. Controlled experimental studies are required to establish a causal relationship between specific factors and the experience of illusory touch in VR, which could have significant implications for the fields of virtual reality and sensory augmentation technology.