Specific Thoughts Research Articles

“There’s no good, it’s just satisfactory”: perfectionism, performance, and perfectionistic reactivity in NCAA student-athletes

ABSTRACT Perfectionistic reactivity is a characteristic style of responding to adversity that elicits a bio-psychosocial response. Those with elevated levels of perfectionistic tendencies are thought to react disproportionately in the face of successes or failures. The present two-study paper was designed to understand the role of perfectionism in predicting season-long performance in collegiate golf while also gaining insight into NCAA student-athletes’ lived experiences of perfectionism and reactivity. In Study 1, self-report measures of perfectionism were collected from 46 NCAA golf student-athletes. Tournament scores were then recorded over the NCAA’s 12-week competitive season. Data were examined using a two-level hierarchical linear model to test the moderating effect of perfectionism on student-athlete hole-over-hole performance across an entire season. In Study 2, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six student-athletes from the Study 1 sample who had self-reported high levels of perfectionistic strivings and concerns. Data were examined utilizing reflexive thematic analysis. Collectively, findings suggest that there is still work to be done to wholly understand the influence of perfectionism on sporting performance. However, athletes revealed during interviews that they experience perfectionistic reactivity through a multitude of biopsychosocial dimensions related to affect, behaviour, and cognition. Findings will allow future scholars to examine different measures of perfectionism across different performance intervals while considering the conceptual and empirical underpinnings of perfectionistic reactivity. Furthermore, future research could be designed to understand the specific circumstances under which specific thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are experienced in relation to perfectionistic reactivity.

Getting Serious About Games: Exploring How Game-Based Learning Is Used in Education and Therapy

Purpose: The increasing interest in game-based learning (GBL) provides an opportunity to enhance interprofessional collaboration between speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and teachers. The purpose of this two-part article is to determine the similarities and differences between how teachers and SLPs think about and employ GBL. Method: Two distinct methods were used to research GBL. First, a systematic literature review gathered information on teachers' perspectives on GBL, including the benefits and implementation challenges. The important features of the learning games were also catalogued. Then, a qualitative study of focus groups containing both SLPs and teachers examined the shared and disparate views of GBL. Results: The initial literature review identified potential shared viewpoints of GBL as a motivational activity with a focus on learning and potential differences in implementation, use of professional time, and balancing fun and learning. The findings of the qualitative study validated that although teachers and SLPs share specific thoughts on GBL, their different patterns of use drive different paths for game selection and development. Conclusions: The similarities and differences between how teachers think about and use GBL are reviewed, and clinical implications are discussed. As with many interprofessional issues, GBL can be supported by collaborative practices that allow professionals to share their time and experiences while acknowledging and valuing their different expertise.

The Changes in Drug Laws to Apply the Death Penalty for Drug-Related Offences in Vietnam

Vietnam has a history of executing individuals for particularly serious crimes. Applying the death penalty for drug-related crimes has sparked considerable debate since the first criminal code in 1985. Vietnam has retained this toughest punishment as one of the deterrent methods to combat drug trafficking in the last three decades. However, as a retentionist-and-reductionist state, Vietnam abolished capital punishment for several crimes in the last code (2015), including drug possession and appropriation. The application of the death penalty for drug offences in Vietnam has evolved in response to international standards and the country’s global integration. Despite these changes, the death penalty remains a contentious issue in Vietnam, with the country maintaining its right to use it in its criminal code system. The path towards the complete abolition of capital punishment for drug offences is still uncertain because this complex issue involves political, legal, and social aspects in Vietnam’s context, particularly when the Communist Party’s ideologies still prefer a supply-driven reduction. This study uses personal reflections from over 20 years to focus and combine with the grey literature from national reports and desk-study in Vietnam’s legislative documents. Seven specific thoughts with relevant recommendations in the last section will explain why we should need further evidence to (re)call for consideration to reduce the death penalty for drug offences before requesting/asking Vietnam to abolish these concerns immediately.

Prefrontal engagement predicts the effect of museum visit on psychological well-being: an fNIRS exploration.

Recent research suggests that museum visits can benefit psychological well-being by reducing symptoms of stress and anxiety. However, these reported relaxing effects remain inconsistent between studies. Shedding light on the underlying cerebral mechanisms of museum visits might support a better understanding of how it affects psychological well-being. This study aimed to investigate the prefrontal engagement evoked by artwork analysis during a museum visit and to determine if these prefrontal substrates are associated with the museum's effect on psychological well-being in older adults. Nineteen adults aged between 65 and 79, toured a Baroque-style exhibit at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts for approximately 20 minutes while equipped with a near-infrared spectroscopy system measuring the prefrontal cortex's hemodynamic activity. For each painting, participants received the instruction to either (1): analyze the painting and produce a personal interpretation of its signification (analytic condition) or (2) visualize the painting without any specific thoughts (visualization condition). Questionnaires measuring stress, anxiety, and well-being were administered before and after the visit. Sixteen older women (71.5 ± 4 years) were included in the analyses. Results showed that, at the group level, the analytic condition was associated with an increased activation pattern in the left ventrolateral prefrontal region, typically related to attentional processes (not observed in the visualization condition). The activation associated with the analytic condition predicted pre-/post-visit reductions in self-reported anxiety and stress in the sample of older women. These observations suggest that the level of engagement of attentional processes during artwork analysis may play a major role in the effect of a museum's visit on self-reported symptoms of anxiety.

Cross-cultural assessment of the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the perceived mental health and medical experiences of persons with inherited bleeding disorders and their parents/guardians

ABSTRACT Background Objectives were to 1) assess COVID-19-associated medical and psychological challenges facing persons with inherited bleeding disorders (PIBD) and their parents/guardians (PG) in Germany, the US, and the UK; 2) describe similarities and differences among these countries; 3) identify needs and opportunities for intervention by patient advocacy organizations (PAGs). Research Design & Methods A cross-sectional, international survey was conducted in three countries using validated psychometric instruments and investigator-developed items. Results Five hundred and four surveys were included. Significant differences between countries were found including experiences with medical care, specific thoughts, and concerns about COVID-19, anxiety, and other mental health measures, as well as resources used to cope with stress. Age, education, income, race, IBD diagnosis, PIBD vs. BD group, and gender had moderating effects on resources used. Communication with friends/relatives and use of PAG and HTCs as resources for information/coping decreased in all countries during the pandemic. Conclusions There were similarities and differences between respondents across the country in the perceived impact of the pandemic, mental health scores, and strategies used to cope with stress. Recommendations: strategies to increase PAG access for PIBD and their PG during pandemics and natural disasters, ongoing assessment and adaptation to provide supportive resources to specific patient subgroups.

No evidence of association between autism spectrum quotient and spontaneous mental time travel in a general adult sample performing an online vigilance task

AbstractEvidence supports the dissociation of voluntary and spontaneous routes to past and future thinking, collectively referred to as mental time travel (MTT). If the diminished voluntary MTT ability found in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is attributable to a deficit in constructive/generative processes not necessary for spontaneous MTT, ASD traits (Autism Spectrum Quotient score) in a general adult sample should not be related to total spontaneous thoughts, probability of past or future thoughts, or probability of specific thoughts during an undemanding vigilance task. Results supported this hypothesis: AQ was not associated with total spontaneous thoughts and did not significantly predict the other measures. This is the first study to explore spontaneous MTT in relation to ASD traits, further supporting the argument that voluntary MTT may be compromised in ASD due to reliance on constructive/generative processes and reinforcing the notion of dissociable cognitive routes to MTT.

Quantum Entanglement of the Brain, Dynamics of Information, and Intelligent Finance

Our research forms two directions, the first considers two approaches to the brain, one based on classical mechanics, the second using quantum physics, the second direction of research refers to the dynamics of0 information as an interaction between differential geometry, mathematical statistics, probability theory. and quantum mechanics which led to the construction of classical and quantum information geometry. Financial entanglement is multidimensiona in time and space, dynamic, less understood and interesting because it functions in real life, like the brain. Neuroscientists who focus on mathematical frameworks for how the brain’s shape affects its activity—an area of mathematical neuroscience called neural field theory  will begin to understand the relationship between brain shape, structure, and function in yet another way. Analysis of research into the geometry of the brain’s contours, that is, the way in which brain activity resonates over and through its architecture, is perhaps more significant than the connections between neurons. Research by scientists from the University of Sydney and Monash University showed that the overall shape and geometry of the human brain – its contours and curvature – has a greater influence on brain dynamics than the internal connectivity of brain cells (Our brain shape influences how it works, 2023) in short, Australian scientists indicate the possibility of predicting brain function directly from its shape. “We have long thought that specific thoughts or sensations elicit activity in specific parts of the brain, but this study reveals that structured patterns of activity are excited across nearly the entire brain, just like the way in which a musical note arises from vibrations occurring along the entire length of a violin string, and not just an isolated segment,” (Dr J. Pang,2023).”We found that eigenmodes defined by brain geometry – its contours and curvature – represented the strongest anatomical constraint on brain function, much like the shape of a drum influences the sounds it can make” (A. Fornito, 2023). “Using mathematical models, we confirmed theoretical predictions that the close link between geometry and function is driven by wave-like activity propagating throughout the brain, just as the shape of a pond influences the wave ripples that are formed by a falling pebble” (A. Fornito, 2023).

Most Patients With Bone Sarcomas Seek Emotional Support and Information About Other Patients' Experiences: A Thematic Analysis.

Online discussion forums allow individuals who otherwise may be strangers to create a community where they can seek and share information. Patients with bone sarcomas and their support networks use discussion forums dedicated to cancer support. There is a paucity of published reports regarding the care experience of patients with bone sarcomas because studies on online discussion groups have primarily focused on some of the more common cancers, including breast and prostate cancer. Understanding commonly discussed themes among patients with bone sarcomas would allow treating physicians to have a better understanding of patient concerns when providing patient education and counseling. We performed this study to review posts from bone sarcoma internet discussion boards to establish common themes related to the care experience of patients with sarcomas. Online discussion forums were identified using the search term "sarcoma discussion forum." After identifying 12 websites, we excluded closed forum groups, websites with missing or invalid links to forums, and nonpublic forums, such as groups on Facebook. These websites include profiles and photos that are personal, and sufficient author anonymity could not be achieved for this study. Posts written between January 1, 2012, and May 1, 2022, posted on five discussion boards were reviewed and collected until we reached a point of data saturation in which we agreed that the collection of additional posts would not reveal new themes. Discussion threads were filtered to identify posts pertaining to the most common bone sarcomas: chondrosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, and osteosarcoma. Grounded theory-the methodology of repeated analyses of qualitative data to identify recurring themes or concepts-was used to analyze posts. Caregiver posts were delineated from patient posts and categorized separately for subgroup analysis. Grounded theory, although a qualitative method, endeavors to integrate the strengths inherent in quantitative methods with qualitative approaches. Grounded theory categorizes words, language, and the meanings these imply and seeks to organize and reduce the data gathered into themes or essences, which, in turn, can be fed into descriptions, models, or theories. Our analysis used three reviews of text to assign and group codes based on repeating ideas or concepts. The first review (open coding) aims to assign codes based on the verbatim text included by the author to capture the specific thoughts and ideas of the post. The second review (axial coding) aims to consolidate the ideas of posts by applying broader concepts to each post. The third and final review (selective coding) aims to further consolidate the themes of each post by trying to embody the main message contained in a post. A total of 570 posts from 139 threads were collected and analyzed using grounded theory. Twenty-five axial codes and four selective codes were created. We defined data saturation by the absence of a new open code in the analysis of a block of 50 posts to ensure that signals of saturation were not accepted too early in the analysis. The four selective codes included emotional aspects or connecting with others, information support: diagnosis, information support: treatment, and information support: recovery. Of these four codes, emotional aspects and connecting with others was the most prevalent theme (78% [445 of 570] of posts) followed by information support: treatment (49% [282 of 570] of posts). Information support: diagnosis and information support: recovery were each captured in 15% of posts. Analysis of posts reveals that the two most common themes involve seeking out emotional support and information about the experiences of others with various treatment modalities. Although most of the posts we assessed contained experiential information and emotional support rather than directed medical advice, future studies should assess the accuracy of information shared among online sarcoma forums. Physicians caring for patients with sarcomas should not only address patient concerns related to medical care, but also provide emotional support directly and assist patients by providing resources to peer support outlets, including online discussion forums. Although we cannot ascertain the proportion of patients who use online sites given the anonymity of posts included, these findings suggest common experiential themes across patients with sarcomas outside their doctors' offices. It is important that providers be aware of reputable forums to provide as resources for their patients. The Musculoskeletal Tumor Society may further benefit from endorsing one or more of these forums and providing physician oversight to monitor misinformation.

Distinct frontoparietal brain dynamics underlying the co-occurrence of autism and ADHD.

Previous diagnostic systems precluded the co-existence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in one person; but, after many clinical reports, such diagnostic criteria were updated to allow their co-occurrence. Despite such a clinical change, the neurobiological bases underpinning the comorbidity remain poorly understood, and whether the ASD+ADHD condition is a simple overlap of the two disorders is unknown. Here, to answer this question, we compared the brain dynamics of high-functioning ASD+ADHD children with age-/sex-/IQ-matched pure ASD, pure ADHD, and typically developing children. Regarding autistic traits, the socio-communicational symptom of the ASD+ADHD children was explained by the same over-stable brain dynamics as seen in pure ASD. In contrast, their ADHD-like traits were grounded on a unique neural mechanism that was unseen in pure ADHD: the core symptoms of pure ADHD were associated with the overly flexible whole-brain dynamics that were triggered by the unstable activity of the dorsal-attention network and the left parietal cortex; by contrast, the ADHD-like cognitive instability of the ASD+ADHD condition was correlated with the atypically frequent neural transition along a specific brain state pathway, which was induced by the atypically unstable activity of the frontoparietal control network and the left prefrontal cortex. These observations need to be validated in future studies using more direct and comprehensive behavioural indices, but the current findings suggest that the ASD+ADHD comorbidity is not a mere overlap of the two disorders. Particularly, its ADHD-like traits could represent a unique condition that would need a specific diagnosis and bespoke treatments.Significance statementChildren with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have cognitive rigidity and tend to persist in specific thoughts, whereas those with ADHD exhibit overly flexible cognition and have trouble with concentration. Despite such contrast, clinically, the two neurodevelopmental disorders are often reported to co-exist in one person. How can such a co-occurrence happen? By investigating the global and local brain dynamics, this study found that the comorbidity of ASD and ADHD is not a simple overlap of the two conditions. Instead, the cognitive instability seen in ASD+ADHD children was underpinned by unique brain dynamics that were not observed in pure ADHD. These findings indicate that the comorbid condition would need a bespoke diagnosis and treatment.

TPoet: Topic-Enhanced Chinese Poetry Generation

Chinese poetry generation has been a challenging part of natural language processing due to the unique literariness and aesthetics of poetry. In most cases, the content of poetry is topic related. In other words, specific thoughts or emotions are usually expressed regarding given topics. However, topic information is rarely taken into consideration in current studies about poetry generation models. In this article, we propose a topic-enhanced Chinese poetry generation model called TPoet in which the topic model is integrated into the Transformer-based auto-regressive text generation model. By feeding topic information to the input layer and heterogeneous attention mechanism, TPoet can implicitly learn the latent information of topic distribution. In addition, by setting multiple identifiers such as segment, rhyme, and tone, the model can explicitly learn the constraints of generated poems. Extensive experimental results show that the quality of TPoet-generated poems outperforms the current advanced models or systems, and the topic consistency and diversity in generated poems have been significantly improved as well.

End of life care: Preferences of patients with advanced urologic and dermatologic malignancies.

e24006 Background: Patients with advanced malignancies often have specific thoughts about their final phase of life. When asked, most people want to die at home. The reality is that most die in hospitals or care facilities and that many patients take no precautions in terms of a living will or health care proxy. One of the reasons for this may be that it is still considered taboo to talk about dying and patients do not discuss their wishes for the last phase of life with their relatives and treating physicians. Early end-of-life care conversations may have benefits for cancer patients. The aim of this study was to elucidate the thoughts of cancer patients toward their end of life as well as whether they communicated their wishes and took precautions. Methods: We conducted an exploratory survey among patients with advanced urologic and dermatologic malignancies at a German tertiary referral center. A 31-item questionnaire was completed by patients during their clinic appointment. Inclusion criteria were metastatic or irresectable prostate cancer, urothelial carcinoma, or renal cell carcinoma under palliative systemic therapy, as well as locally advanced or metastatic melanoma, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, or Merkel cell carcinoma under therapy. Results: In total, 238 patients (161 male, 77 female; 150 dermatologic and 88 urologic patients) completed the questionnaire. Symptoms were reported by 74% and 10% even described 5 or more symptoms (predominantly pain, sleep disturbances, anxiety, constipation/diarrhea). The majority (90%) stated that they had thought about their preferred place of death but 58% did not inform anyone about it. Overall, 74% wanted to die at home. However, this figure was significantly lower with a shift towards hospice as the preferred place of death among patients with a high symptom burden (p < 0.001; [2.88-50.51] OR: 12.02) and those living alone (p = 0.01; [0.12-0.81] OR: 0.31). 61% had established a living will and/or a health care proxy. Whereas 2 out of 3 patients at least sometimes thought and talked about their end of life, 85% had not talked with their Oncologist about care options if their health deteriorated. More than half of those, however, were interested or at least open to having a conversation about it. Conclusions: Our data show that 9 out of 10 patients reflected on their preferred place of death, but only few actually talked about it to someone. While most patients had thoughts and family conversations about the final phase of life, only a minority had addressed this with their physicians. Thus, early care planning discussions should actively be offered by physicians and healthcare staff in order to overcome cultural and psychological barriers so that the wishes of patients in an incurable situation can be expressed and respected. This could help to initiate early palliative care, reduce symptom burden, improve quality of life, and prevent overtreatment of patients in the last phase of life.

“Don't [ruminate], be happy”: A cognitive perspective linking depression and anhedonia

Anhedonia, a lack of pleasure in things an individual once enjoyed, and rumination, the process of perseverative and repetitive attention to specific thoughts, are hallmark features of depression. Though these both contribute to the same debilitating disorder, they have often been studied independently and through different theoretical lenses (e.g., biological vs. cognitive). Cognitive theories and research on rumination have largely focused on understanding negative affect in depression with much less focus on the etiology and maintenance of anhedonia. In this paper, we argue that by examining the relation between cognitive constructs and deficits in positive affect, we may better understand anhedonia in depression thereby improving prevention and intervention efforts. We review the extant literature on cognitive deficits in depression and discuss how these dysfunctions may not only lead to sustained negative affect but, importantly, interfere with an ability to attend to social and environmental cues that could restore positive affect. Specifically, we discuss how rumination is associated to deficits in working memory and propose that these deficits in working memory may contribute to anhedonia in depression. We further argue that analytical approaches such as computational modeling are needed to study these questions and, finally, discuss implications for treatment.

DETERMINATION OF PARENTS VIEWS ON THE ROLE OF BASKETBALL AND THE PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN

A family’s interest and level of knowledge in sports, play an essential role in the popularity of sports, developing a social dimension of sports and for future generations to be healthy (Yetim, 2005). Nowadays, sportive activities and organizations have increasingly become important due to these reasons. Personality refers to the consistent characteristic patterns that make a person unique and embraces continuous intellectual, emotional, social, and physical aspects of an individual. In this sense, personality is the key element that determines relatively persistent tendencies of behavior, relationship patterns, and reactions of an individual. Another description of personality emphasized that personality is the collection of systems within an individual that determines his or her specific thoughts and behaviors (Taymur, 2012). Freud believed that the unconscious mind and biology of an individual are important for development of the personality traits; however, Erikson’s view showed that cultural and social factors are more important in the development of the personality traits. Erik Erikson was influenced by Sigmund Freud; however, Erikson’s theory differs from Freud’s views on personality development in psychoanalytic theory and his approach toward individuals. Development experiences of a child’s motor skills, play a role in shaping his or her self-representation, as well as his or her personality. Negative early-life experiences inhibit personality development and may damage their self-esteem. If a child avoids some movements due to low self-esteem, this will hinder motor development and increase low self- esteem and anxiety. Motor development is an inseparable component for personality development and psychological development (İkizler, 2000). Children are always on the move while they are growing up. Each body part moves in a different direction and changes constantly. There are many studies which emphasize the importance of physical activity for children, in order to become healthy individuals during growth, education, and throughout their lifetime; and to have an active life. Sportive activities have a positive impact and play an important role in the academic achievement of children (Çağlar & Uluöz, 2016). Enabling education and resting at the same time, effective leisure time management is of great importance in terms of ensuring the socialization and personality development of children. Nowadays, sports are an significant area of interest in all societies. Sports is an essential area of interest, especially for young adults who are usually active and have infinite energy (Atlı, 2008). Children should be taught at an early age, that being active in sports is an essential element for building a healthy life that has a balance between sports and other interests (Leblanc and Dickson, 2005). The aim of this study was, to determine the views of the parents, who encourage their children to play sports or who encourage their children who have an interest in sports to acknowledge the role of sports in their personal development. These views were evaluated according to demographical characteristics of the parents. In this context, the determination of families’ attitudes, regarding their children to participate in sportive activities is an important point.

The Böckenförde Dictum, Aristotle’s Koinōnia, and the Debate on the Future of Europe - Discussed: Religion, Law, and Democracy: Selected Writings. By Ernst-Wolfgang Böckenförde. Edited by Mirjam Künkler and Tine Stein. Translated by Thomas Dunlap. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020. Pp. 480. $65.00 (cloth); Oxford Scholarship Online by subscription (digital). ISBN: 9780198818632. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198818632.001.0001.

AbstractAs a former diplomat currently engaged in praxis-oriented research and teaching, I examine Böckenförde’s importance in the broad context of the debate on the future of Europe. First, I trace some of Böckenförde’s specific thoughts on the development of the European Union, notably concerning trends that impact on the shared “sense of belonging” that underpins deliberative democracy. Second, accepting Böckenförde’s crucial distinction between the granular provisions of the law and an underlying ethos or sense of direction, I argue that the Böckenförde paradox is strongly supported at the roots of our culture by ancient Greek political thought, in ways that can help us develop our thinking in new directions—involving Aristotelian conceptions of orientation, community (koinōnia), and discernment. Finally, I address the challenges currently facing the European Union, taking as my point of departure President Emmanuel Macron’s evocation of the “contribution which a living Europe can bring to civilisation.” The political thought of Ernst-Wolfgang Böckenförde, illuminated by conceptions of orientation, community, and discernment, can help to prepare us for a future intercultural dialogue in the service of peace.

Suicide plan prevalence, recurrence, and longitudinal association with nonfatal suicide attempt.

Each year, millions of people develop suicide plans. These plans are assumed to indicate imminent suicide risk, yet this has rarely been tested. The present study seeks to address two questions: (1) how prevalent are specific thoughts of suicide plans among individuals with a history of suicidal thoughts and behaviors and (2) do suicide plans confer risk of future suicide attempts in the short term? Secondary data analysis was performed on a longitudinal dataset (N=1021). Prevalence and frequencies of suicide planning features (i.e., method, time, place) at baseline and 3, 14, and 28 days post-baseline were calculated. Logistic regressions were conducted to assess whether suicide plans confer risk of suicide attempts across a 28-day follow-up period. Suicide planning more commonly involved thoughts of method than place and/or time. High variability in suicide planning was evident and thoughts of suicide plans frequently recurred. Contrary to assumptions, suicide plans displayed weak associations with nonfatal suicide attempt across the 28-day follow-up period. Suicide plans appear heterogeneous in nature. They do not appear to play a strong role in predicting nonfatal suicide attempts. Re-evaluation of the central role that suicide plans occupy within clinical risk assessments may be warranted.

Reflections From Underrepresented in Medicine Applicants on the 2020 Virtual Interview Season.

Reflections From Underrepresented in Medicine Applicants on the 2020 Virtual Interview Season.

ПАРАМЕТРИ МОДАЛЬНОСТІ ПУБЛІЧНИХ ОФІЦІЙНО-ДІЛОВИХ ТЕКСТІВ

<p><strong><em>The purpose </em></strong><em>of the study is to clarify the concept of modality in the theory of social communications and information activities, characterize the modality parameters of official business texts and update the understanding of this category in business public space as a tool for conveying information.</em></p><p><strong><em>Research methodology.</em></strong><em> Methods of analysis and synthesis, </em><em>data systematization and their interpretation were used to study the modality of official business texts. A review of the literature on the study of modality is made, the question of multidisciplinarity of the analyzed phenomenon is raised, as well as approaches to the study of modality in the field of social communications are characterized. The content of official business texts of public space was involved in the analysis.</em></p><p><strong><em>Results.</em></strong><em> Based on the analysis of the scientific literature, the approaches to understanding the category of modality in public official business texts are updated, its types and forms of expression are characterized. Objective and subjective modalities, formal manifestations of its implementation are described. In the public sphere, through official business texts, the objective modality of the real world is expressed, except for documents that include hypothetical/ probable/ future considerations, such as a work plan or development strategy. These documents describe the pseudo-real world, on the one hand, and on the other – capture specific thoughts at a particular time of reality, ie refer to texts that denote the reality with signatures, dates, seals. Modal meanings are used in the texts of official business documents to emphasize the imperative nature of the message, to capture the truth as accurately as possible, to motivate the recipient to take action, or vice versa – to deter violations through instructions, rules, regulations.</em><em></em></p><p><strong><em>Practical significance.</em></strong><em> The results of the research can be used in the study of courses in «Journalism» and «Information Business» on questions of surveying the properties of public information, understanding its potential and methods of implementation, as well as </em><em>by practitioners of the information sphere to understand the tools of reproduction and assessment of reality in modern public space.</em></p><p><strong><em>Key</em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong><strong><em>words:</em></strong><em> modality, official business text, subjective modality, objective modality.</em></p>

People Have Mixed Reactions to Both Physiological and Psychological Explanations of Disproportionate Pain.

There are two general frameworks that conceptualize pain that is more intense or persistent than expected based on measurable pathologic findings: the psychological (unhelpful thoughts and emotions) and the physiological (purported nervous system dysfunction, such as central sensitization). Some clinicians believe people will be more receptive to a physiological conceptualization. Prior quantitative research demonstrated that carefully crafted psychological explanations are rated similarly to crafted physiological explanations, with relatively mixed reactions. This qualitative study was undertaken in parallel with that quantitative study to help develop effective communication and treatment strategies by identifying specific thoughts and feelings (themes) regarding the physiological and psychological conceptualizations of disproportionate pain that make people more or less comfortable considering comprehensive, biopsychosocial treatment approaches. What themes arise in patient thoughts and feelings regarding physiological and psychological conceptualizations of pain that is more intense or persistent than expected? We sought to understand the experience of considering pain as a biopsychosocial experience (phenomenology approach) by studying the thoughts and feelings that arise as people seeking care for arm and back pain engage with physiological and psychological conceptualizations of pain that is more intense or persistent than one would expect based on the pathology. We recruited 29 patients presenting for upper extremity or back pain specialty care at one of two urban offices, intentionally recruiting people of various ages, genders, backgrounds, socioeconomic status, as well as type and duration of pain (purposive sampling). The 29 patients included 18 women and 11 men (16 married, 15 non-White, 20 with arm pain) with a median (interquartile range) age of 62 years (42 to 67). The interviews were conducted by a trained woman orthopaedic surgeon interviewer using a semistructured interview guide soliciting participants' thoughts and feelings about a physiological explanation (nerves in the central nervous system stuck in the on position can make pain more intense) and a psychological explanation (unhelpful thoughts and feelings of distress can make pain more intense) for pain more intense or persistent than expected. The interviews were transcribed and themes were identified as the data were collected. Based on current experimental evidence, including what is known about the physiological effects of thoughts, feelings, and context (placebo/nocebo effects), we assumed an underlying physiological basis for pain that is variably experienced and expressed (mixed postpositive/interpretive approach). Themes were identified in the interview transcripts systematically by two coders and then discussed with the entire research team to arrive at consensus. We stopped enrolling patients when the authors agreed that additional themes did not arise in five consecutive interviews. The following themes and interpretations were derived from the analysis: Neither the physiological nor the psychological explanation for disproportionate pain (1) avoided the stigma associated with mental health, (2) was consistently understood, (3) provided a consistent sense of control, (4) consistently provided hope, and (5) represented the stress and emotion of disproportionate or persistent pain. The physiological explanation also generated mixed reactions regarding whether or not it: (1) was a useful point of conversation, (2) was reassuring or frightening, and (3) supported physiological or psychological treatments. The psychological explanation made some people feel worse. People have mixed reactions to both physiological and psychological explanations of disproportionate pain. As such, without direction on content, communication might be most effective by focusing on relational aspects, such as emotional connection and trust. Although there is room to improve the content of strategies for explaining more pain than expected to patients, our findings extend the discoveries of others in highlighting the need for tailored relational communication strategies that prioritize feeling heard, validated, and accompanied.

The Impact of a Short-Term Mental Health Intervention Delivered in an Australian Prison: A Multi-Cultural Comparison

The Australian prison population is increasingly diverse, yet there is limited research assessing the impact of mental health interventions across culturally diverse groups. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a short-term psycho-educational program on psychological distress, symptoms of mental illness, coping processes, cognitive fusion (i.e., attachment to patterns of thinking or specific thoughts) and somatic issues for 124 people in prison. Cross-cultural comparisons for intervention effects were made for three cultural groups: culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD; N = 45), Indigenous Australian (N = 24) and English-speaking background (ESB; N = 55). Several differences in intervention outcomes were observed across the cultural groups. Following completion of the program, ESB participants reported significantly reduced levels of depressive symptoms, avoidance coping, cognitive fusion and somatic issues. CALD participants reported significantly reduced somatic issues post-intervention. No significant differences were found in the Indigenous Australian group. These findings indicate that cultural background may influence the effectiveness of mental health interventions delivered within prisons. As such, prisons should aim to offer specialized culturally appropriate mental health services to meet diverse needs.

What does antisectarianism oppose? Lebanese communists’ debates on sectarianism, 1975–1981

ABSTRACT This article traces the debates of communists regarding the issue of sectarianism during the Lebanese civil war. Sectarianism in the Middle East has received significant attention, and in the same vein, there is a rising interest in thoughts opposing sectarianism. However, ‘sectarianism’ is an ambiguous term, and it is important to delineate exactly what a specific antisectarian thought opposes. The debates of the Lebanese communists prove this point well. Lebanese communists took part in the civil war (1975–1990), calling for the abolition of political sectarianism, but also collaborated with forces promoting interests specific to Muslims, and this was deemed by some as ‘sectarian’. Thus, the communists had a difficult task of theorizing their position opposing sectarianism, while allying themselves with allegedly ‘sectarian’ forces. In this context, communists debated the meaning of ‘sectarianism’, deliberating whether sectarianism is a social or political problem. By tracing these debates, I will argue that it is necessary to consider antisectarianism not as one thought that opposes an already determined ‘sectarianism’, but as specific thoughts that contest the definition of ‘sectarianism’ it seeks to overcome. Such a view will enrich our understanding of the history of secular thought in the Arab region.