Does self-enhancement facilitate task performance?

Self-enhancement is a pervasive motivation that manifests broadly to promote and protect the positivity of the self. Research suggests that self-enhancement is associated with improved task performance. Untested, however, is whether that association is causal. The present research experimentally manipulated self-enhancement to examine its causal effect on task performance. Participants in 5 experiments were randomly assigned to self-enhance or not before completing a creativity task (Experiments 1–4) or pain-inducing cold-pressor task (Experiment 5). Results indicate that self-enhancing (but not self-effacing) on a dimension relevant (but not irrelevant) to the task facilitated performance. Furthermore, the data were consistent with the possibility that the performance facilitating effect of self-enhancement was mediated through task-relevant self-efficacy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)

from Journal of Experimental Psychology: General - Vol 146, Iss 3 http://ift.tt/2mf9SJ9
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Short-Term Effects of Thoracic Spine Manipulation on Shoulder Impingement Syndrome – A Randomized Controlled Trial

The potential role of sensory testing, skin biopsy, and functional brain imaging as biomarkers in chronic pain clinical trials: IMMPACT considerations

Valid and reliable biomarkers can play an important role in clinical trials as indicators of biological or pathogenic processes or as a signal of treatment response. Currently, there are no biomarkers for pain qualified by the US Food and Drug Administration or the European Medicines Agency for use in clinical trials. This article summarizes an Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials (IMMPACT) meeting in which 3 potential biomarkers were discussed for use in the development of analgesic treatments: (1) sensory testing, (2), skin punch biopsy, and (3) brain imaging.

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A brief tool to differentiate factors contributing to insomnia complaints.

Objective: A complaint of insomnia may have many causes. A brief tool examining contributing factors may be useful for nonsleep specialists. This study describes the development of the Insomnia Symptoms Assessment (ISA) for examining insomnia complaints. Method: ISA questions were designed to identify symptoms that may represent 1 of 8 possible factors contributing to insomnia symptoms, including delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS), shift work sleep disorder (SWSD), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), mental health, chronic pain, restless leg syndrome (RLS), poor sleep hygiene, and psychophysiological insomnia (PI). The ISA was completed by 346 new patients. Patients met with a sleep specialist who determined primary and secondary diagnoses. Results: Mean age was 45 (18–85) years and 51% were male. Exploratory factor analysis (n = 217) and confirmatory factor analysis (n = 129) supported 5 factors with good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha), including RLS (.72), OSA (.60), SWSD (.67), DSPS (.64), and PI (.80). Thirty percent had 1 sleep diagnosis with a mean of 2.2 diagnoses per patient. No diagnosis was entered for 1.2% of patients. The receiver operating characteristics were examined and the area under the curves calculated as an indication of convergent validity for the primary diagnosis (N = 346) were .97 for SWSD, .78 for OSA, .67 for DSPS, .54 for PI, and .80 for RLS. Conclusion: The ISA demonstrated good internal consistency and corresponds well to expert diagnoses. Next steps include setting sensitivity/specificity cutoffs to suggest initial treatment recommendations for use in other settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)

from Health Psychology - Vol 36, Iss 3 http://ift.tt/2mzcNdq
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Static and Dynamic Shoulder Imaging to Predict Initial Effectiveness and Recurrence After Ultrasound-guided Subacromial Corticosteroid Injections

Measures of upper limb function for people with neck pain. A systematic review of measurement and practical properties

There is a strong relationship between neck pain (NP) and upper limb disability (ULD). Optimal management of NP should incorporate upper limb rehabilitation and therefore include the use of an ULD measure in the assessment and management process. Clear guidance regarding the suitability of available measures does not exist. The aim of this study was to identify all available measures of ULD for populations with NP, critically evaluate their measurement properties and finally recommend a list of suitable measures.

from Musculoskeletal Science & Practice http://ift.tt/2lwSZZu
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An Improved Rodent Model of Trigeminal Neuropathic Pain by Unilateral Chronic Constriction Injury of Distal Infraorbital Nerve (dIoN-CCI)

The number of studies on trigeminal nerve injury using animal models remains limited. A rodent model of trigeminal neuropathic pain was first developed in the 1994, in which chronic constriction injury is induced by ligation of the infraorbital nerve (IoN-CCI). This animal model has served as a major tool to study trigeminal neuropathic pain. Unfortunately, the surgical procedure in this model is complicated and far more difficult than ligation of peripheral nerves (e.g. sciatic nerve). The aim of this study was to improve on the current surgical procedure of IoN ligation to induce trigeminal neuropathic pain in rats.

from The Journal of Pain http://ift.tt/2lB7ASi
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