Background: Although previous studies have shown an inverse relation between life meaning and eating disorder symptoms, the correlational nature of this evidence precludes causal inferences. Therefore, this study used an experimental approach to test the causal impact of life meaning on individuals' weight and shape concerns.Methods: Female students at risk for developing an eating disorder were randomly assigned to the control or the meaning condition, which involved thinking about and committing to pursue intrinsically valued life goals. A color-naming interference task (...) was used to assess the motivational salience of body-related stimuli, and self-report measures were used to assess participants' overvaluation of weight and shape.Results: The meaning manipulation was effective in activating intrinsically valued life goals. However, it did not result in lower self-reported overvaluation of weight and shape or lower color-naming interference effects of body-related stimuli, compared to the control condition. Post-hoc analyses suggested that baseline meaning in life was related to the impact of the manipulation.Conclusions: This experimental study did not provide evidence for a causal influence of life meaning on the overvaluation of weight and shape in a high-risk group. The current findings suggest that we first need to examine the relationship between life meaning and eating disorder symptoms in more detail, before implementing brief meaning manipulations in clinical practice. (shrink)

§ 1. The dates for Peisistratus’ reigns and exiles in the Athenaion Politeia, as given in the papyrus, which is the sole authority for the text, are as follows.

The internal paradoxes in the quantum measurement scheme related to violation of conservation laws, changes in entropy, absence of a dynamic description of collapse, Wigner's friend, as well as the paradox of violation of causality in the EPR experiment are shown to be partially circumvented in the measurement scheme of stochastic quantum mechanics.

Aim: To improve clinical and ethical understanding of patient preferences for information and involvement in decision making.Objectives: To develop and evaluate a clinical tool to elicit these preferences and to consider the ethical issues raised.Design: A before and after study.Setting: Three UK hospices.Participants: Patients with advanced life-threatening illnesses and their doctors.Intervention: Questionnaire on information and decision-making preferences.Main outcome measures: Patient-based outcome measures were satisfaction with the amount of information given, with the way information was given, with family or carer information, (...) and confidence about future decision making. Doctor-based outcome measures were confidence in matching information to patient preference, matching family or carer communication to patient preference, knowing patient preferences and matching future decision making with patient preference.Results: Of 336 admissions, 101 patients completed the study . Patient satisfaction with the way information was given and family communication improved after introduction of the tool. Doctor confidence improved across all outcome measures .Conclusions: Patient satisfaction and doctor confidence were improved by administering the questionnaire, but complex ethical issues were raised by implementing and applying this research. The balance of ethical considerations were changed by advanced life-threatening illness, because there is increased risk of harm through delivery of information discordant with the patient’s own preferences. The importance of truly understanding patient preferences towards the end of life is highlighted by this study. (shrink)