Psychological Security and Its Relationship to Empathy Among a Sample of Early Childhood in Jubail Industrial City

The current research aims at revealing the relationship between psychological security and empathy in the stage of early childhood at the Jubail Industrial City. Its significance can be attributed to the importance of developing empathy among children, enlightening the community and educators about the importance of psychological security and its relationship to empathy among children in the early childhood stage. An analytical descriptive approach was employed as it suits the nature of the current research. A random sample comprising 204 children in the early childhood stage. Having applied the psychological security [1] and empathy scales [2] to the research sample, the following result was reached. There is a statistically significant correlation between psychological security and empathy in a sample of children in the early childhood stage in Jubail Industrial City

Novel study designs to investigate the placebo response

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Investigating the size and mechanisms of the placebo response in clinical trials have relied on experimental procedures that simulate the double-blind randomized placebo-controlled design. However, as the conventional design is thought to elucidate drug rather than placebo actions, different methodological procedures are needed for the placebo response.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We reviewed the respective literature for trials designs that may be used to elucidate the size of the placebo response and the mechanisms associated with it.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In general, this can be done by either manipulation the information provided to the subjects, or by manipulation the timing of the drug applied. Two examples of each strategy are discussed: the "balanced placebo design" (BDP) and the "balanced cross-over design" (BCD) and their variants are based on false information, while the "hidden treatment" (HT) and the ""delayed response test" (DRT) are based on manipulating the time of drug action. Since most such approaches include deception or incomplete information of the subjects they are suitable for patient only with authorized deception.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Both manipulating the information provided to subjects (BDP, DCD) or manipulating the timing of drug application (HT, DRT) allows overcoming some of the restrictions of conventional drug trials in the assessment of the placebo response, but they are feasible mostly in healthy subjects for ethical reasons.</p