Childhood trauma, negative schemas, and trust: an exploration using virtual reality

This thesis explores the impact of childhood trauma. Part one presents a systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between childhood sexual abuse and auditory hallucinations. The results suggest that sexual abuse increases the likelihood of auditory hallucination development. A dose-response relationship was also observed, whereby sexual abuse of greater severity was associated with increased symptom severity. The results are discussed in the context of current theoretical understandings of childhood risk factors and auditory hallucinations. Part two reports on an empirical study that used virtual reality to explore the impact of childhood interpersonal trauma and negative schemas on trust. Seventy participants from the general population interacted with a virtual avatar. Lower ratings of this avatar’s trustworthiness, as well as a preference for greater interpersonal distance, were shown to be associated with increased experiences of particular forms of childhood trauma. The majority of these associations were found to be mediated by negative beliefs about the self and others. The potential mechanisms underlying these specific associations and the clinical implications are discussed. This study was a joint research project completed with Emilie Bourke, a fellow D.Clin.Psy Trainee at University College London. The findings of this researcher’s thesis are presented separately. Part three is a critical appraisal, providing thoughts and personal reflections regarding the research process as a whole. It discusses the difficulties of recruiting a clinical sample, considers the complexities of the study of trauma, and remarks upon the bi-directional relationship between research and clinical practice

Do Interventions Designed to Support Shared Decision-Making Reduce Health Inequalities? : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Copyright: © 2014 Durand et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.Background: Increasing patient engagement in healthcare has become a health policy priority. However, there has been concern that promoting supported shared decision-making could increase health inequalities. Objective: To evaluate the impact of SDM interventions on disadvantaged groups and health inequalities. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials and observational studies.Peer reviewe

Role of fruit juice in achieving the 5-a-day recommendation for fruit and vegetable intake

Although there is strong evidence that consumption of fruit and vegetables is associatedwith a reduced rate of all-cause mortality, only a minority of the population consumes5 servings a day, and campaigns to increase intake have had limited success.This review examines whether encouraging the consumption of fruit juice might offera step toward the 5-a-day target. Reasons given for not consuming whole fruit involvepracticalities, inconvenience, and the effort required. Psychologically, what isimportant is not only basic information about health, but how individuals interprettheir ability to implement that information. It has been argued that fruit juice avoidsthe problems that commonly prevent fruit consumption and thus provides a practicalmeans of increasing intake and benefitting health through an approach with whichthe population can readily engage. Those arguing against consuming fruit juice emphasizethat it is a source of sugar lacking fiber, yet juice provides nutrients such asvitamin C, carotenoids, and polyphenols that offer health-related benefits. Actively encouragingthe daily consumption of fruit juice in public health policy could help populationsachieve the 5-a-day recommendation for fruit and vegetable intake

Prisma flow diagram.

<p>Prisma flow diagram.</p

Forest plot for continuous outcomes by study design.

<p>Forest plot for continuous outcomes by study design.</p

Forest plot for continuous outcomes.

<p>Forest plot for continuous outcomes.</p

Forest plot for binary outcomes.

<p>Forest plot for binary outcomes.</p

Included studies rated against the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool.

<p>Included studies rated against the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool.</p

Funnel plot for continuous outcomes.

<p>Funnel plot for continuous outcomes.</p