What does “moderate pain” mean? Subgroups holding different conceptions of rating scales evaluate experimental pain differently

Background Pain ratings are almost ubiquitous in pain assessment, but their variability is high. Low correlations of continuous/numerical rating scales with categorical scales suggest that individuals associate different sensations with the same number on a scale, jeopardizing the interpretation of statistical results. We analysed individual conceptions of rating scales and whether these conceptions can be utilized in the analysis of ratings of experimental stimuli in pain‐free healthy individuals and people with reoccurring/persistent pain. Methods Using a free positioning task, healthy participants (N = 57) and people with reoccurring/persistent pain (N = 57) ad libitum positioned pain descriptors on lines representing intensity and un‐/pleasantness scales. Furthermore, participants rated experimental thermal stimuli on visual analogue scales with the same end anchors. A latent class regression approach was used to detect subgroups with different response patterns in the free positioning task, indicating different conceptions of pain labels, and tested whether these subgroups differed in their ratings of experimental stimuli. Results Subgroups representing different conceptions of pain labels could be described for the intensity and the un‐/pleasantness scale with in part opposing response patterns in the free positioning task. Response patterns did not differ between people with and without pain, but in people with pain subgroups showed differential ratings of high intensity experimental stimuli. Conclusions Individuals\u27 conceptions of pain labels differ. These conceptions can be quantified and utilized to improve the analysis of ratings of experimental stimuli. Identifying subgroups with different conceptions of pain descriptions could be used to improve predictions of responses to pain in clinical contexts. Significance The present results provide a novel approach to incorporate individual conceptualizations of pain descriptors, which can induce large distortions in the analysis of pain ratings, in pain assessment. The approach can be used to achieve better pain estimates, representing individual conceptions of pain and achieving a better comparability between individuals but also between pain‐free persons and patients with chronic pain. Particularly, in clinical settings this could improve quantification of perceived pain and the patient‐clinician communication

Perception of repeated pain relief with controllable and uncontrollable pain

Background The ultimate goal of pain research is to provide effective routes for pain relief. Nevertheless, the perception pain relief as a change in pain intensity and un‐/pleasantness has only been rarely investigated. It has been demonstrated that pain relief has rewarding and reinforcing properties, but it remains unknown whether the perception of pain relief changes when pain reductions occur repeatedly. Further, it remains an open question whether the perception of pain relief depends on the controllability of the preceding pain. Methods In this study, healthy volunteers (N = 38) received five cycles of painful heat stimulation and reduction of this stimulation to a non‐painful warm stimulation once in a condition with control of the stimulation and once without control. Participants rated perceived intensity and un‐/pleasantness on visual analogue scales during the heat stimulation and immediately after its reduction. Results Results showed that perceived pain relief, estimated by the difference in ratings during ongoing heat stimulation and after its reduction, increased with repetitions. However, this increase levelled off after two to four repetitions. Further, perceived pain relief was larger in the condition without control compared to the condition with control. Conclusion The perception of pain relief can be modulated similar to the perception of pain by stimulus characteristics and psychological factors. Mechanistic knowledge about such modulating factors is important, because they can determine, e.g., the amount of requested pain killers in clinical settings and the efficacy of pain relief as a reinforcing stimulus. Significance When in pain, pain relief can become an all‐dominate goal. The perception of such pain relief can vary depending on external and internal characteristics and thus modulate, e.g., requests for pain killers in clinical settings. Here, we show that perceived intensity and pleasantness of pain relief changes with repetitions and whether the preceding pain is perceived as uncontrollable. Such mechanistic knowledge needs to be considered to maximize the effects of pain relief as a rewarding and reinforcing stimulus

Reliability of an Item Set Assessing Indoor Climate in Offices—Results From Field Studies and Laboratory Research

Assessing building user needs and preferences is widespread and often questionnaire surveys are applied in order to assess environmental perception and satisfaction. A central question in this context is the quality of the questionnaires used, but little is known regarding their reliability. The present study addresses interdisciplinary aspects such as engineering and psychological sciences to answer the questions: Are the same item sets applicable in various settings (e.g., seasons)? Is there any difference in the reliability of item sets assessing user satisfaction in field vs. laboratory research? In the present study, reliability analyses of an item set regarding satisfaction with indoor climate including the ASHRAE thermal sensation scale (single-item) as well as the thermal preference question were conducted with respect to season, office type, age group, and sex. Field data were gathered via post occupancy evaluation from 46 office buildings in Germany. Additionally, comparable items from laboratory research were subjected to a reliability analysis. Results revealed predominantly good to excellent Cronbach\u27s alpha values for the field studies. The values from the laboratory study were lower, although comparable (acceptable), partly due to the differences in variation in responses in field vs. laboratory settings. Results showed that questionnaires assessing user\u27s satisfaction need to be set in relation with the given context for reliable interpretation. Further research could validate our results with larger samples for laboratory data. Interdisciplinary research is necessary in order to further develop methodological approaches in the field of user comfort research

Evaluating assumptions of scales for subjective assessment of thermal environments – Do laypersons perceive them the way, we researchers believe?

International audienc

The impact of occupants’ behaviours on building energy analysis: A research review

Over the past 15 years, the evaluation of energy demand and use in buildings has become increasingly acute due to growing scientific and political pressure around the world in response to climate change. The estimation of the use of energy in buildings is therefore a critical process during the design stage. This paper presents a review of the literature published in leading journals through Science Direct and Scopus databases within this research domain to establish research trends, and importantly, to identify research gaps for future investigation. It has been widely acknowledged in the literature that there is an alarming performance gap between the predicted and actual energy consumption of buildings (sometimes this has been up to 300% difference). Analysis of the impact of occupants’ behaviour has been largely overlooked in building energy performance analysis. In short, energy simulation tools utilise climatic data and physical/ thermal properties of building elements in their calculations, and the impact of occupants is only considered through means of fixed and scheduled patterns of behaviour. This research review identified a number of areas for future research including: larger scale analysis (e.g. urban analysis); interior design, in terms of space layout, and fixtures and fittings on occupants’ behaviour; psychological cognitive behavioural methods; and the integration of quantitative and qualitative research findings in energy simulation tools to name but a few

Evaluating assumptions of scales for subjective assessment of thermal environments – Do laypersons perceive them the way, we researchers believe?

People's subjective response to any thermal environment is commonly investigated by using rating scales describing the degree of thermal sensation, comfort, and acceptability. Subsequent analyses of results collected in this way rely on the assumption that specific distances between verbal anchors placed on the scale exist and that relationships between verbal anchors from different dimensions that are assessed (e.g. thermal sensation and comfort) do not change. Another inherent assumption is that such scales are independent of the context in which they are used (climate zone, season, etc.). Despite their use worldwide, there is indication that contextual differences influence the way the scales are perceived and therefore question the reliability of the scales’ interpretation. To address this issue, a large international collaborative questionnaire study was conducted in 26 countries, using 21 different languages, which led to a dataset of 8225 questionnaires. Results, analysed by means of robust statistical techniques, revealed that only a subset of the responses are in accordance with the mentioned assumptions. Significant differences appeared between groups of participants in their perception of the scales, both in relation to distances of the anchors and relationships between scales. It was also found that respondents’ interpretations of scales changed with contextual factors, such as climate, season, and language. These findings highlight the need to carefully consider context-dependent factors in interpreting and reporting results from thermal comfort studies or post-occupancy evaluations, as well as to revisit the use of rating scales and the analysis methods used in thermal comfort studies to improve their reliability

The Scales Project, a cross-national dataset on the interpretation of thermal perception scales

Thermal discomfort is one of the main triggers for occupants' interactions with components of the built environment such as adjustments of thermostats and/or opening windows and strongly related to the energy use in buildings. Understanding causes for thermal (dis-)comfort is crucial for design and operation of any type of building. The assessment of human thermal perception through rating scales, for example in post-occupancy studies, has been applied for several decades; however, long-existing assumptions related to these rating scales had been questioned by several researchers. The aim of this study was to gain deeper knowledge on contextual influences on the interpretation of thermal perception scales and their verbal anchors by survey participants. A questionnaire was designed and consequently applied in 21 language versions. These surveys were conducted in 57 cities in 30 countries resulting in a dataset containing responses from 8225 participants. The database offers potential for further analysis in the areas of building design and operation, psycho-physical relationships between human perception and the built environment, and linguistic analyses

The Scales Project, a cross-national dataset on the interpretation of thermal perception scales

Thermal discomfort is one of the main triggers for occupants’ interactions with components of the built environment such as adjustments of thermostats and/or opening windows and strongly related to the energy use in buildings. Understanding causes for thermal (dis-)comfort is crucial for design and operation of any type of building. The assessment of human thermal perception through rating scales, for example in post-occupancy studies, has been applied for several decades; however, long-existing assumptions related to these rating scales had been questioned by several researchers. The aim of this study was to gain deeper knowledge on contextual influences on the interpretation of thermal perception scales and their verbal anchors by survey participants. A questionnaire was designed and consequently applied in 21 language versions. These surveys were conducted in 57 cities in 30 countries resulting in a dataset containing responses from 8225 participants. The database offers potential for further analysis in the areas of building design and operation, psycho-physical relationships between human perception and the built environment, and linguistic analyses