Carryover of previous treatment outcomes to subsequent medical treatment outcomes seems to be pervasive. The influence of a treatment history can generalize across treatments and across symptoms.... Show moreCarryover of previous treatment outcomes to subsequent medical treatment outcomes seems to be pervasive. The influence of a treatment history can generalize across treatments and across symptoms. These generalization effects in clinical practice have been studied experimentally in placebo and nocebo effects, which are beneficial and adverse effects that do not arise from active treatment components, respectively. The aim of this thesis was to answer the question of whether previously learned placebo and nocebo effects can generalize within and across somatosensory sensations. Additionally, the thesis also explored the role of individual characteristics as predictors (e.g., anxiety, stress, attention, catastrophizing) for the generalization of placebo and nocebo effects. The findings of the thesis have showed that placebo and nocebo effects can generalize within pain and itch modalities, but can not generalize from pain to itch and from itch to touch. The generalization effects of placebo and nocebo effects can not be predicted by psychological characteristics (e.g., anxiety- and stress symptoms) in healthy individuals. Moreover, the dissertation addresses the limitations of the work and directions for future research, as well as giving implications for clinic practice. Show less
For a majority of people worries about upcoming stressful events are a common experience in daily life. The aim of this thesis was to examine the effects of common worries on somatic health. In... Show moreFor a majority of people worries about upcoming stressful events are a common experience in daily life. The aim of this thesis was to examine the effects of common worries on somatic health. In particular, the effects of worry on somatic health complaints, like headache and back pain, and on cardiac activity after stressful events were tested. Furthermore, the mechanisms by which worry was hypothesized to affect somatic health were investigated. The studies in this thesis add to the accumulating number of studies testing the perseverative cognition hypothesis stating that only perseverative cognitive representations of stressful events (worries) lead to prolonged stress-related physiological activity which, in turn, can lead to somatic disease. Taken together, the studies reported in this thesis provide evidence for the perseverative cognition hypothesis, that is, worry predicted adverse somatic health outcomes. In addition, the results of the studies presented in the second part of this thesis yielded several new and more specific hypotheses concerning the mechanisms behind the health effects of worry and the effects of worry on stress management therapies. All in all, evidence from real life and laboratory studies makes clear that worry might play a substantial role in somatic health. Show less
