Faculty of Psychology

Zwangsstörungen (OCD) betreffen etwa 2-3 % der Bevölkerung und haben erhebliche Auswirkungen auf das Leben der Betroffenen. Typische Symptome sind aufdringliche Zwangsgedanken und zwanghafte Handlungen, die den Alltag massiv beeinträchtigen. Ohne Behandlung verlaufen Zwangsstörungen oft chronisch und können zu sozialer Isolation, beruflichen Einschränkungen und psychischer Belastung führen.

Die Exposition mit Reaktionsverhinderung (ERP) ist eine nachweislich effektive Methode zur Behandlung von Zwangsstörungen. Dabei setzen sich Betroffene in einem therapeutischen Rahmen den angstauslösenden Reizen aus, ohne die gewohnten Zwangshandlungen auszuführen. Diese Methode unterstützt sie dabei, alternative Bewältigungsstrategien zu entwickeln. Obwohl die Wirksamkeit von ERP gut belegt ist, zeigen internationale Studien, dass sie in der Praxis selten angeboten wird. Für die Schweiz fehlen bislang systematische Daten zur Anwendung von ERP und zur Versorgungslage von OCD-Betroffenen. 

Introduction

The high prevalence of pain in the emergency department (ED) highlights the importance of an accurate assessments to provide effective interventions. However, common pain scales such as the numerical pain rating scale have shown limitations in assessing analgesic requirements and adequacy. The ideal outcome for evaluating a pain scale predicting analgesic requirements would be the “need for analgesia”, for which there is no universally accepted definition. Accordingly, the primary aim of this study is to define the “need for analgesia” using an interdisciplinary approach. The secondary aim is to define the “adequacy of analgesia”.

Methods and analysis

A two-stage modified Delphi process will be conducted by a core study group chosen for its expertise in ED pain management. A larger expert panel, identified through a comprehensive search in Scopus and CINAHL databases, will be invited to participate in the study and will be supplemented by patients recruited via International Patient Organizations. In Stage 1, the expert panel will complete a written survey to collect potential clinical variables for defining the “need for analgesia” and “adequacy of analgesia”. The core study group will elaborate these variables. In stage 2, the same participants will use a five-point Likert scale to achieve consensus defined as 80% of combined agreement on the proposed variables. The same process will be used to define the “adequacy of analgesia”.

Ethics and Dissemination

The Ethics Committee of Northwestern and Central Switzerland exempted the project from committee approval under the Human Research Act. Written consent will be obtained from all participants. Results will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals and conferences. 

This project is a collaboration between the Emergency Department at the University Hospital of Basel and the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Basel. The investigation will analyze whether an intervention consisting of open-label placebo tablets is feasible for patients with non-specific pain in the emergency department. Open-label placebos are administered without deception, meaning the patients are aware they are taking a placebo. Patients will be randomized into intervention group (OLP) or control group (treatment as usual) with ibuprofen. The study duration for patients is 30 days.

Imagine you are standing at a crosswalk and the pedestrian light turns green. You begin to walk but a car speeds by and you have to take a step back to avoid it. How does this process work in behavior and the brain?

In the "InSiSt-Walk" project, we aim to understand these mechanisms by examining inhibition in various contexts of movement (i.e., sitting, standing, and walking) in typically developing adults and those with ADHD. A series of multi-modal studies will examine inhibition across movement contexts through the lens of self-report criteria, objective motor tests, behavioral and cognitive task performance, gait analysis, and mobile EEG measurement.