Are patients accurate forecasters of their emotional response to medical conditions? A scoping review on affective forecasting
Objective In this paper, we challenge the premise that patients are capable of accurately predicting their emotional response or quality of life in anticipation of health changes. Our goal was to systematically review the published empirical evidence related to the reliability of affective forecasti...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2021-12-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/12/e053370.full |
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| author | Y M Smulders R Otten Claudi Bockting G J van den Bosch R A N Roos |
| author_facet | Y M Smulders R Otten Claudi Bockting G J van den Bosch R A N Roos |
| author_sort | Y M Smulders |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective In this paper, we challenge the premise that patients are capable of accurately predicting their emotional response or quality of life in anticipation of health changes. Our goal was to systematically review the published empirical evidence related to the reliability of affective forecasting in the context of medical conditions.Design Scoping review.Setting We conducted a search string using both simple search terms as well as MeSH terms and searched the electronic databases of PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and Cochrane up to April 2021.Participants We initially selected 5726 articles. Empirical studies reporting on predicted and/or observed emotions or quality of life concerning deterioration, improvement in health or chronic illnesses were included. Furthermore, empirical studies of healthy individuals predicting emotional response or quality of life compared with patients reflecting on emotions or quality of life concerning deterioration or improvement in health or chronic illnesses were also included. Studies on healthy participants, psychiatric patients and non-English articles were excluded.Results 7 articles were included in this review. We found that patients generally tend to systematically exaggerate both anticipated happiness and sorrow/grief after health improvement and deterioration, respectively.Conclusion Patients are less adept in predicting emotional response or quality of life regarding to health changes than we are inclined to assume. We discuss several biases which could explain this phenomenon. Our findings are relevant in the context of treatment decisions, advanced care planning and advanced care directives. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-03469f831eaf4cf390519056e4cb578f |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-03469f831eaf4cf390519056e4cb578f2025-08-20T01:59:21ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552021-12-01111210.1136/bmjopen-2021-053370Are patients accurate forecasters of their emotional response to medical conditions? A scoping review on affective forecastingY M Smulders0R Otten1Claudi Bockting2G J van den Bosch3R A N Roos4Internal Medicine, Amsterdam UMC Locatie VUmc, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsAmsterdam UMC Locatie VUmc, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsNoordwest Ziekenhuisgroep, Alkmaar, The NetherlandsUWV, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsObjective In this paper, we challenge the premise that patients are capable of accurately predicting their emotional response or quality of life in anticipation of health changes. Our goal was to systematically review the published empirical evidence related to the reliability of affective forecasting in the context of medical conditions.Design Scoping review.Setting We conducted a search string using both simple search terms as well as MeSH terms and searched the electronic databases of PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and Cochrane up to April 2021.Participants We initially selected 5726 articles. Empirical studies reporting on predicted and/or observed emotions or quality of life concerning deterioration, improvement in health or chronic illnesses were included. Furthermore, empirical studies of healthy individuals predicting emotional response or quality of life compared with patients reflecting on emotions or quality of life concerning deterioration or improvement in health or chronic illnesses were also included. Studies on healthy participants, psychiatric patients and non-English articles were excluded.Results 7 articles were included in this review. We found that patients generally tend to systematically exaggerate both anticipated happiness and sorrow/grief after health improvement and deterioration, respectively.Conclusion Patients are less adept in predicting emotional response or quality of life regarding to health changes than we are inclined to assume. We discuss several biases which could explain this phenomenon. Our findings are relevant in the context of treatment decisions, advanced care planning and advanced care directives.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/12/e053370.full |
| spellingShingle | Y M Smulders R Otten Claudi Bockting G J van den Bosch R A N Roos Are patients accurate forecasters of their emotional response to medical conditions? A scoping review on affective forecasting BMJ Open |
| title | Are patients accurate forecasters of their emotional response to medical conditions? A scoping review on affective forecasting |
| title_full | Are patients accurate forecasters of their emotional response to medical conditions? A scoping review on affective forecasting |
| title_fullStr | Are patients accurate forecasters of their emotional response to medical conditions? A scoping review on affective forecasting |
| title_full_unstemmed | Are patients accurate forecasters of their emotional response to medical conditions? A scoping review on affective forecasting |
| title_short | Are patients accurate forecasters of their emotional response to medical conditions? A scoping review on affective forecasting |
| title_sort | are patients accurate forecasters of their emotional response to medical conditions a scoping review on affective forecasting |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/12/e053370.full |
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