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A systematic review of the wish to hasten death among people with life-limiting conditions was published in 2011. Since then, other reviews and primary studies have been published that have added to knowledge regarding the conceptual definition, aetiology and assessment of the wish to hasten death. To provide an updated synthesis of the literature on the wish to hasten death in people with life-limiting conditions. An overview of systematic reviews and primary studies was conducted, using an integrative review method. PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched, from their inception until 2023. We included all systematic reviews published to date and all primary studies not included in these systematic reviews. Eleven systematic reviews and 35 primary studies were included. We propose that the phenomenon may usefully be considered as existing along a continuum, defined by the extent to which thoughts of dying are linked to action. A total of nine assessment tools have been described. The reported prevalence of the wish to hasten death appears to be influenced by the wording used in assessment instruments, as well as by the cut-off used when applying a particular tool. Depression, pain, functional disability, decreased sense of meaning in life, the sense of being a burden and reduced quality of life are the most widely reported related factors. This overview underscores the need for clinical strategies that can identify different manifestations of the wish to hasten death among people with life-limiting conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Wish to live is concurrently protective of experiencing suicidal desire. • Wish to die may drive some change in suicidal desire over time. • Suicidal ambivalence may also drive change in suicidal desire. • Wish to live and wish to die are distinct and must be considered in tandem. The internal debate hypothesis (Kovacs & Beck, 1977) suggests that those at risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors may experience fluctuations in both the wish to live (WTL) and wish to die (WTD). Previous research has investigated this hypothesis using various cross-sectional (Goods et al., 2019 [cf. Page & Stritzke, 2020]) and longitudinal methodologies (e.g., Bryan et al., 2016). No investigations have determined the within-day temporal dynamics of WTL and WTD using ecological moment assessment (EMA), however. N = 49 undergraduate university students recruited from a research participant pool from a large southeastern university in the United States with a lifetime history of suicide ideation completed the current 10-day EMA investigation. Results demonstrated that WTL, WTD, and resulting suicidal ambivalence (i.e., relatively equal WTL/WTD ratings) demonstrated similar within-person person variability; however, WTD scores appeared to demonstrate higher average variability compared to WTL and ambivalence scores. Although state WTL and WTD were concurrently related to state suicidal desire, only WTD prospectively predicted suicidal desire when controlling for the influence of the outcome variable at the previous timepoint. Ambivalence scores also prospectively predicted suicidal desire when controlling for suicidal desire at the previous timepoint. Results support the clinical and theoretical utility of separate WTL and WTD assessment. WTD was relatively stable within this sample but may be closely related to risk for future suicidal thinking. Changes in WTL may reduce state risk for suicidal desire but could be more trait-like in nature compared to WTD. Future research that investigates these hypotheses should consider the study limitations outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting the saliency of images affected by distortion is a challenging but emerging research problem. Given a distorted image, we wish to accurately predict saliency as perceived by humans. A recent distortion-aware saliency benchmark – the CUDAS database – reveals the inadequacy of existing saliency models in handling distorted images. In this paper, we devise a deep learning Distortion-Aware Saliency Module (DASM) that enables capturing saliency features related to image distortions, and integrates this module into a saliency prediction architecture. To achieve the high expressive capability of DASM using supervised learning, we create a dedicated dataset that draws upon a large-scale saliency dataset and machine-generated image quality assessments. Experimental results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed model in predicting the saliency of distorted images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive weight management programs are effective but often have low enrollment and high attrition. Lack of motivation is a key psychological barrier to enrollment, engagement, and weight loss. Mental Contrasting with Implementation Intentions (MCII) is a unique imagery technique that increases motivation for behavior change. We describe our study protocol to assess the efficacy and implementation of MCII to enhance the effectiveness of VA's MOVE! or TeleMOVE! weight management programs using a procedure called "WOOP" (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan) for Veterans. We hypothesize that WOOP+MOVE! or TeleMOVE! (intervention) will lead to greater MOVE!/TeleMOVE! program engagment and consequently weight loss than MOVE!/TeleMOVE! alone (control). Veterans are randomized to either the intervention or control. Both arms receive the either MOVE! or TeleMOVE! weight management programs. The intervention group receives an hour long WOOP training while the control group receives patient education. Both groups receive telephone follow up calls at 3 days, 4 weeks, and 2 months post-baseline. Eligible participants are Veterans (ages 18–70 years) with either obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) or overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) and an obesity-associated co-morbidity. At baseline, 6 and 12 months, we assess weight, diet, physical activity in both groups. The primary outcome is mean percent weight change at 6 months. Secondary outcomes include changes in waist circumference, diet, physical activity, and dieting self-efficacy and engagement in regular physical activity. We assess implementation using the RE-AIM framework. If WOOP VA is found to be efficacious, it will be an important tool to facilitate weight management and improve weight outcomes. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT05014984 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the cumulative prevalence of self-harm ideation among stroke survivors of the AFFINITY trial. We assessed these thoughts with the last item of the PHQ-9, and functional impairment with the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Of 1221 participants (age 63.9 ± 12.3 years, 775 men), 11 reported wishing to die or self-harm at baseline. By week 52, 36 of 1159 surviving participants had reported wishing to die or self-harm. Treatment with fluoxetine for 26 weeks did not change the prevalence of these thoughts compared with placebo. Clinically significant symptoms of depression were present in 95 % of participants with recurrent self-harm thoughts. The study was registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000774921. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Any prescriptive theory of decision-making (DM) has to cope with the common DM agents' inability to fully specify their preferences dependent on several attributes. The paper provides the needed preference completion and quantification for f ully p robabilistic d esign (FPD) of DM strategies. FPD (covering the usual Bayesian DM) probabilistically models the agent's environment and quantifies its preferences via an ideal probabilistic model of the closed DM loop. The p robability d ensity (pd) models (closed-loop) behaviour, a collection of involved random variables. Its ideal twin is high on desired behaviours, small on undesired and zero on forbidden ones. The FPD-optimal strategy minimises the K ullback- L eibler d ivergence (KLD) of the closed-loop modelling pd to the ideal twin. The exposed preference quantification chooses the optimal ideal pd from the set of pds compatible with partially-specified agent's preferences. The optimal ideal pd minimises the KLD minima reached by the optimal strategies for respective imminent ideal pds. This preference-focused twin of the minimum KLD principle was applied to special sets of ideal pds. The paper extends them towards exploration and balancing contradictory wishes on states and actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curiosity is a psychological response to uncertainty that facilitates learning and other benefits, but little is known about how highly curious people interpret and process uncertainty differently from their less curious counterparts. We investigated the relationship between curiosity (both interest- and deprivation-type) and a variety of attitudes towards uncertainty. An adult sample from the United Kingdom (N = 398) completed an online questionnaire measuring dispositional interest- and deprivation-type curiosity, positive attitudes towards uncertainty, intolerance of uncertainty, and tendencies to focus on potential positive or negative outcomes. A higher score on interest was associated with finding uncertainty more enjoyable and focusing on positive possibilities. A higher score on deprivation was associated with being more intolerant of uncertainty and focusing on negative possibilities. The connections between curiosity and attitudes towards uncertainty differ according to the type of curiosity experienced. Interest may reinforce learning by promoting a fascination with the unknown and a focus on positive discoveries. Deprivation may reinforce learning by promoting discomfort with the unknown and a focus on negative discoveries that one wishes to be reassured of or prepared for. • How curious people process uncertainty depends on the type of curiosity stimulated. • Interest-curiosity is linked to a variety of positive uncertainty attitudes. • Deprivation-curiosity is linked to a variety of negative uncertainty attitudes. • Trait-interest is linked to enjoying unknowns and a positive-discovery focus. • Trait-deprivation is linked to disliking unknowns and a negative-discovery focus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Frequent exposure to malleability messages about popularity relates to a stronger belief in the malleability of popularity status. • Stronger beliefs in the malleability of popularity status positively relates to self-esteem. • Stronger beliefs in the malleability of popularity status simultaneously relates to increased popularity pressure. • Gender and level of competitiveness do not moderate these relations. The current study aimed to examine how mediated portrayals of popularity relate to adolescents' well-being. We hypothesized that exposure to malleability messages in entertainment television and magazines related to a higher belief in the malleability of popularity, which was, in turn, believed to relate to a duality of well-being outcomes. On the one hand, such malleability beliefs might be beneficial to adolescents' self-esteem. On the other hand, adolescents presumably experience increased feelings of pressure to be popular. The results of a survey study among 881 adolescents (M = 17.08) revealed that adolescents who are frequently exposed to malleability messages about popularity have a firmer belief in the malleability of their own popularity status, which, in its turn, positively relates to self-esteem and popularity pressure. Malleability messages might thus provide adolescents with confidence, but simultaneously induce feelings of pressure because they can, and therefore must, become popular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]