Data_Sheet_1_Better than expected? -Predictors of coping with expectation violations in the communication about death and dying.PDF

BackgroundEnd-of-life (EOL) communication is often avoided, especially among young adults. Negative expectations concerning EOL conversations with relatives or significant others are one major reason. ObjectiveTo investigate how best to violate negative expectations concerning EOL conversations by identifying predictors of coping with expectation violations in this context. MethodsVignettes describing expectation violations in the context of EOL communication were presented to a sample of 261 university students. In a first experiment, the credibility of the expectation-disconfirming information was manipulated. In a second experiment, the valence of the disconfirming evidence was manipulated. As outcome measures, the subjective likelihood of two different responses to the expectation violation was assessed: (1) ignoring the disconfirming evidence (immunization) and (2) changing expectations (accommodation). ResultsOverall, participants experiencing a worse-than-expected event showed more immunization [F(1, 257) = 12.15, p < 0.001, ηp = 0.05], while participants experiencing a better-than-expected event showed more accommodation [F(1, 257) = 30.98, p < 0.001, ηp = 0.11]. Participants with higher fear of death [F(1, 257) = 12.24, p < 0.001, ηp = 0.05] as well as higher death avoidance tendencies [F(1, 257) = 17.16, p < 0.001, ηp = 0.06] showed less accommodation in response to a better-than-expected event. ConclusionIn general, young adults appear to update their expectations quickly in response to unexpectedly positive experiences in the context of EOL communication. However, individuals with higher fear of death and higher death avoidance tendencies appear to be at higher risk of maintaining negative expectations despite disconfirming evidence.研究背景：临终沟通（End-of-Life, EOL）常被回避，尤其在青年群体中。与亲属或重要他人开展临终沟通的负面预期，是导致这一现象的主要诱因之一。 研究目的：本研究旨在通过识别该场景下应对预期违背的预测因子，探索打破临终沟通负面预期的最优路径。 研究方法：本研究向261名大学生样本呈现了描述临终沟通场景中预期违背的情境 vignette。第一项实验中，研究者操纵了反预期信息的可信度；第二项实验中，则操纵了反证的效价。本研究以两种针对预期违背的主观反应可能性作为因变量指标：(1) 忽视反证（免疫 immunization）；(2) 调整预期（顺应 accommodation）。 研究结果：总体而言，遭遇比预期更糟糕事件的被试表现出更强的免疫反应[F(1, 257) = 12.15, p < 0.001, ηp = 0.05]，而遭遇比预期更积极事件的被试则表现出更强的顺应反应[F(1, 257) = 30.98, p < 0.001, ηp = 0.11]。此外，死亡恐惧程度更高[F(1, 257) = 12.24, p < 0.001, ηp = 0.05]以及死亡回避倾向更强的被试[F(1, 257) = 17.16, p < 0.001, ηp = 0.06]，在面对比预期更积极的事件时，顺应反应程度更低。 研究结论：总体而言，青年群体在临终沟通场景中遭遇意外积极事件时，似乎能够快速调整自身预期。然而，死亡恐惧程度更高且死亡回避倾向更强的个体，即便面对反证，仍更有可能维持其负面预期。