This paper highlights the importance of psychological models and cross-cultural research in the area of hearing help-seeking and hearing-aid uptake, and consequently some directions for future research are proposed.

The effect of phased caffeine withdrawal and abstention on tinnitus severity was assessed using a pseudo-randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover trial of 30 days duration. Sixty-six volunteers who experienced tinnitus and who usually consumed at least 150 mg/day of caffeine participated. The intervention was a direct replacement of usual caffeinated tea/coffee with double-blinded supplies, under one of two conditions. Condition 1: Maintenance followed by phased withdrawal. Condition 2: Phased withdrawal followed by reintroduction and maintenance. Tinnitus severity was measured by the total score of the Tinnitus Questionnaire on Days 1, 15, and 30. Secondary measures included twice daily self-rated symptoms relevant to tinnitus and caffeine withdrawal. Caffeine had no effect on tinnitus severity, the mean difference between caffeinated and decaffeinated days being -0.04 (95% confidence interval -1.99 to 1.93), p=0.97. Significant acute adverse symptoms of caffeine withdrawal were observed. No evidence was found to justify caffeine abstinence as a therapy to alleviate tinnitus, but acute effects of caffeine withdrawal might add to the burden of tinnitus.

Despite respect being central to good doctor-patient relationships, little research has investigated the effect of respect from doctors on patient outcomes. Group-level influences such as patients' identification with a traditional or consumerist patient role have also received little attention. We investigated these factors in two studies. Participants imagined they had tinnitus and either identified with one of the two patient roles (Study 1, n = 85) or completed a scale measuring their usual role preferences (Study 2, n = 54). They read a hypothetical respectful or disrespectful doctor-patient scenario and completed measures of personal self-esteem, visit outcomes, and the Illness Perception Questionnaire. Study 1 was experimental, while Study 2 was quasi-experimental in design. In both studies, participants playing a patient whose doctor's behaviours were respectful reported greater patient satisfaction, adherence, and likelihood of revisiting the doctor, and in Study 1 also scored lower on (imagined) illness identity and consequences and reported higher self-esteem. In Study 1, participants acting as traditional patients reported lower self-esteem. In Study 2, participants self-categorising as traditional patients reported greater patient satisfaction, adherence, trust and respect for the doctor, but lower self-esteem. Respect and the patient role should be considered when predicting health outcomes.

Data from a pilot study established that, in reference to people with mental handicap and physical disabilities, I1-year-old subjects tended only to use the terms "mentally handicapped," "physically handicapped," and the colloquial term "divvy." The main study asked children to rate a target child ascribed one of these labels (or the label "normal"), and to complete a measure of social distance from that target. In addition, subjects were divided into those with high or low prior contact with people with mental handicap. Subjects did not distinguish among the attributes of the different non-normal labels, but did differentiate between these and normal, indicating they generally simply employ a "normal/abnormal" categorization of others. In line with predictions derived from social identity theory, social stereotypes were unaffected by interpersonal contact. There was no effect of label on measures of anticipated interpersonal social distance. Implications for "mainstreaming" and ways of re-shaping stereotypes are discussed.

This paper extends the self-categorisation model of symptom appraisals to predict that individuals who believe they have a given illness will perceive concurrent symptoms relevant to that illness to be more severe when they categorise themselves as members of a group of people with that illness. These predictions are supported with opportunity samples of individuals reporting, or not reporting a common cold (Study 1, N ¼ 60) and reporting colds or tinnitus (Study 2, N ¼ 64). In both studies, relevant symptoms were rated as more severe when illness group memberships were salient. The methodological, theoretical and clinical implications of these findings and possible therapeutic applications of self-categorisation theory (SCT) to symptom perceptions are discussed.