The literature indicates that cognitive appraisals and illness-related beliefs are key cognitive factors that affect the outcome of psychological adaptation to chronic illness. The main aim of the current study was to identify which cognitive appraisals and illness-related beliefs are the best predictors of adaptation to living with chronic illness as well as which of these predictors are universal, and which are illness-specific. Data was collected online from 505 panel study participants who reported diagnoses of rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, hypothyroidism, diabetes, and hypertension. Adaptation indicators (i.e., depressive symptoms and level of acceptance of living with the illness) differed significantly across samples with different medical diagnoses. Additionally, illness-related cognitive appraisals, but not illness-related beliefs, had a statistically significant specific contribution to explaining the variance in adaptation indicators. The predictors of adaptation to living with chronic illness differ between the diagnoses and the adaptation indicators. The results can contribute to a better matching of therapeutic interventions as well as social campaigns aimed at people suffering from chronic illnesses.

With the rapid development of multimedia and Internet technologies, understanding what visual contexts are well-received among viewers is important for message designers and visual practitioners. This study investigated the effects of valence (positive vs. negative), picture type (animated vs. still), and their interaction effect on attention, motivational intensity (sympathetic arousal), memory sensitivity and judgment. Eighty-seven participants in a mixed factorial design experiment were exposed to six pictures that were either animated or still. Results indicated that animated pictures led to greater attention and motivational intensity than still ones. Negative pictures also elicited greater motivational intensity but were less remembered than positive ones. Additionally, people exhibited greater sympathetic arousal when processing negative animated pictures than other types of pictures. Implications are also discussed.