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Communicating the diagnosis of cancer in cross-cultural clinical settings is a complex task. This qualitative research article describes the content and process of informing Zulu patients in South Africa of the diagnosis of cancer, using osteosarcoma as the index diagnosis. We used a descriptive research design with census sampling and focus group interviews. We used an iterative thematic data analysis process and Guba's model of trustworthiness to ensure scientific rigor. Our results reinforced the use of well-accepted strategies for communicating the diagnosis of cancer. In addition, new strategies emerged which may be useful in other cross-cultural settings. These strategies included using the stages of cancer to explain the disease and its progression and instilling hope using a multidisciplinary team care model. We identified several patients, professionals, and organizational factors that complicate cross-cultural communication. We conclude by recommending the development of protocols for communication in these cross-cultural clinical settings.

SYNOPSIS Monitoring plots were established in two mountain catchment areas in the Western Cape to assess the impacts of dense alien plant stands and alien plant clearance on indigenous Fynbos vegetation. In both areas Pinus pinaster was the dominant alien species with Hakea sericea also common. Indigenous vegetation persisted in the understorey of invaded stands, indicating that the high density of aliens was of recent development. Species richness of indigenous vegetation was lower in invaded, compared to uninvaded plots. After clearance by felling and burning, the aliens were effectively controlled, except for pines at Genadendal, where unfelled, older generation pines released seeds to recruit in the post-fire environment. The post-fire recovery of indigenous vegetation at both sites was rapid, with no significant differences measured in projected canopy cover, plant density and functional guild richness between invaded and uninvaded control plots. This improved condition of the indigenous vegetation w...

Summary The theory of evaluative response contagion offers an alternative explanation of the forced-compliance implication of the theory of cognitive dissonance. It states that a perturbing stimulus (e.g. exceptionally high reward or punishment) causes a perseveration of the evaluative quality of the persuasive message. The research paradigm is: persuasive message→perturbation→persuasion of audience in the form of perseveration of evaluative quality of the message. In a posttest-only control group design Ss were severely and unjustifiably criticised directly prior to exposure to a self-generated counterattitudinal message. Social desirability bias was experimentally controlled. Orthogonal analyses yielded significant effects on one of the two dependent variables, the semantic differential. The results thus indicated that even in a group situation evaluative response contagion (persuasion) took place as a function of perturbation.