Imaginary pills and open-label placebos can reduce test anxiety by means of placebo mechanisms
Abstract Placebos have been shown to be beneficial for various conditions even if administered with full transparency. Hence, so-called open-label placebos (OLPs) offer a new way to harness placebo effects ethically. To take this concept one step further, this study aimed at evaluating placebo effec...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-29624-7 |
| _version_ | 1797864707772645376 |
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| author | Sarah Buergler Dilan Sezer Niels Bagge Irving Kirsch Cosima Locher Claudia Carvalho Jens Gaab |
| author_facet | Sarah Buergler Dilan Sezer Niels Bagge Irving Kirsch Cosima Locher Claudia Carvalho Jens Gaab |
| author_sort | Sarah Buergler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Placebos have been shown to be beneficial for various conditions even if administered with full transparency. Hence, so-called open-label placebos (OLPs) offer a new way to harness placebo effects ethically. To take this concept one step further, this study aimed at evaluating placebo effects without the use of a physical placebo, i.e., by imagining taking a pill. Healthy students (N = 173) with self-reported test anxiety were either randomized to an imaginary pill (IP; n = 55), an OLP (n = 59) or a control group (CG; n = 59). Both intervention groups were instructed to take two pills daily for three weeks. Primary outcome was test anxiety, secondary outcomes were sleep quality, general well-being and test performance. Groups test anxiety differed at study-endpoint, F(2,169) = 11.50, p < .001. Test anxiety was lower in the intervention groups compared to the CG, t(169) = − 4.44, p < .001, d = − 0.71. The interventions did not differ significantly, i.e., both were similarly efficacious, t(169) = 0.61, p = .540, d = 0.11. The interaction between group and time in explaining test anxiety was significant, F(5,407.93) = 6.13, p < .001. OLPs and IPs reduced test anxiety in healthy participants compared to the CG. This finding opens the door for a novel and ethical method to harness placebo effects. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:57:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9a91831aaf8c494ba4b7c67abf084829 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:57:30Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-9a91831aaf8c494ba4b7c67abf0848292023-03-22T11:13:00ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-02-0113111210.1038/s41598-023-29624-7Imaginary pills and open-label placebos can reduce test anxiety by means of placebo mechanismsSarah Buergler0Dilan Sezer1Niels Bagge2Irving Kirsch3Cosima Locher4Claudia Carvalho5Jens Gaab6Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Psychology, University of BaselDivision of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Psychology, University of BaselInstitute for Emotion-Focused TherapyProgram in Placebo Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical SchoolDepartment of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of ZurichDepartment of Clinical and Health Psychology, Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada (ISPA)Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Psychology, University of BaselAbstract Placebos have been shown to be beneficial for various conditions even if administered with full transparency. Hence, so-called open-label placebos (OLPs) offer a new way to harness placebo effects ethically. To take this concept one step further, this study aimed at evaluating placebo effects without the use of a physical placebo, i.e., by imagining taking a pill. Healthy students (N = 173) with self-reported test anxiety were either randomized to an imaginary pill (IP; n = 55), an OLP (n = 59) or a control group (CG; n = 59). Both intervention groups were instructed to take two pills daily for three weeks. Primary outcome was test anxiety, secondary outcomes were sleep quality, general well-being and test performance. Groups test anxiety differed at study-endpoint, F(2,169) = 11.50, p < .001. Test anxiety was lower in the intervention groups compared to the CG, t(169) = − 4.44, p < .001, d = − 0.71. The interventions did not differ significantly, i.e., both were similarly efficacious, t(169) = 0.61, p = .540, d = 0.11. The interaction between group and time in explaining test anxiety was significant, F(5,407.93) = 6.13, p < .001. OLPs and IPs reduced test anxiety in healthy participants compared to the CG. This finding opens the door for a novel and ethical method to harness placebo effects.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-29624-7 |
| spellingShingle | Sarah Buergler Dilan Sezer Niels Bagge Irving Kirsch Cosima Locher Claudia Carvalho Jens Gaab Imaginary pills and open-label placebos can reduce test anxiety by means of placebo mechanisms Scientific Reports |
| title | Imaginary pills and open-label placebos can reduce test anxiety by means of placebo mechanisms |
| title_full | Imaginary pills and open-label placebos can reduce test anxiety by means of placebo mechanisms |
| title_fullStr | Imaginary pills and open-label placebos can reduce test anxiety by means of placebo mechanisms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Imaginary pills and open-label placebos can reduce test anxiety by means of placebo mechanisms |
| title_short | Imaginary pills and open-label placebos can reduce test anxiety by means of placebo mechanisms |
| title_sort | imaginary pills and open label placebos can reduce test anxiety by means of placebo mechanisms |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-29624-7 |
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