In:
Scientific Reports, Springer Science and Business Media LLC, Vol. 13, No. 1 ( 2023-02-14)
Kurzfassung:
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.
Materialart:
Online-Ressource
ISSN:
2045-2322
DOI:
10.1038/s41598-023-29624-7
Sprache:
Englisch
Verlag:
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Publikationsdatum:
2023
ZDB Id:
2615211-3
