Publication
Imaginary pills and open-label placebos can reduce test anxiety by means of placebo mechanisms
| dc.contributor.author | Buergler, Sarah | |
| dc.contributor.author | Sezer, Dilan | |
| dc.contributor.author | Bagge, Niels | |
| dc.contributor.author | Kirsch, Irving | |
| dc.contributor.author | Locher, Cosima | |
| dc.contributor.author | Carvalho, Claudia | |
| dc.contributor.author | Gaab, Jens | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-07-12T15:36:28Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-07-12T15:36:28Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2023 | |
| dc.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. | pt_PT |
| dc.description.version | info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion | pt_PT |
| dc.identifier.citation | Buergler, S., Sezer, D., Bagge, N., Kirsch, I., Locher, C., Carvalho, C., & Gaab, J. (2023). Imaginary pills and open-label placebos can reduce test anxiety by means of placebo mechanisms. Scientific Reports, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-29624-7 | pt_PT |
| dc.identifier.doi | 10.1038/s41598-023-29624-7 | pt_PT |
| dc.identifier.issn | 20452322 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10400.12/9217 | |
| dc.language.iso | eng | pt_PT |
| dc.peerreviewed | yes | pt_PT |
| dc.publisher | Nature Publishing Group | pt_PT |
| dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | pt_PT |
| dc.title | Imaginary pills and open-label placebos can reduce test anxiety by means of placebo mechanisms | pt_PT |
| dc.type | journal article | |
| dspace.entity.type | Publication | |
| oaire.citation.conferencePlace | United Kingdom | pt_PT |
| oaire.citation.endPage | 12 | pt_PT |
| oaire.citation.issue | 1 | pt_PT |
| oaire.citation.startPage | 1 | pt_PT |
| oaire.citation.title | Scientific Reports | pt_PT |
| oaire.citation.volume | 13 | pt_PT |
| person.familyName | Buergler | |
| person.familyName | Sezer | |
| person.familyName | Bagge | |
| person.familyName | Kirsch | |
| person.familyName | Locher | |
| person.familyName | Gaab | |
| person.givenName | Sarah | |
| person.givenName | Dilan | |
| person.givenName | Niels | |
| person.givenName | Irving | |
| person.givenName | Cosima | |
| person.givenName | Jens | |
| person.identifier.orcid | 0000-0002-5377-7505 | |
| person.identifier.orcid | 0000-0003-4751-8387 | |
| person.identifier.orcid | 0000-0002-4560-6212 | |
| person.identifier.orcid | 0000-0002-1215-4061 | |
| person.identifier.orcid | 0000-0002-9660-0590 | |
| person.identifier.orcid | 0000-0002-9194-8491 | |
| person.identifier.rid | N-5671-2017 | |
| person.identifier.scopus-author-id | 6602110060 | |
| rcaap.rights | openAccess | pt_PT |
| rcaap.type | article | pt_PT |
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