Explaining placebo effects in an online survey study: Does 'Pavlov' ring a bell?

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Despite the increasing knowledge about placebo effects and their beneficial impact on treatment outcomes, strategies that explicitly employ these mechanisms remain scarce. To benefit from placebo effects, it is important to gain better understanding in how individuals want to be informed about placebo effects (for example about the underlying mechanisms that steer placebo effects). The main aim of this study was to investigate placebo information strategies in a general population sample by assessing current placebo knowledge, preferences for different placebo explanations (built around well-known mechanisms involved in placebo effects), and attitudes and acceptability towards the use of placebo effects in treatment.

Design

Online survey.

Setting

Leiden, Th

SUBMITTER: Smits RM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7951811 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature