biostudies-literaturePagoto SLNCATS NIH HHSNHLBI NIH HHS137-43https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC3570637biostudies-literatureUnknown75(2)<h4>Objective</h4>Attention control (AC) conditions are used to balance nonspecific attention in randomized trials of behavioral interventions. Very little guidance about which behavioral interventions and outcomes merit AC is available in the literature. The primary aim of the present study is to demonstrate a scenario in which use of AC in a behavioral randomized trial was unnecessary and possibly detrimental.<h4>Methods</h4>Exploratory analyses were performed in a randomized controlled trial that tested whether a patient-centered counseling intervention reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in 355 participants with peripheral arterial disease, compared with AC and usual care (UC) conditions. The patient-centered counseling intervention was designed to activate participants Psychosomatic medicineCan attention control conditions have detrimental effects on behavioral medicine randomized trials?PMC3570637K23 HL109620UL1 TR000150R01 HL073912R01-HL073912Ockene IPagoto SLMcDermott MMReed GGreenland PWhited MAppelhans BLeung KSchneider KMerriam PMazor KMOckene JKfalseCan attention control conditions have detrimental effects on behavioral medicine randomized trials?<h4>Objective</h4>Attention control (AC) conditions are used to balance nonspecific attention in randomized trials of behavioral interventions. Very little guidance about which behavioral interventions and outcomes merit AC is available in the literature. The primary aim of the present study is to demonstrate a scenario in which use of AC in a behavioral randomized trial was unnecessary and possibly detrimental.<h4>Methods</h4>Exploratory analyses were performed in a randomized controlled trial that tested whether a patient-centered counseling intervention reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in 355 participants with peripheral arterial disease, compared with AC and usual care (UC) conditions. The patient-centered counseling intervention was designed to activate participants 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z2013 Feb2025-04-22T15:07:32.743Z2019-03-27T01:04:44ZS-EPMC35706372319784410.1097/PSY.0b013e3182765dd210.1097/psy.0b013e3182765dd2