Open-label placebos as adjunctive therapy for patients with depression

Schienle, Anne; Jurinec, Nina

doi:10.1016/j.conctc.2022.100948

Cited by 5 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…This step would ensure that the ethical requirements of transparency and informed consent are met. Studies that have used non-deceptive placebos in the context of psycho/pharmacotherapy for MDD have revealed reductions in symptoms of depression (e.g., Nitzan et al, 2020;Schienle et al, 2022).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Placebo effects during the waiting period for psychotherapy in patients with depression

Schienle

Jurinec

2023

Curr Psychol

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Patients with mental health problems typically have to wait for psychological therapies. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a placebo administered to patients with depression while they were waiting for cognitive-behavioral therapy. Sixty-seven patients were randomly assigned to a three-week waiting period with or without treatment with a take-home placebo for daily usage (herbal medicine to mobilize the body’s natural healing powers to be taken orally). Symptoms of depression (self-rated and clinician-rated) were assessed at the beginning and end of the waiting period. Moreover, each week the patients evaluated levels of energy, concentration, relaxation, well-being, and sleep quality. The placebo group showed a greater reduction in symptoms of depression (self-rated and clinician-rated) compared to the standard group. Moreover, placebo treatment was associated with improved overall well-being during the waiting period. In conclusion, placebo treatment can make the wait time for psychotherapy more tolerable for patients with depression.Clinical trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00028118)

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Placebo effects during the waiting period for psychotherapy in patients with depression

Schienle

Jurinec

2023

Curr Psychol

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“…To produce positive health effects, deception may be necessary for some areas (e.g. depression; Schienle & Jurinec, 2022) but not for others (e.g. pain reduction; Disley et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of (non)deceptive placebos on reported sleep quality and food cue reactivity

Potthoff

Schienle

2023

Journal of Sleep Research

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SummaryA lack of sleep can increase appetite, particularly for high‐calorie food. The current study tested the effects of an open‐label placebo for improving sleep quality and reducing food cue reactivity. In open‐label placebo interventions, placebo recipients are informed that they are receiving a placebo without a pharmacologically active substance. Participants (n = 150) were randomly allocated to one of three groups that received either an open‐label placebo to improve sleep quality, a deceptive placebo (“melatonin”), or no placebo. The placebo was administered daily before bedtime for 1 week. Sleep quality and reactivity to high‐calorie food cues (appetite, visual attention to food images) were assessed. The deceptive placebo (but not the open‐label placebo) reduced reported sleep‐onset latency. The open‐label placebo decreased perceived sleep efficiency. The placebo interventions did not change food cue reactivity. This study demonstrated that open‐label placebos do not present an alternative to deceptive placebos for improving sleep quality. The undesirable open‐label placebo effects found warrant further exploration.

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“…For example, in a study on placebo treatment used as an adjunctive intervention to cognitive-behavioral therapy for patients with depression, 27% of the participants from the OLP group did not return for the follow-up session. 7 In a subsequent telephone interview, these patients stated that they did not perceive the OLP as being helpful. They were hesitant to disclose this information during the study because they did not want to disappoint the other patients and the therapist.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…They were hesitant to disclose this information during the study because they did not want to disappoint the other patients and the therapist. 7 In the enrollment phase of another trial, 8 the majority of parents contacted did not consent to their overweight/obese children being administered an OLP treatment for reducing appetite and overeating. Eventually, the study was terminated after a year due to a lack of participants.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Would You Take an Open-Label Placebo Pill or Give One to Your Child? Findings from a Cross-Sectional Survey

Schienle,

Seibel

2024

PRBM

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Background Open-label placebos (OLPs), honestly prescribed regarding their inert nature, have been associated with positive health-related effects in both children and adults. However, OLPs are not always perceived by laypeople as a viable treatment option. Methods A brief online survey with 806 adult participants (age range: 18–75 years; 29% parents) was conducted to identify predictor variables that are associated with the willingness to take an OLP pill (criterion 1) or to give an OLP to one’s child (criterion 2). The survey covered aspects including the perceived plausibility of the treatment concept for both OLPs and deceptive placebos (DPs), self-reported knowledge about placebos, the expected effectiveness of OLPs in treating emotional/ somatic problems, and attitudes concerning taking pills in general. Multiple hierarchical regressions were carried out. Results The expected effectiveness of OLPs in alleviating both emotional and physical ailments and the plausibility of the treatment concepts for both OLPs and DPs significantly predicted the willingness to use OLPs (R 2 = 0.485). A similar finding was observed when predicting the willingness to administer an OLP to one’s child (R 2 = 0.443). Conclusion Favorable expectations regarding the reduction of emotional and somatic symptoms with OLPs, along with a strong belief in the credibility of placebo mechanisms, play a vital role in influencing the willingness to accept this kind of treatment. These factors can be incorporated into psychoeducational programs.

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Open-label placebos as adjunctive therapy for patients with depression

Cited by 5 publications

References 18 publications

Placebo effects during the waiting period for psychotherapy in patients with depression

Placebo effects during the waiting period for psychotherapy in patients with depression

Effects of (non)deceptive placebos on reported sleep quality and food cue reactivity

Would You Take an Open-Label Placebo Pill or Give One to Your Child? Findings from a Cross-Sectional Survey

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