Mood, Placebo Effect, Smartphone Application, Stress
Conditions
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to investigate the placebo effect in a smartphone-based training, ostensibly designed to improve mood and perceived stress by daily exposition to either mock sound or color.
Detailed description
The overall goal of the outlined study is to investigate the placebo effect in a smartphone-based training, ostensibly designed to improve mood and perceived stress by daily exposition to either mock sound or color. During 14 days, subjects will participate in regular daily training sessions. During another 6 days, subjects will transfer the smartphone-based training to daily life.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALNo expectancy (control)
No expectancy instruction with regard to the efficacy of the daily smartphone-based training (exposition to either mock sound or color)
BEHAVIORALProspective expectancy
Prospective expectancy instruction (Training will have an effect on...) with regard to the efficacy of the daily smartphone-based training (exposition to either mock sound or color)
BEHAVIORALRetrospective expectancy
Retrospective expectancy instruction (Training already had an effect on...) with regard to the efficacy of the daily smartphone-based training (exposition to either mock sound or color)
BEHAVIORALProspective and retrospective expectancy
Prospective (Training will have an effect on...) and retrospective (Training already had an effect on...) expectancy instruction with regard to the efficacy of the daily smartphone-based training (exposition to either mock sound or color)
Sponsors
University of Basel
University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Access to smartphone during study period
Exclusion criteria
* Severe visual impairment * Dyschromatopsia * Severe defective hearing * Regular intake of medication (excl. contraceptives) * Severe mental disorders
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in mood (Assessed via Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire) | Pre- and post-training, during 20 days of training | Assessed via Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire |
| Change in perceived stress | Pre- and post-training, during 20 days of training | Assessed via State-Trait-Anxiety Inventory; Visual Analog Scale |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Emotional state (Assessed via Self-Assessment-Manikin scales) | Post-training, during 20 days of training | Assessed via Self-Assessment-Manikin scales after exposition to affective pictures taken from International Affective Picture System |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Efficacy expectancy (Assessed via Credibility Expectancy Questionnaire) | Post-training, training day 1, 7, 14, 20 | Assessed via Credibility Expectancy Questionnaire |
| Feedback on adverse events during the daily training session (Number of subjects reporting an adverse event) | Post-training, last training day (day 20) | Number of subjects reporting an adverse event |
Countries
Switzerland
Outcome results
None listed