Individual Differences in Placebo Analgesic Effects

NCT ID: NCT04669093

Last Updated: 2025-12-09

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

60 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2026-09-30

Study Completion Date

2027-12-31

Brief Summary

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This study examines the effects of placebo suggestions tailored to match or mismatch individual participants' motivational styles-an issue of person-situation 'fit' with important effects in public health settings, but which has been ignored in past research.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Healthy

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

CROSSOVER

This is a within-participant design. Each participant will participate in two sessions. In both sessions, an over-the-counter hand cream will be applied to their skin, accompanied by a placebo suggestion that the cream is analgesic. In one session, the suggestion will match the participant's motivational style, and in the other session the suggestion will not match their motivational style. The order of sessions will be counterbalanced across participants. Each session will also include a control condition, in which participants will be told that the cream has no affect. The same over-the-counter hand cream will be used in all sessions.
Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Participants
Participants will not be aware of the type of suggestion (or the fact there are different types of suggestions) during the experiment. They will be debriefed upon the study's conclusion.

Study Groups

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Placebo

All participants will participate in two sessions, one with a placebo suggestion that matches the participant's motivational style, and one with placebo suggestion that does not match their motivational style, in a pseudo-random order.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Placebo cream- "promotion" suggestion

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Over-the-counter hand cream will be applied to participants' skin, but they will be told that they are given a highly efficient topical analgesic cream. The suggestion will be based on a "promotion" approach (promoting good feelings).

Placebo cream- "prevention" suggestion

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Over-the-counter hand cream will be applied to participants' skin, but they will be told that they are given a highly efficient topical analgesic cream. The suggestion will be based on a "prevention" approach (preventing pain).

Control

Each session will also include a control phase, in which the same cream will be applied, and participants will be instructed that the cream has no analgesic effects.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Control cream

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

In a control condition, with the same cream as in the placebo interventions, participants will be instructed that the cream is a control cream with no effects.

Interventions

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Placebo cream- "promotion" suggestion

Over-the-counter hand cream will be applied to participants' skin, but they will be told that they are given a highly efficient topical analgesic cream. The suggestion will be based on a "promotion" approach (promoting good feelings).

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Placebo cream- "prevention" suggestion

Over-the-counter hand cream will be applied to participants' skin, but they will be told that they are given a highly efficient topical analgesic cream. The suggestion will be based on a "prevention" approach (preventing pain).

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Control cream

In a control condition, with the same cream as in the placebo interventions, participants will be instructed that the cream is a control cream with no effects.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Healthy participants
* Dominant promotion focus or dominant prevention focus (based on our screening)

Exclusion Criteria

* Currently or recently suffered from chronic pain (based on screening)
* Cannot tolerate heat pain applied to the forearm, based on a calibration task at the beginning of the experiment
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

55 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Trustees of Dartmouth College

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Tor Wager

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Tor D Wager, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Dartmouth College

Locations

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Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Tor D Wager, PhD

Role: CONTACT

(603)-646-2196

Facility Contacts

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Bethany Hunt, BA

Role: primary

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Informed Consent Form

View Document

Other Identifiers

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230138

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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