Physiotherapists' Placebo or Nocebo Communication Regarding VR

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Communication
• Interventions: Other: Video nocebo communication; Other: Video placebo communication

• Registration Number: NCT06307912
• Lead Sponsor: HAN University of Applied Sciences

Brief Summary

Rationale: Chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) is a common and disabling condition. Physiotherapy is the most frequently administered nonpharmacological treatment option for patients with CMP and recently virtual reality (VR) was introduced in physiotherapy care as a novel treatment modality. Proper communication about physiotherapy treatment (modalities) is important to improve treatment outcomes, by applying placebo effects enhancing communication and avoiding nocebo effects enhancing communication. However, yet is still unknown to what extent this applies to communication of physiotherapists about VR in healthy participants.

Objective: To determine the effect of physiotherapists' placebo or nocebo therapeutic communication about VR, on treatment credibility and expectation in healthy participants.

Study design: Web-based randomized controlled trial.

Study population: 126 participants

Intervention: The placebo intervention group will be shown an educational video about VR, containing placebo effects enhancing verbal language. The nocebo intervention group will be shown an educational video about VR, containing nocebo effects enhancing verbal language.

Primary study parameters: The primary study parameters are treatment credibility and treatment expectation. Treatment credibility and treatment expectations will be measured using the Dutch credibility and expectancy questionnaire (CEQ).

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2023-11-01
• Primary Completion: 2023-12-01
• Study Completion: 2023-12-01
• Study First Submitted: 2024-02-21
• Status Verified: 2024-03
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-03-06
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-03-06
• Study First Posted: 2024-03-13
• Last Update Posted: 2024-03-13

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 126

Inclusion Criteria

• aged ≥ 18
• access to the internet
• provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

• lacked comprehension of the Dutch language
• had experience with therapeutic VR
• suffers from CMP

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Nocebo group	Video nocebo communication	The nocebo intervention group will be shown an online educational VR video.
Placebo group	Video placebo communication	The placebo intervention group will be shown an online educational VR video.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in treatment credibility measured using the Credibility and Expectancy Questionnaire (CEQ)	Baseline and immediately after the intervention	This questionnaire on treatment credibility scores from 5 (lowest credibility) to 45 (highest credibility)
Change in treatment expectancy measured using the Credibility and Expectancy Questionnaire (CEQ)	Baseline and immediately after the intervention	This questionnaire on treatment expectancy scores from 6 (lowest expectancy) to 54 (highest expectancy)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in openness to VR measured using a single question	Baseline and immediately after the intervention	The question "would you be open to treatment with therapeutic VR" was scored with a yes/no

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

HAN University of Applied Sciences; 🇳🇱 Nijmegen, Overijssel, Netherlands