The Role of Expectations in Experimentally Induced Sadness

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Healthy Participants
• Interventions: Other: Placebo nasal spray; Other: Film Sequence

• Registration Number: NCT02848352
• Lead Sponsor: Philipps University Marburg Medical Center

Brief Summary

The study aimed at identifying whether different expectations have an impact on experiencing emotions in the form of sadness.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2016-06
• Study First Submitted: 2016-06-29
• Status Verified: 2016-07
• Study First Submitted QC: 2016-07-25
• Study First Posted: 2016-07-28
• Primary Completion: 2016-10
• Study Completion: 2016-10
• Last Update Submitted: 2017-04-04
• Last Update Posted: 2017-04-06

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 128

Inclusion Criteria

• fluent in German language

Exclusion Criteria

• major depression
• current intake of psychotropic medication
• drug intake within the last two weeks
• alcohol consumption within the last twelve hours
• allergic to capsaicin
• allergic to sesame oil
• students in medicine, pharmacy, or psychology in their third year or older

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Positive placebo group	Film Sequence	Participants receive a nasal spray that is a placebo. However, they are told that it protects from experiencing negative emotions. Participants watch a film sequence that is supposed to induce sadness.
No-treatment control group	Film Sequence	Participants do not receive the nasal spray. Participants watch a film sequence that is supposed to induce sadness.
Negative placebo group	Placebo nasal spray	Participants receive a nasal spray that is a placebo. However, they are told that it sensitizes for experiencing negative emotions. Participants watch a film sequence that is supposed to induce sadness.
Placebo control group	Placebo nasal spray	Participants receive a nasal spray that is a placebo and are told that it is a placebo. Participants watch a film sequence that is supposed to induce sadness.
Placebo control group	Film Sequence	Participants receive a nasal spray that is a placebo and are told that it is a placebo. Participants watch a film sequence that is supposed to induce sadness.
Positive placebo group	Placebo nasal spray	Participants receive a nasal spray that is a placebo. However, they are told that it protects from experiencing negative emotions. Participants watch a film sequence that is supposed to induce sadness.
Negative placebo group	Film Sequence	Participants receive a nasal spray that is a placebo. However, they are told that it sensitizes for experiencing negative emotions. Participants watch a film sequence that is supposed to induce sadness.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Sadness (PANAS-X)	Directly after watching the film sequence, no follow-up assessments

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Philipps University Marburg; 🇩🇪 Marburg, Hessen, Germany