…all participants were informed that the purpose of the study was to track their psychological and physical health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The non-deceptive placebo group was further informed that they would receive a mind–body intervention involving psychoeducation on placebo effects and taking placebo pills daily for 2 weeks after baseline assessments (Session 2). The control group did not receive additional information and was blind to their condition.
this is a major issue imo. The control group was just told that they were being tracked, while the NDP group was given an intervention beyond just taking a pill. I would like to see this experiment redone with the control group given the same education and intervention, just without the actual placebo pill. That psychological/educational intervention can be powerful on its own, especially when dealing with subjective symptoms like stress, anxiety, and depression.
additionally any NDP study like this by definition cannot be double blinded which can cause more problems, again, particularly when measuring subjective and self-reported symptoms. The subjects may not report accurately due to the perceived expectations of the experimenter, and the subjects’ own desires for the treatment to work.
…participants watched two short videos on placebos, placebo effects, and how placebos can still work even without deception
so before the experiment even started they were already telling the subjects that “placebos can work” which has not been established (which is why they are doing this study in the first place, right?). Doesn’t really qualify as “non deceptive” imo.
“Remotely administered non-deceptive placebos have the potential to help individuals struggling with mental health concerns who otherwise would not have access to traditional mental health services.”
whoa whoa whoa… not sure I like the idea that people with money get “traditional” health services, and poor people get placebos. The important part is the psychological intervention, which costs money, not the little sugar pill.