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).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
126
The placebo communication video comprises of an educational VR video containing placebo enhancing verbal language.
The nocebo communication video comprises of an educational VR video containing nocebo enhancing verbal language.
HAN University of Applied Sciences
Nijmegen, Overijssel, Netherlands
Change in treatment expectancy measured using the Credibility and Expectancy Questionnaire (CEQ)
This questionnaire on treatment expectancy scores from 6 (lowest expectancy) to 54 (highest expectancy)
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the intervention
Change in treatment credibility measured using the Credibility and Expectancy Questionnaire (CEQ)
This questionnaire on treatment credibility scores from 5 (lowest credibility) to 45 (highest credibility)
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the intervention
Change in openness to VR measured using a single question
The question "would you be open to treatment with therapeutic VR" was scored with a yes/no
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the intervention
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.