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Testing a Non-Deceptive Placebo Intervention for Subclinical Depressive Symptoms

Examining Non-Deceptive Placebo Effects on Subclinical Depression Symptoms: A Three-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Blinded and Unblinded Control Conditions

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
18 Years to 30 Years
Sex
All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Compensation
Not stated

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

  • Time periods mentioned: 2 weeks
  • Procedures mentioned: Questionnaires, Pills

Only what the study's summary and detailed description on ClinicalTrials.gov say. Time periods may describe the whole study or a part of it — ask the study team what applies to you.

Show the study's own words
  • "This study tests whether a brief, remotely delivered non-deceptive (open-label) placebo intervention reduces subclinical depressive symptoms over approximately two weeks."
  • "The study is conducted entirely remotely using Qualtrics for survey administration and Webex for live sessions, across four phases spanning approximately 16-18 days: Day 0 (Screening): Online screening consent followed by an eligibility survey covering demographics, PHQ-8, and feasibility items."
  • "Participants in the non-deceptive placebo arm then receive the intervention: two brief psychoeducational videos on placebos and non-deceptive placebo effects with comprehension and expectancy items, followed by instructions for twice-daily pill intake over the following two weeks and for completing a brief daily pill-tracking survey."
Compensation
Not stated
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

Subclinical depression - depressive symptoms that fall below the threshold for major depressive disorder - is common in young adults and predicts later depressive episodes, yet it often goes untreated. This study tests whether a brief, remotely delivered non-deceptive (open-label) placebo intervention reduces subclinical depressive symptoms over approximately two weeks. Participants aged 18-30 living in Ohio, with PHQ-8 scores in the 5-9 range, are randomly assigned to one of three groups: a non-deceptive placebo group, a blinded control group, or an unblinded control group. All participants complete three remote sessions over 16-18 days and complete the same assessments on the same schedule. Participants in the non-deceptive placebo group additionally receive psychoeducation about placebo effects and placebo pills that are explicitly described as containing no active ingredients, which they take twice daily for two weeks. Participants in the unblinded control group are told they have been assigned to a control condition. Participants in the blinded control group are not told their group assignment until debriefing at the end of the study. The study has two aims. The first is to estimate the effect of the non-deceptive placebo intervention on depressive symptoms and related outcomes. The second is methodological: to determine whether telling control participants that they are in a control group changes their outcomes, and therefore whether the choice of control condition systematically biases estimates of non-deceptive placebo effects.

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 to 30 years * Native English speaker * Currently resides in the state of Ohio * PHQ-8 score of 5 to 9 at screening * Reliable daily access to the internet * Willing to provide a mailing address to receive study materials * Willing to participate in Webex sessions with a working microphone and webcam * Willing to complete surveys over a 16- to 18-day period * Willing to receive weekly email or text reminders Exclusion Criteria: * PHQ-8 score greater than 9 or less than 5 at screening * Currently pregnant or breastfeeding * Current clinical diagnosis of anxiety, depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance use disorder, or another psychiatric disorder made by a licensed healthcare professional * Use of psychotropic medication (e.g., antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, stimulants) within the past 8 weeks * Psychiatric hospitalization within the past 6 months

Study sites (1)

OH