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The Effects of Positive or Neutral Communication during Acupuncture for Relaxing Effects: A Sham-Controlled
Annelie Rosén1, Mats Lekander2, Karin Jensen1
1Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Osher Centre for Integrative Medicine, Karolinska Institute, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : Ecam
|March 17, 2016
Summary
Positive communication significantly boosted patient expectations for treatment outcomes. While relaxation effects were not directly influenced by communication type, higher baseline expectations correlated with greater perceived improvement, highlighting the power of patient mindset.
Area of Science:
- Integrative Medicine
- Psychology
Background:
- Patient-clinician communication significantly impacts clinical outcomes.
- The precise influence of communication on treatment expectations and effects remains under investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how communication type (positive vs. neutral) affects patient expectations and relaxation responses to acupuncture.
- To determine the relationship between patient expectations and treatment outcomes.
Main Methods:
- 243 healthy volunteers received genuine or sham acupuncture.
- Participants were randomized to receive either positive or neutral communication regarding expected treatment outcomes.
- Visual Analogue Scales measured treatment expectations and relaxation before and after interventions.
Main Results:
- Positive communication led to significantly higher treatment expectancy compared to neutral communication (p = 0.002).
- No significant differences in relaxation effects were observed between acupuncture types or communication groups.
- Individuals with high baseline expectations reported greater relaxation improvement than those with low baseline expectations (p = 0.022).
Conclusions:
- Patient expectations play a crucial role in treatment outcomes.
- Standardized communication protocols can effectively manipulate patient expectations, offering potential for clinical trial implementation.
