An interventional study of Video placebo communication and Video nocebo communication in Communication and Chronic Pain, sponsored by HAN University of Applied Sciences. Completed at 1 site in Netherlands. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-09-16.
Sponsored by HAN University of Applied Sciences · Not applicable, Interventional, and Other
Rationale: Chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) is a common and disabling condition. Physiotherapy is the most frequently administered non-pharmacological 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 patients with CMP.
Objective: To determine the effect of physiotherapists' placebo or nocebo therapeutic communication about VR, on treatment credibility and expectation in patients with CMP
Study design: Web-based randomized controlled trial.
Study population: 100 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).
719 studies on the registry are indexed under Communication; 159 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 115 is below the median of 144 across 571 interventional studies indexed under Communication.
Browse Communication studies →HAN University of Applied Sciences is the lead sponsor of 7 studies on the registry; 2 are open to participants now.
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Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
The placebo intervention group will be shown an online educational VR video.
Other: Video placebo communication
The nocebo intervention group will be shown an online educational VR video.
Other: Video nocebo communication
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 stimulating verbal language.
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
Change in pain intensity measured using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)
This questionnaire on pain intensity scores from 0 (no pain) to 10 (maximal pain)
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the intervention
Plan to share: No — Not planned to share IPD
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
This study is completed, as verified in Sep 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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HAN University of Applied Sciences