Do Videos That Aim to Optimize Expectations Alter the Effectivess of PMR?

Effects of Videos Aiming to Optimize Expectations on Effectiveness of Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

The study's aim is to determine whether a short video aiming to optimize expectations regarding the effectiveness of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) ist able to improve the actual effectiveness of PMR in comparison with a neutral (no video) control group.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Control Group; Experimental Group 1 (Video Personal Expert); Experimental Group 2 (Video Factual Expert)
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 66
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Germany
  • Hessen
    • Marburg, Hessen, Germany, 35032
      • Department of Psychology, Philipps University Marburg

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy participants
• fluency in the German language to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Chronic illness
• Mental disorder

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Experimental group 1 (personal expert); Participants watch a video of an expert describing the positive effects of Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) with personalized examples and stories before undergoing a PMR session.	Behavioral: Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR); All groups undergo a PMR session, but they differ regarding the treatment before the PMR session. Two groups watch a video before undergoing PMR, the control group reads a text before undergoing PMR. Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a technique for learning to monitor and control the state of muscular tension. It was developed by American physician Edmund Jacobson in the early 1920s. The technique involves learning to monitor tension in each specific muscle group in the body by deliberately inducing tension in each group. This tension is then released, with attention paid to the contrast between tension and relaxation.
Experimental: Experimental group 2 (factual expert); Participants watch a video of an expert describing the positive effects of Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) with factual information (not personal) before undergoing a PMR session.	Behavioral: Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR); All groups undergo a PMR session, but they differ regarding the treatment before the PMR session. Two groups watch a video before undergoing PMR, the control group reads a text before undergoing PMR. Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a technique for learning to monitor and control the state of muscular tension. It was developed by American physician Edmund Jacobson in the early 1920s. The technique involves learning to monitor tension in each specific muscle group in the body by deliberately inducing tension in each group. This tension is then released, with attention paid to the contrast between tension and relaxation.
Active Comparator: Control group; Participants read a neutral text before undergoing a Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) session.	Behavioral: Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR); All groups undergo a PMR session, but they differ regarding the treatment before the PMR session. Two groups watch a video before undergoing PMR, the control group reads a text before undergoing PMR. Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a technique for learning to monitor and control the state of muscular tension. It was developed by American physician Edmund Jacobson in the early 1920s. The technique involves learning to monitor tension in each specific muscle group in the body by deliberately inducing tension in each group. This tension is then released, with attention paid to the contrast between tension and relaxation.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in perceived/subjective relaxation	Participants are asked to rate how relaxed they feel at the moment at two time points (baseline and after the PMR intervention) on a questionnaire (VAS: item ranges from 0 (not relaxed at all) - 100 (very relaxed). Change scores are calculated (post- minus pre-scores).	Change from pre (baseline) to post scores (30 minutes later)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in perceived stress	Participants are asked to rate how stressed they feel at the moment at two time points (baseline and after the PMR intervention) on a questionnaire (VAS: item ranges from 0 (not stressed at all) - 100 (very stressed). Change scores are calculated (post- minus pre-scores).	Change from pre (baseline) to post scores (30 minutes later)
Change in physiological relaxation	Electromyography is used to assess participants' physiological relaxation status at baseline and after the PMR intervention. Change scores are calculated (post- minus pre-scores).	Change from pre (baseline) to post scores (30 minutes later)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Philipps University Marburg Medical Center
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Winfried Rief, Professor, Philipps Universität Marburg

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Salzmann S, Wilhelm M, Schindler S, Rief W, Euteneuer F. Optimising the efficacy of a stress-reducing psychological intervention using placebo mechanisms: A randomized controlled trial. Stress Health. 2022 Oct;38(4):722-735. doi: 10.1002/smi.3128. Epub 2022 Jan 24.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 1, 2017
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 15, 2017
• Study Completion (Actual): November 30, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 27, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 30, 2017
• First Posted (Actual): November 6, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 2, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 1, 2020
• Last Verified: July 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 2017_EXPECT_v1

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No