Nocebo Education for ADHD Awareness
Trial Summary
What is the purpose of this trial?
This project has two aims. First, the research team will confirm whether providing a mental health awareness workshop poses unintended harms by raising the rate of self-diagnosis (as opposed to a neutral workshop) and causing worsening symptoms in previously healthy young adults over a period of one week. The study will focus on determining this in the context of ADHD, as it includes broad symptoms that overlap with normal experience, is commonly overdiagnosed, and is included in many awareness campaigns for neurodiversity and mental health. Second, the study will test whether nocebo effect education, or in other words, learning about the nocebo effects, during mental health awareness sessions "inoculates" against them. Simply learning about the role negative expectations play in creating side effects has been shown to reduce nocebo side effects of medications; perhaps, the same applies to mental health. Researchers will compare the outcome of the ADHD workshop with that of the same workshop but with nocebo information included; both experimental conditions will also be compared to an active control condition. Participants are hypothesised to report the following pattern of symptoms: ADHD information \> ADHD + nocebo education \> Control During the study participants will: 1. Randomize the participants to one of the three workshop conditions to watch 2. Report self-diagnosis score immediately after the workshop and 1 week later. 3. Report symptoms 1 week later.
Do I need to stop taking my current medications to join the trial?
Yes, you must not be taking any medications to join this trial.
What data supports the idea that Nocebo Education for ADHD Awareness is an effective treatment?
The available research shows that Nocebo Education can help reduce negative side effects by informing patients about the nocebo effect, which is when negative expectations lead to experiencing side effects. For example, in a study with participants experiencing headaches, those who received nocebo information reported fewer side effects compared to those who did not. This suggests that Nocebo Education can be effective in managing expectations and reducing unnecessary side effects, making it a useful approach in treatment.12345
What safety data exists for Nocebo Education for ADHD?
The provided research does not contain specific safety data for Nocebo Education, Nocebo Awareness, or Nocebo Information as treatments for ADHD. The studies focus on non-stimulant ADHD medications, acupuncture, and natural health product interactions, but do not mention Nocebo-related treatments. Therefore, no direct safety data for Nocebo Education for ADHD is available in the provided research.678910
Eligibility Criteria
This trial is for healthy young adults interested in mental health. It's designed to see if learning about ADHD can unintentionally make people think they have it or worsen symptoms, and if teaching about nocebo effects (harm from negative expectations) might prevent this.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Workshop
Participants attend one of three workshops: ADHD information, ADHD information with nocebo education, or a control sleep education workshop
Immediate Post-Workshop Assessment
Participants report self-diagnosis score immediately after the workshop
Follow-up
Participants report symptoms and self-diagnosis score 1 week after the workshop
Treatment Details
Interventions
- Nocebo Education
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
University of Toronto
Lead Sponsor