Can verbal suggestions strengthen the effects of a relaxation intervention?

Short stress management interventions such as relaxation therapy have demonstrated preliminary effectiveness in reducing stress-related problems. A promising tool to strengthen the effectiveness of relaxation-based interventions is the use of verbal suggestions, as previous research provided evidence that verbal suggestions can induce positive outcome expectancies, facilitate adaptive responses to stress and improve health outcomes. The present experimental proof-of-concept study aimed to investigate the effects of a brief relaxation intervention and specifically the role of verbal suggestions on stress-related outcomes assessed by self-report questionnaires and psychophysiological data. 120 participants (mean age = 22.1 years) were randomized to one of four intervention conditions: a brief relaxation intervention plus verbal suggestions condition, a brief relaxation intervention only condition, a verbal suggestions only condition, and a control condition. Afterwards, participants were subjected to a psychosocial stress challenge to assess reactivity to a stressful event. Immediately after both relaxation interventions (with and without verbal suggestions), lower self-reported state anxiety was found compared to the control condition, but no differences were observed in response to the stressor. The verbal suggestions only condition did not impact state anxiety. No significant effects were found for verbal suggestion interventions on cortisol, alpha amylase, heart rate and skin conductance. This is the first study investigating the role of verbal suggestions in the effectiveness of a brief relaxation intervention. Although this experimental proof-of-concept study provides support for the effectiveness of a brief relaxation intervention in lowering state anxiety directly after the intervention, the effects did not impact the response to a subsequent stressor and we did not observe any evidence for the add-on effectiveness of verbal suggestions. The effectiveness of brief relaxation interventions on stress responses should be investigated further in future research by incorporating interventions that are tailored to the specific stress challenge and various types of verbal suggestions

An Internet-Based Psychological Intervention With a Serious Game to Improve Vitality, Psychological and Physical Condition, and Immune Function in Healthy Male Adults: Randomized Controlled Trial

Dataset by 'An Internet-Based Psychological Intervention With a Serious Game to Improve Vitality, Psychological and Physical Condition, and Immune Function in Healthy Male Adults: Randomized Controlled Trial

Optimizing healthy food preferences by serious gaming

Dataset by 'Optimizing healthy food preferences by serious gaming

The effects of a gamified approach avoidance training and verbal suggestions on food outcomes

There is initial support for the effectiveness of approach-avoidance trainings in altering food-related health behaviors. Furthermore, outcome expectancies induced by verbal suggestions might optimize the effectiveness of these interventions, as shown in placebo research. The present study investigated the effectiveness of a gamified approach-avoidance training on food-related outcomes and whether verbal suggestions could strengthen those effects. A total of 120 participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions: serious gaming only, verbal suggestions only, serious gaming combined with verbal suggestions, or a gaming control condition. Virtual food preference and food choice were assessed with a food choice task, with pairs differing in healthiness or in healthiness and attractiveness. Implicit food preference was assessed with an Implicit Association Test and food intake with a bogus taste test. Participants in both serious gaming conditions made healthier food choices for pairs differing in healthiness and attractiveness and had healthier implicit food preferences compared to gaming control. No effects were found on food intake. These findings provide the first preliminary support for the effects of a gamified approach-avoidance training on virtual food choice and implicit food preference. Future studies should further elucidate these effects, also in other health domains such as physical activity.Comp Graphics & Visualisatio

Means and standard errors of the mean for number of virtual healthy food choices.

<p>H tradeoff pairs = Healthiness tradeoff pairs; H+A tradeoff pairs = Healthiness and Attractiveness tradeoff pairs. A significant difference was found in that the two serious gaming conditions combined, i.e., with and without the verbal suggestion, showed a higher mean of healthy food choices on H+A tradeoff pairs compared to gaming control. No significant differences between the four conditions were found for H tradeoff pairs.</p

Means and standard deviations of food-related outcome measures per condition.

<p>Means and standard deviations of food-related outcome measures per condition.</p

Mean and standard error of the mean for total amount of food consumption.

<p>No significant differences between the four conditions were found in total amount of food consumption.</p

Additional file 1: of The effects of a psychological intervention directed at optimizing immune function: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

SPIRIT_Checklist. (DOC 254 kb

Means and standard errors of the mean for virtual food preference.

<p>H tradeoff pairs = Healthiness tradeoff pairs; H+A tradeoff pairs = Healthiness and Attractiveness tradeoff pairs. A higher score on the y-axis represents a more healthy food preference. No significant differences were found in relative food preference between the four conditions on H tradeoff pairs and H+A tradeoff pairs.</p