Prediction of Symptom Change in Placebo Versus No-Treatment Group in Experimentally Induced Motion Sickness.

The long-standing question of who responds to placebo and who does not is of great theoretical and clinical relevance and has received increasing attention in recent years. We therefore performed a post hoc analysis of one of our previously published studies on placebo responses (PRs). In the analysis, fourteen potential predictors for the PR on experimentally induced motion sickness in 32 healthy volunteers were explored using moderated multiple regression. Generalized self-efficacy, generalized self, internal locus of control and cognitive flexibility were significantly associated with symptom improvement in the placebo group, as compared to the untreated control group. Notably, the directions of the associations were such that the "unfavorable" side of the constructs (e.g. low self-efficacy) predicted a higher PR. Instead, the "favorable" side predicted symptom improvement in the control group. Results fit well with prior research into psychological influences on motion sickness. Although PRs in motion sickness are not well established, it is suggested to include the identified constructs in future research involving motion sickness-related symptoms such as nausea and vertigo. Concerning PRs in general, the results may have implications for clinical as well as experimental research on other symptoms and disorders, such as pain or depression.