The Effects of Open-label Placebos on Acute Stress

NCT07522437 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: UAHPEC30520
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 260
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this study is to find out whether an open-label placebo nasal spray can reduce stress among individuals engaging in a high-stress canyon swing. The main questions the study aims to answer are: 1) Does an open-label placebo increase likelihood of participants completing another jump? 2) Does the placebo affect how long it takes participants to jump, reduce the reported stress levels before the jump 3) Does the placebo change how enjoyable participants find the jump? Researchers will compare participants who receive an open-label placebo nasal spray (a spray that contains no active medication and is clearly described as a placebo) with participants who receive no treatment (control). The aim is to see whether the placebo nasal spray can increase likelihood of participants completing another jump, reduce reported stress and improve participants overall enjoyment of the jump. Participants will:

• Complete a short questionnaire before they jump
• Either self administer a placebo nasal spray (one spray in each nostril) right before stepping through the gate to jump, or receive no treatment (control).
• Complete a short questionnaire after completing the jump
• Whether they complete another jump will be noted

Conditions

Acute Stress; Stress

Keywords

Open label placebo; Acute stress; Canyon Swing

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Repeat jump

  Whether participants choose to complete a repeat jump after their initial jump.

  During the same study session, immediately following completion of the participant's initial jump.

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Self reported stress

  Answered at baseline on the pre-jump questionnaire and immediately after completion of the jump on the post-jump questionnaire, during the same study session.

• Time to jump

  During the study session. Time is recorded in seconds. The recording starts when the participant is clipped onto the main attachment point rigging plate and stops recording when they leave the jump platform and drop into the canyon.

• Enjoyment of the jump

  Answered immediately after completion of the jump on the post jump questionnaire, during the same study session.

• Willingness to jump again

  Answered immediately after completion of the jump on the post jump questionnaire, during the same study session.

Study Arms (2)

Open label placebo

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this arm are assigned to receive a placebo nasal spray. This arm allows testing of the effects on an open-label placebo compared to a control condition. Participants in this arm will self-administer the nasal spray once in each nostril before entering through the gate to jump.

Other: Open Label Placebo

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Participants in this arm receive no treatment and will continue as normal. This group serves as a no intervention comparator to assess the effects of the open label placebo.

Interventions

Open Label Placebo OTHER

Participants allocated to the placebo arm will self-administer the nasal spray before entering through the gate to jump. The nasal spray contains no active ingredients. It is made of a saline solution and is described to participants as a placebo. Participants are informed that placebos can produce powerful effects and have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety through expectations and prior learning - processes where the body learns to respond automatically to cues that are associated with a relief in symptoms.

Open label placebo

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Signed-up to complete the canyon swing
• Aged 18 years and over
• Able to speak and understand English
• Comfortable being randomised to either the open-label placebo or no-treatment control condition

You may not qualify if:

• Under 18 years of age
• Unable to speak or understand English
• Unable to provide informed consent

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Auckland, New Zealand: lead

Study Sites (1)

Canyon Swing

Queenstown, Otago, 9300, New Zealand

Location

Central Study Contacts

Keith J Petrie, PhD

CONTACT

6493737599; kj.petrie@auckland.ac.nz

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 24, 2026
• First Posted: April 13, 2026
• Study Start: April 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): November 1, 2026
• Last Updated: April 13, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Locations

NZ (1)