Acute StressNCT07522437
The Effects of Open-label Placebos on Acute Stress
A study of Acute Stress and Stress, run by University of Auckland, New Zealand at 1 site in New Zealand.
Trial 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… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Acute Stress, Stress
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 260 participants
- Where
- 1 siteNew Zealand
- Study dates
- Apr 2026to Nov 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 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
Who cannot join
- Under 18 years of age
- Unable to speak or understand English
- Unable to provide informed consent
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
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.
Read more
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
Read the detailed description
This randomised controlled trial evaluates whether an open label placebo can increase likelihood of participants completing another jump and reduce stress among individuals engaging in a high-stress canyon swing. The intervention is based on prior research on placebo effects - which suggest that expectations and prior learning can produce meaningful physiological and psychological responses to a treatment - even when individuals are aware they are receiving a placebo, known as an open-label placebo. Open-label placebos challenge traditional assumptions by offering an ethically acceptable way to harness the mechanisms of placebos without deception. Prior research shows that open-label placebos can improve a range of self-reported outcomes including reducing stress, pain, and anxiety.
The study examines the effects of an open-label placebo on stress in a real world setting. The primary objective is to assess whether an open-label placebo nasal spray can increase likelihood of participants completing another jump. Secondary objectives include examining whether the placebo influences reported stress time taken to jump, and ratings of the jump in terms of enjoyment.
Participants who have signed up to complete the Shotover Canyon Swing Queenstown and meet the eligibility criteria are randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to one of two study arms; either an open-label placebo group or no-treatment control group. Randomisation is conducted independently using a computer-generated allocation sequence. Participants in the placebo group will self-administer the nasal spray once in each nostril immediately prior to stepping through the gate to jump. The nasal spray is made of a saline solution and is explicitly described as a placebo with no active ingredients. Participants in the control group receive no intervention and continue as normal. Statistical analyses will include independent samples t-tests to compare mean differences in primary and secondary outcomes between groups. Missing data will be addressed using multiple imputation techniques. All eligibility criteria, outcome measures and intervention details are specified in the relevant sections of the clinical trial registration record. This trial contributes to a growing body of research examining the effects of open-label placebos and explores whether these mechanisms extends the research into naturalistic, non-clinical settings.
- Conditions
- Acute Stress, Stress
- Being tested
- Open Label Placebo
- Keywords
- Open label placebo, Acute stress, Canyon Swing
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Open Label PlaceboOther
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.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| 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. Receives: 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. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Repeat jump
Whether participants choose to complete a repeat jump after their initial jump.
Measured: During the same study session, immediately following completion of the participant's initial jump.
Secondary outcomes (4)
Self reported stress
Participants self-reported stress related to the jump measured at baseline (prior to the jump) and post-jump.
Measured at baseline with the question:
How anxious do you feel about the jump today? 0 (Not at all) - 10 (Extremely)
Measured post-jump with the question:
How anxious were you right before you jumped? 0 (Not at all) - 10 (Extremely)
Measured: 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
The amount of time taken for participants to jump after being clipped on to the main attachment point (rigging plate).
Measured: 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
Participants self-reported enjoyment of the jump.
Measured with the question:
Firstly, how much did you enjoy your jump? 0 (Not at all) - 10 (Extremely)
Measured: Answered immediately after completion of the jump on the post jump questionnaire, during the same study session.
Willingness to jump again
Participants self-reported willingness to jump again. Measured with the question: If given the opportunity, would you do another jump today? Answer: YES or NO
Measured: Answered immediately after completion of the jump on the post jump questionnaire, during the same study session.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted13 Apr 2026
- Study startApr 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionNov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionNov 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Acute StressStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 260 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Auckland, New Zealand
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Keith J Petrie, University of Auckland, New Zealand
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07522437
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- UAHPEC30520
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 24 Feb 2026
- Last updated
- 13 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effects of Open-label Placebos on Acute Stress
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07522437
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- UAHPEC30520
- Conditions
- Acute Stress, Stress
- Keywords
- Open label placebo, Acute stress, Canyon Swing
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 260 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Auckland, New ZealandUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Nov 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 13 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
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
Detailed description
This randomised controlled trial evaluates whether an open label placebo can increase likelihood of participants completing another jump and reduce stress among individuals engaging in a high-stress canyon swing. The intervention is based on prior research on placebo effects - which suggest that expectations and prior learning can produce meaningful physiological and psychological responses to a treatment - even when individuals are aware they are receiving a placebo, known as an open-label placebo. Open-label placebos challenge traditional assumptions by offering an ethically acceptable way to harness the mechanisms of placebos without deception. Prior research shows that open-label placebos can improve a range of self-reported outcomes including reducing stress, pain, and anxiety.
The study examines the effects of an open-label placebo on stress in a real world setting. The primary objective is to assess whether an open-label placebo nasal spray can increase likelihood of participants completing another jump. Secondary objectives include examining whether the placebo influences reported stress time taken to jump, and ratings of the jump in terms of enjoyment.
Participants who have signed up to complete the Shotover Canyon Swing Queenstown and meet the eligibility criteria are randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to one of two study arms; either an open-label placebo group or no-treatment control group. Randomisation is conducted independently using a computer-generated allocation sequence. Participants in the placebo group will self-administer the nasal spray once in each nostril immediately prior to stepping through the gate to jump. The nasal spray is made of a saline solution and is explicitly described as a placebo with no active ingredients. Participants in the control group receive no intervention and continue as normal. Statistical analyses will include independent samples t-tests to compare mean differences in primary and secondary outcomes between groups. Missing data will be addressed using multiple imputation techniques. All eligibility criteria, outcome measures and intervention details are specified in the relevant sections of the clinical trial registration record. This trial contributes to a growing body of research examining the effects of open-label placebos and explores whether these mechanisms extends the research into naturalistic, non-clinical settings.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Open label placebo | Experimental | Other: Open Label PlaceboParticipants 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. |
| 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. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- 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
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Under 18 years of age
- Unable to speak or understand English
- Unable to provide informed consent
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Open Label PlaceboParticipants 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. | Other | Open label placebo |
Primary outcome
Repeat jump
Time frame: During the same study session, immediately following completion of the participant's initial jump.
Whether participants choose to complete a repeat jump after their initial jump.
4 secondary outcomes
Self reported stress
Time frame: 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
Time frame: 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
Time frame: Answered immediately after completion of the jump on the post jump questionnaire, during the same study session.
Willingness to jump again
Time frame: Answered immediately after completion of the jump on the post jump questionnaire, during the same study session.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 13 Apr 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study of Acute Stress and Stress, run by University of Auckland, New Zealand at 1 site in New Zealand.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in New Zealand. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Keith J Petrie, PhD (6493737599, kj.petrie@auckland.ac.nz), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Repeat jump (time frame: During the same study session, immediately following completion of the participant's initial jump.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 Apr 2026.