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Utilization of Placebo Response in Double-Blind Psychopharmacological Studies, Contextual Perspective

Ashirova, Margarita Olegovna
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2756-4837
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1445977459

Abstract Details

2015, Psy. D., Antioch University, Antioch Seattle: Clinical Psychology.
Placebo response has been an elusive phenomenon in the fields of medicine, medical research, and psychology. Even though it has been heavily utilized as a comparator treatment in double-blind psychopharmacological studies, the reliable definition and consistent understanding of placebo response are missing. In this contextual exploration, I outlined the state of current placebo response research and variable rates of placebo response reported in double-blind studies. I identified the gap in the literature—lack of consistent understanding of placebo response—that has led to a waste of resources by the psychopharmacological research industry. Further, I compared and contrasted the current inconsistent Western medical understanding of placebo as outlined by a leading expert on placebo research (Fabrizio Benedetti) and the potential new understanding of placebo response based on philosophical concepts of Hans-Georg Gadamer. I concluded that placebo response appeared to be a contextual phenomenon and therefore could be expected to behave similarly to other contextually based healing modalities as described by Gadamer. I determined that the positivistic approach of modern medical research was not an appropriate method for understanding, researching, or defining placebo. Thus, I argued that psychopharmacological research could be improved by changing the way it used placebo in its control groups and maximizing placebo response in both placebo and active treatment groups instead of minimizing it. I argued that this new approach would bring the drug trial environment closer to the real life treatment environment and improve the quality of the drug trials. The electronic version of this dissertation is at AURA: Antioch University Repository and Archive, http://aura.antioch.edu/ and OhioLINK ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu
Alejandra Suarez, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
William Heusler, Psy.D. (Committee Member)
Peter Hunsberger, Ed.D. (Committee Member)
118 p.
Biomedical Research; Health; Health Care; Health Sciences; Medicine; Neurobiology; Neurosciences; Nursing; Pharmaceuticals; Pharmacology; Philosophy of Science; Physiological Psychology; Psychobiology; Psychology; Science History; Sociolinguistics
placebo; placebo response; placebo effect; theoretical; hermeneutics; Gadamer; psychopharmacology; double-blind; contextual theory

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Ashirova, M. O. (2015). Utilization of Placebo Response in Double-Blind Psychopharmacological Studies, Contextual Perspective [Doctoral dissertation, Antioch University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1445977459

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Ashirova, Margarita. Utilization of Placebo Response in Double-Blind Psychopharmacological Studies, Contextual Perspective. 2015. Antioch University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1445977459.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Ashirova, Margarita. "Utilization of Placebo Response in Double-Blind Psychopharmacological Studies, Contextual Perspective." Doctoral dissertation, Antioch University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1445977459

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

antioch1445977459
663
© 2015, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Antioch University and OhioLINK.