Framing effect

Empirical research

Framing (construction)

Alternative medicine

Engineering

Philosophy

Medicine

Nocebo

Nocebo Effect

Structural engineering

Epistemology

Psychology

Persuasion

Social psychology

Pathology

Placebo

Frontiers in Pharmacology

Although critical for informed consent, side effect warnings can contribute directly to poorer patient outcomes because they often induce negative expectations that trigger nocebo side effects. Communication strategies that reduce the development of nocebo side effects whilst maintaining informed consent are therefore of considerable interest. We reviewed theoretical and empirical evidence for the use of framing strategies to achieve this. Framing refers to the way in which information about the likelihood or significance of side effects is presented (e.g. negative frame: 30% will experience headache vs positive frame: 70% will not experience headache), with the rationale that positively framing such information could diminish nocebo side effects. Relatively few empirical studies (k=6) have tested whether framing strategies can reduce nocebo side effects. Of these, four used attribute framing and two message framing. All but one of the studies found a significant framing effect on at least one aspect of side ...

Can Positive Framing Reduce Nocebo Side Effects? Current Evidence and Recommendation for Future Research