Application over time
OLP
The time course affected not only the experienced effect of the IP but also its application. For instance, a participant shared that motivation for the pill intake dropped after some time due to a lower level of suffering. However, motivation for applying the intervention also increased when it was experienced as helpful. In addition, five participants in the IP group expressed a wish for a so-called ‘refresher-appointment’ (i.e., a second meeting in the middle of the intervention phase that would renew the placebo information and the IP exercise). They explained that this would be helpful for remembering the rationale, to consolidate and remember the desired feeling connected to the IP, and to generally increase motivation. Besides the interactive document in which participants recorded their IP, a few participants suggested ideas for alternative or idiosyncratic reminders to recall specific placebo information. For instance, one IP interviewee proposed having an auditory aid:“But maybe also an idea would be, if you had that [the suggestions about the IP intake] as an audio recording or something, so instead of a refresher, on the phone or in person, you could just listen to that again.” (IP; Subject 14)While the timing also affected the experienced OLP effect and its application, only two participants in the OLP group mentioned the idea of such an additional appointment.