Table 2.

Performance on Placebo Questionnaire: Individual Items

	n (%) Answering Item Correctly		χ2	p
True/False or Open-Ended Item (Correct answer)	No placebo module (n = 25)	Placebo module (n = 24)
It will be decided at random whether I will get a placebo. (True)	22 (88.0%)	23 (95.8%)	1.002	.317
The research physician will not know whether I'm getting a real medication or the placebo pill. (True)	19 (76.0%)	17 (70.8%)	.168	.682
Most people can tell if they are taking a placebo pill. (False)	14 (56.0%)	22 (91.7%)	7.991	.005
There are no risks associated with taking a placebo pill. (False)	14 (56.0%)	17 (70.8%)	1.159	.282
Some people who get the placebo pill might experience improvement in their symptoms. (True)	14 (56.0%)	24 (100%)	13.617	<.001
People who get the placebo pill won't experience any side effects; that would only happen if they were taking a real medication. (False)	10 (40.0%)	17 (70.8%)	4.705	.030
Why do the researchers use a placebo pill? (To tell difference between groups in effects of medications; to have a baseline to compare)	7 (28.0%)	9 (37.5%)	.503	.478
Can the research participants tell the difference between a placebo pill and a pill with medication inside of it? (No)	11 (44.0%)	19 (79.2%)	6.379	.012
Do you think that some people who get the placebo will feel their symptoms are better? What makes you think this? (Answer showing awareness of possible placebo effect)	7 (28.0%)	18 (75.0%)	10.824	.001
Do you think that some people who get the placebo will feel that their symptoms are worse? What makes you think this? (Answer showing awareness of possibility of symptoms worsening)	13 (52.0%)	13 (54.2%)	.023	.879
Can placebos cause side effects? (Answer showing awareness that people on placebos can sometimes feel they are having side effects)	6 (24.0%)	12 (50.0%)	3.562	.059
Do you think there are any risks to taking a placebo pill? What kind of risks? (Awareness of possibility of symptoms reemerging or worsening)	9 (36.0%)	7 (29.2%)	.260	.610

Note: df for χ² = 1.