Randomized Expectancy-Enhanced Placebo-Controlled Trial of the Impact of Quantum BioEnergetic Distant Healing and Paranormal Belief on Mood Disturbance: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Context: Previous research has demonstrated the effects of ostensible subtle energy on physical systems and subjective experience. However, one subtle energy technique that has been neglected, despite anecdotal support for its efficacy, is Quantum BioEnergetics (QBE). Furthermore, the influence of paranormal belief and experience (either real belief/experience or suggested belief/experience) on subtle energy effects remains unclear. Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate experimentally the effects of distant QBE healing, and paranormal belief/experience, on mood. Design: A randomized expectancy-enhanced placebo-controlled design was used. Setting: Data were collected at the QBE Centre, Melbourne. Participants: Participants were students from Deakin University and from the general public. Methods: Snowball sampling (ie, word-of-mouth) and convenience sampling using a ballot box placed in the university library. Outcome Measures: Profile of Mood States-Short Form was used to quantify positive and negative mood states. Results: The QBE condition was associated with (1) significantly less Tension-Anxiety compared with the placebo and control condition; and (2) significantly less Anger-Hostility and Total Mood Disturbance compared with the control condition (but not the placebo condition). Furthermore, there was an interaction of condition and paranormal belief/experience with regard to Depression-Dejection, with believers assigned to the placebo condition scoring lowest on this Mood variable. Conclusion: Findings suggest that the use of QBE by an experienced practitioner reduces mood disturbance. In addition, the placebo condition may have evoked suggestibility effects in believers, which would mean that they may be more likely than nonbelievers to believe that they were receiving healing, thus resulting in lower Depression-Dejection scores.