Randomized Expectancy-Enhanced Placebo-Controlled Trial of the Impact of Quantum BioEnergetics and Mental Boundaries on Affect

Abstract

The present study aimed to extend the fi ndings of a previous, randomized placebo-controlled pilot study (F.  E. Permezel and A. J. Rock, Australian Journal of Parapsychology 9(1):71–95, 2009) which examined the effect of a subtle energy technique, Quantum BioEnergetics (QBE), and a personality trait, Mental Boundaries, on Positive and Negative Affect.  In the present study, 94 participants were administered the Boundary Questionnaire Short Form to quantify Mental Boundaries and the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (PCI) to quantify pre-test Positive and Negative Affect.  Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: QBE, Placebo, or Control.  Participants’ affective responses to the conditions were retrospectively assessed using the PCI.  No signifi cant multivariate effect was found for condition or Mental Boundaries with regard to post-test scores on Positive and Negative Affect, after controlling for pre-test scores.  Furthermore, a signifi cant multivariate interaction between the aforementioned factors was not found.  The present study’s non-signifi cant fi ndings may be due to its more stringent methodological controls or diminished ecological validity relative to Permezel and Rock (2009).