title: What you wear does not affect the credibility of your treatment: A blinded randomized controlled study.
abstract: Professional appearance is easily modifiable, and might alter the effects of a clinical encounter. We aimed to determine whether professional attire influences a patient's perception of treatment credibility.
  
  
  
  We performed a single-blind randomized controlled study on 128 patients with acute non-specific low back pain who were about to receive treatment in primary care. The treating clinician was randomly allocated to wear formal attire (experimental condition) or casual attire (control condition) to the consultation. Clinicians provided a standardized briefing on the rationale behind the patient's forthcoming treatment. Treatment credibility (Credibility and Expectancy Questionnaire) was assessed immediately after this briefing.
  
  
  
  All patients received the experimental or control condition as allocated and provided complete primary outcome data. Formal attire had no effect on perceived treatment credibility (Mean difference between groups 1.2 [95%CI-1.1 to 3.5]). Age was the only significant predictor of treatment credibility; older patients rated treatment credibility higher (Beta=0.16 [95%CI 0.08 to 0.24]).
  
  
  
  In a trial setting, whether or not a clinician is formally dressed has no effect on perceptions of treatment credibility in patients with acute low back pain.
  
  
  
  Clinicians should dress comfortably without fear of losing credibility.
authors: Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia and Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: a.traeger@neura.edu.au.
authors: Adrian C
authors: AC
authors: Traeger
authors: Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia and Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: i.skinner@neura.edu.au.
authors: Ian W
authors: IW
authors: Skinner
authors: Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia and Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: m.huebscher@neura.edu.au.
authors: Markus
authors: M
authors: Hübscher
authors: Institute of Public Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. Electronic address: henschke@uni-heidelberg.de.
authors: Nicholas
authors: N
authors: Henschke
authors: Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia and Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: Lorimer.Moseley@unisa.edu.au.
authors: G Lorimer
authors: GL
authors: Moseley
authors: Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia and Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: J.McAuley@neura.edu.au.
authors: James H
authors: JH
authors: McAuley
mesh_terms: D003020:Clothing / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D010465:Perception; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D011364:Professional Practice; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D035502:Trust / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Low back pain; Patient education; Patient-centered care; Professional practice; Randomized controlled trial