Subliminal Priming with Positive Auditory Stimuli Significantly Improves Self-Esteem and Emotional Well-Being

Abstract

This retrospective study investigated the effect of positive auditory masked subliminal priming on 535 adult and child patients who presented for treatment at the Brain Wellness Spa (BWS) in Australia between the years of 2018 and 2021. Patients were assessed prior to first treatment session, using 7 self-administered questionnaires: a 33-question assessment of their state of being, a 10-question evaluation of emotion, a 12-question survey of long-term state, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, the Penn State Worry Questionnaire, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Brief Aggression Questionnaire. Subjects were then exposed to either 12 or 14 weekly treatment sessions composed of 25-minute masked subliminal auditory priming scripts. The scripts consisted of dozens of affirmational statements aimed at decreasing the subjects’ stress to emotional triggers and promoting psychological and emotional resilience. Patients were unaware of the subliminal messages underlying the music (auditory mask) during each treatment session. Patients completed identical questionnaires as follow-up after either their 11th or 13th treatment session. Statistical analysis of pre- and post-treatment questionnaires revealed significant improvement in subjective reports of self-esteem, depression, anxiety, stress, worry, and state of being. Despite these positive conclusions, results need to be interpreted taking into consideration the study limitations. However, based upon these conclusions, repetitive masked subliminal auditory priming therapy needs to be further investigated with larger sample sizes.