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Note: This study found no significant biological effects under its experimental conditions. We include all studies for scientific completeness.

Symptoms & Sensitivity

A cognitive-behavioral treatment of patients suffering from "electric hypersensitivity". Subjective effects and reactions in a double-blind provocation study.

No Effects Found

Andersson B, Berg M, Arnetz BB, Melin L, Langlet I, Lidén S. · 1996

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Psychological treatment helped reduce disability in electrically hypersensitive patients, though controlled EMF exposure produced no measurable physiological reactions.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Swedish researchers studied 17 people who claimed to be electrically hypersensitive, testing whether psychological treatment could help their symptoms. While the treatment group reported feeling less disabled by their condition, neither group showed any actual physiological reactions to electromagnetic field exposure in double-blind tests. This suggests that while the symptoms are real and distressing, they may not be directly caused by EMF exposure itself.

Why This Matters

This 1996 study represents an early attempt to understand electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS), a condition that remains controversial today. The finding that patients didn't react physiologically to EMF exposure in controlled conditions aligns with most provocation studies, yet the psychological treatment's effectiveness in reducing disability suggests the symptoms are genuine and impactful. What this means for you is that EHS represents a complex phenomenon where real suffering may not correlate with measurable EMF exposure. The reality is that whether symptoms stem from EMF exposure or other factors, people experiencing them deserve appropriate care and support, not dismissal.

Study Details

This study tested psychological treatment of patients with "electric hypersensitivity."

Seventeen patients were randomly assigned to a treatment group or a waiting-list control group in a ...

The patients in the experimental group reduced their evaluations of the disability more than the con...

The conclusion from the provocation test is that this group of alleged hypersensitive patients did not react to the electromagnetic fields.

Cite This Study
Andersson B, Berg M, Arnetz BB, Melin L, Langlet I, Lidén S. (1996). A cognitive-behavioral treatment of patients suffering from "electric hypersensitivity". Subjective effects and reactions in a double-blind provocation study. J Occup Environ Med. 38(8):752-758, 1996.
Show BibTeX
@article{b_1996_a_cognitivebehavioral_treatment_of_2943,
  author = {Andersson B and Berg M and Arnetz BB and Melin L and Langlet I and Lidén S.},
  title = {A cognitive-behavioral treatment of patients suffering from "electric hypersensitivity". Subjective effects and reactions in a double-blind provocation study.},
  year = {1996},
  
  url = {https://journals.lww.com/joem/Abstract/1996/08000/A_Cognitive_Behavioral_Treatment_of_Patients.9.aspx},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, cognitive behavioral therapy can help people with electrical hypersensitivity feel less disabled by their condition. A 1996 Swedish study of 17 electrically sensitive patients found that those receiving psychological treatment reported reduced disability compared to controls, even though neither group showed actual physiological reactions to EMF exposure.
No, electrically hypersensitive people do not show measurable reactions to electromagnetic fields in double-blind tests. Swedish researchers tested 17 people claiming electrical sensitivity and found no significant physiological responses or subjective reactions when participants couldn't see whether EMF was present or not.
Double-blind EMF testing revealed that electrical hypersensitivity symptoms are real and distressing but may not be directly caused by electromagnetic field exposure. The 1996 Swedish study found no physiological reactions to EMF in blind tests, suggesting psychological factors may play a larger role than actual field exposure.
Yes, psychological treatment can reduce the disability people experience from electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Swedish researchers found that patients receiving cognitive-behavioral therapy felt significantly less disabled by their condition compared to controls, even though both groups showed no actual reactions to EMF in provocation tests.
Zero electrically sensitive patients showed measurable reactions in the 1996 Swedish EMF study. None of the 17 participants claiming electrical hypersensitivity demonstrated any significant physiological responses or subjective reactions to electromagnetic field exposure during double-blind provocation testing, despite their reported symptoms being real and distressing.