Increase in Reported Anxiety and Anomalous Experiences in Paranormal Believers Following Ouija Board Play

Escolà-Gascón, Á ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3086-4024, Dagnall, N ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0657-7604 and Denovan, A ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9082-7225 (2025) Increase in Reported Anxiety and Anomalous Experiences in Paranormal Believers Following Ouija Board Play. Psychology of Consciousness: Theory Research, and Practice. ISSN 2326-5523

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Abstract

Paranormal games are used as oracles by some people for entertainment, with the Ouija board being themost classic example. There is scant information in scientific literature regarding the psychological effects and risks associated with these types of activities. Although the Ouija is legally sold as a children’s game, its potential health impacts need to be scientifically assessed and evidence-based. In this study, we examine the psychological effects and risks linked to using the Ouija board. A quasi-experimental design was carried out. Twenty-one Ouija sessions were performed with four participants in each trial. In total, 84 subjects took part. Pretest and posttest measures of anxiety levels, altered states of consciousness (ASC), and perceptual disturbances were evaluated. The variable “beliefs in the paranormal” was added as an interaction factor. Believers demonstrated higher average scores than nonbelievers on all posttest measurements. Analysis of the interaction between simple effects revealed that believers’ anxiety levels increased by 25.5% for paranormal believers (vs. nonbelievers). Believers also experienced heightened ASC and anomalous experiences. It is important to highlight the possible influence of the environment on believing participants. Certain environmental characteristics could have generated increases in the levels of anxiety and suggestibility. These influences should be controlled in future research. Overall, this study found that participants who believe in the paranormal (vs. nonbelievers) are more likely to perceive symptoms of anxiety, ASC, and anomalous experiences as a result of playing Ouija.