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Research: WILKINSON et al.,
Listed in Issue 83
Abstract
WILKINSON et al., Department of Psychology, Tennessee State University, Nashville 37209-1564, USA, E: dswilkinson@mindspring.com, evaluated the clinical effectiveness of healing touch .
Background
The study had two objectives: to determine the clinical effectiveness of healing touch on variables related to health enhancement, and to determine whether practitioner training levels modulated treatment effectiveness.
Methodology
22 clients who had never experienced healing touch (HT) were allocated to 3 different treatments: no treatment, HT, and HT+ (HT plus music plus guided imagery). Secreted Immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in saliva, self-report of stress levels, client perception of health enhancement were measured, as well as more qualitative questionnaires about health effects .
Results
Clients of experienced HT practitioners showed significant positive changes in sIgA levels while clients of inexperienced practitioners did not . Clients reported significantly reduced levels of stress after both HT treatments . Enhancement of health was reported by 59% of clients. 55% of clients reported pain relief .
Conclusion
The data support the clinical effectiveness of healing touch in health enhancement, specifically for raising sIgA levels, lowering stress and relieving pain. It is interesting that practitioners' degree of experience had an impact on the most objectively measurable variable (sIgA).
References
Wilkinson DS, Knox PL, Chatman JE, Johnson TL, Barbour N, Myles Y, Reel A. The clinical effectiveness of healing touch. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 8 (1): 33-47, Feb 2002.
Comment
The above research demonstrate, in different ways, the importance of attitude, experience and currently unknown factors upon both the acceptance of meditation and healing upon the medical profession, as well as the association between clinical effectiveness and change in sIgA levels and experience of practitioners.
