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Massage Reduces Anxiety in Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Patients
Abstract
A 30-minute back massage was given daily for a 5-day period to 52 hospitalized depressed and adjustment disorder children and adolescents. Compared with a control group who viewed relaxing videotapes, the massaged subjects were less depressed and anxious and had lower saliva cortisol levels after the massage. In addition, nurses rated the subjects as being less anxious and more cooperative on the last day of the study, and nighttime sleep increased over this period. Finally, urinary cortisol and norepinephrine levels decreased, but only for the depressed subjects.
... In our assessment of 18 massage therapy studies, 15 demonstrated a statistically significant positive impact on state and/or trait anxiety reduction, as documented in Table 3 [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]. An LOE one randomized clinical controlled trial targeted individuals with fibromyalgia, assessing the potential of massage therapy to alleviate anxiety symptoms. ...
... [12]. Another study involving 72 hospitalized children and adolescents utilized STAI for children, Profile of Mood States (POMS), and salivary cortisol levels, showed reduced anxiety in subjects receiving massage on days 1 and 5 [17]. Additionally, caregivers of patients undergoing a stem cell transplant ...
... However, the variability in the training backgrounds of professionals, ranging from volunteers to therapists, poses a challenge in standardizing interventions. The limited reporting of power values in 11 out of 21 studies raises concerns about unreliable findings due to inadequate sample sizes [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]. Additionally, the focus on GAD in only 4 out of 21 studies limits the applicability of the results to this specific population, urging caution in generalizing findings from the reviewed massage therapy studies, particularly for patients with GAD [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]. ...
Context
Anxiety disorders have a far-reaching impact on society, with profound implications on both mental and physical health. In response, there is growing interest in manual therapy modalities, with emerging research suggesting their potential to alleviate related symptoms.
Objectives
To establish a consensus regarding manual therapy modalities for addressing anxiety symptoms, a systematic review of current literature was conducted.
Methods
A literature search was conducted between May and August 2023, utilizing a systematic search on both PubMed and Google Scholar, adhering to the defined inclusion criteria. In addition, information was gathered utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Both authors (KLW and TH) conducted the literature review. The inclusion criteria include articles written in English, peer-reviewed, anxiety conditions documented, and manual therapy delivered by a respectfully qualified professional. Manual therapy modalities include massage therapy, osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), foot reflexology, acupressure, manual therapy, healing touch, therapeutic touch, and gentle touch. After initial data collection, both researchers independently screened articles utilizing two metrics: a level of evidence (LOE) table and a screening criterion incorporating unique elements from the search process. The quality of the included articles was assessed utilizing Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT). When reviewer discrepancies arose, authors reread full-text studies and discussed the inclusion and exclusion criteria to achieve consensus.
Results
The data searches identified 8,979 articles, with 239 articles remaining after duplicates and nonapplicable articles were removed. A total of 42 articles met the inclusion criteria, with only 40 articles able to be obtained for full-article review. After full review and the exclusion of articles with invalid author conclusions, meta-analysis, or systematic reviews, 34 articles were included in the review. All articles received an LOE rating of 2 or better and aligned with our specific screening criteria. Based on SORT, each modality was assigned a “B” rating. Among the included articles, n=27 demonstrated statistical significance in favor of manual therapy modalities as an anxiety treatment. The positive results for the aforementioned manual therapies on anxiety symptom improvement are shown: 15/18 (83 %) massage therapy, 2/6 (33 %) OMT, 5/5 (100 %) foot reflexology, 1/1 (100 %) acupressure, 1/1 (100 %) manual therapy, 0/2 (0 %) healing touch, 1/1 (100 %) therapeutic touch, and 1/1 (100 %) gentle touch.
Conclusions
A pattern emerged, wherein individuals receiving manual therapy interventions displayed a statistically significant reduction in anxiety intensity. Considering the positive results, manual therapy should be considered an effective strategy for anxiety management.
... Massage decreases fatigue, exhaustion, tension, and pain by showing a sedative effect and improves the feeling of trust in individuals. Studies indicated that massage relieves pain and fatigue, reduces blood pressure, decreases heart rate, decreases cortisol release and depression, and regulates sleep 11,[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27] . Therefore, massage is a method that is frequently used to overcome sleep problems. ...
... Among the remaining articles (n=18), the articles that were not in English or Turkish (n=3) and the article including the massage application in babies (n=1) were determined and excluded. As a result, 14 articles were included in the review 11,13,[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27] . The researchers independently evaluated the research regarding purpose, method, sample characteristics, and applied intervention. ...
... This study aims to evaluate the effect of back massage on sleep quality; 14 articles meeting the inclusion criteria were reached 11,13,[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27] . The fact that most of the studies were carried out in the countries in Asia and generally in the last decade suggests that the interest in non-pharmacological methods has increased in these regions in recent years. ...
... Studies show that massage therapy which is used for stimulation of marma points also has a significant effect on anxiety. In research, it was found that after the massage therapy there was a significant reduction in norepinephrine and cortisol levels along with the anxious behaviour in children suffering from Generalized Anxiety disorder [37]. Performing facial massage also reduces the level of anxiety and negative mood [38]. ...
... Different Marma practises such as massage, herbal baths, herbal drips and various yoga practises are very beneficial in the stimulation of these Marma points [36]. Massage therapy has been found significantly affect the level of norepinephrine and cortisol which play a significant role in anxious behaviour [37]. ...
In modern times, there is a rise in the number of cases suffering from mental health issues. Anxiety disorder is one of the significant mental illnesses. Various psychological and pharmacological interventions are available to treat anxiety and reduce its symptoms. However, these interventions have various limitations, and comprehensive treatment of this disorder is still a challenge. Ancient indigenous therapeutic techniques such as Yoga Therapy, Marma Therapy and Pranic healing, and Yagya Therapy are promising in the treatment of this disorder. The present study reviewed the applicability of these techniques for the treatment of this disorder. Yoga is an effective therapeutic intervention which can be used to treat anxiety. Yoga helps in addressing the biological symptoms of anxiety disorder. Stimulating marma points helps in mental and physical well-being and the development of self-healing powers. Stimulation of marma points of throat and head helps in treating anxiety disorder. Through pranic healing, the imbalanced chakras responsible for anxiety are energised which influence the physical body, mind, and emotions. Yagya therapy is beneficial in managing anxiety through the fumes of the herbs. It is beneficial in maintaining overall psychological well-being. From the review, it is clear that indigenous therapeutic interventions such as yoga therapy, marma therapy, pranic healing, and Yagya therapy help treat anxiety disorder and maintain good mental wellbeing.
... Craniosacral therapy as a soft tissue manipulation leading to increased parasympathetic activity, which provides comfort and facilitation and cognitive processes. 20 It removes pressure patterns which regulating the cycle of the brain, rhythm of the craniosacral, and accelerating the circulation of the CSF, 21 thereby affecting the entire body. CST decreases the muscle tone and causes relaxation and mood improvement in individuals. ...
... It seems that CST as a soft tissue manipulation leading to increased parasympathetic activity, which provides comfort and facilitation and cognitive processes. 20 CST, on the other hand, can reduce cortisol levels. It also increases the level of serotonin in people by improving the efficacy of fascial visceral and eliminating visceral constraint. ...
Background and objectives: The study aimed to compare the effectiveness of craniosacral therapy (CST), muscle energy technique (MET), and sensorimotor training (SMT) on pain, disability, depression, and quality of life of patients with non-specific chronic low back pain (NCLBP). Methodology: In this randomized clinical trial study 45 patients with NCLBP were randomly divided in three groups including CST, SMT, and MET. All groups received 10 sessions CST, SMT, and MET training in 5 weeks. Visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry functional disability questionnaire (ODQ), Beck depression inventory-II (BDI-II), and 36-item short form health survey (SF-36) were used to evaluate the pain, disability, depression, and quality of life, respectively, in three times, before treatment, after the last session of treatment, and after 2 months follow up. Results: The Results showed that VAS, ODI, BDI, and SF-36 changes were significant in the groups SMT, CST and MET (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001). The VAS, ODI, BDI, and SF-36 changes in post-treatment and follow-up times in the CST group were significantly different in comparison to SMT group, and the changes in VAS, ODI, BDI, and SF-36 at after treatment and follow-up times in the MET group compared with the CST group had a significant difference (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Craniosacral therapy, muscle energy technique, and sensorimotor training were all effective in improvement of pain, depression, functional disability, and quality of life of patients with non-specific chronic low back pain. Craniosacral therapy is more effective than muscle energy technique, and sensorimotor training in post-treatment and follow up. The effect of craniosacral therapy was continuous after two months follow up. Keywords: Low Back Pain; Craniosacral Therapy; Muscle Energy Technique; Sensorimotor Training Abbreviations: CST - Craniosacral therapy; MET - Muscle energy technique; SMT - Sensorimotor training; NCLBP - Non-specific chronic low back pain; ODQ - Oswestry functional disability questionnaire; 36-SF - 36-item short form health survey; BDI - Beck depression inventory; ROM - Range of motion Citation: Ghasemi C, Amiri A, Sarrafzadeh J, Dadgoo M, Maroufi N. Comparison of the effects of craniosacral therapy, muscle energy technique, and sensorimotor training on non-specific chronic low back pain Received: 21 July 2020, Reviewed: 14 August 2020, Revised: 15 August 2020, Accepted: 15 August 2020
... Massage, for instance, has been found to reduce anxiety and cortisol levels (e.g., Field, 2010;Field et al., 1992). Massage and other forms of touch also improve sleep and decrease the produc tion of substance P, a chemical associated with pain production, in addition to increasing the release of oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine in the brain (e.g., Field, 2010;Stock & Uvnäs-Moberg, 1988). ...
... Massage and other forms of touch also improve sleep and decrease the produc tion of substance P, a chemical associated with pain production, in addition to increasing the release of oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine in the brain (e.g., Field, 2010;Stock & Uvnäs-Moberg, 1988). Oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine increases have been linked to reductions in anxiety, stress, and depression (for a review, see Field, 2010;Field et al., 1992). According to the polyvagal theory, these neurochemical changes are likely due to vagus nerve stimulation from skin pressure (e.g., Field, 2010;Gamse, Lembeck, & Cuello, 1979;Porges, 2001;Stock & Uvnäs-Moberg, 1988). ...
... Prescott (1999) reported that more physical affection for children causes fewer incidents of physical aggression. In fact, Field, Morrow, Valdeon, Larson, Kuhn, and Schanberg (1992) found that increasing the amount of touch an adolescent receives through massage therapy can actually decrease violent tendencies. Furthermore, the Field et al. (1992) found that massages also helped to decrease adolescent anxiety as well. ...
... In fact, Field, Morrow, Valdeon, Larson, Kuhn, and Schanberg (1992) found that increasing the amount of touch an adolescent receives through massage therapy can actually decrease violent tendencies. Furthermore, the Field et al. (1992) found that massages also helped to decrease adolescent anxiety as well. In essence, the massage therapy decreases dopamine levels while increasing serotonin levels, which ultimately decreases both aggressive and anxious tendencies. ...
... Several studies have found that massage can lead to a decrease in blood levels of corticosteroids, a decrease in norepinephrine levels, and an increase in serotonin and dopamine concentrations. [78][79][80] Massage also leads to a reduction in anxiety and an improvement in mood. This is consistent with previous reports on the stress-relieving effects of massage, which include reducing cortisol levels and increasing serotonin and dopamine. ...
... In another study, children and adolescents (ages 8-18) in inpatient psychiatric treatment with adjustment disorder, conduct disorder, and depression showed significantly reduced anxiety (STAI) and depression scores after 5 days of massage therapy (Current Mood Scale; Field et al. 1992). In addition, their sleep improved significantly. ...
A wide variety of physiological processes can be set in motion through interpersonal touch or massage. For example, relaxation massages can reduce depression, anxiety, and fatigue, improve sleep, reduce stress, regulate blood sugar, blood pressure, and the immune system. These effects are in line with extensive research showing that psychological factors such as anxiety or relaxation influence the nervous system, the immune system, and the endocrine system. Accordingly, relaxation induced by interpersonal touch and massage has the potential to be used as a complementary therapy in medicine for both physical and mental disorders.
The chapter also contains information on the effects of weighted blankets and vests and on contraindications and adverse side effects of massage.
... Neonatal tactile stimulation (TS) has been found to be an effective treatment for alleviating the emotional and cognitive symptoms of ASD at an early age (Raza et al., 2015;Toda & Fogel, 1993). In ASD, TS is a reliable method of reducing stress and anxiety, cortisol levels (Field et al., 1992), and stereotypic behavior whilst also improving spatial working memory (Escalona et al., 2001;Zhang & Cai, 2008), face-to-face interaction, and communication with the caregiver (Ramey & Ramey, 1998). As spine density, dendritic length, and dendritic branching are increased in the amygdala and prefrontal cortex by TS, it has been found that dendritic morphology in these regions is dramatically altered by TS in rats (Raza et al., 2015). ...
Introduction:
Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder that can affect sensory-motor behaviors in the valproic acid (Val) rodent model of autism. Although whisker deprivation (WD) induces plastic changes in the cortical neurons, tactile stimulation (TS) during the neonatal period may reverse it. Here, we investigate the interaction effects of TS and WD on behavioral and histologic features of barrel cortex neurons in juvenile Val-treated.
Methods:
Control (CTL, CTL-TS, CTL-WD, and CTL-TS-WD groups) and Val-treated (Val, Val-TS, Val-WD, and Val-TS-WD groups) rats of both sexes were subjected to behavioral tests of social interaction, and novel texture recognition, and Nissl staining. The TS groups were exposed to sensory stimulation for 15 min, three times/day; moreover, all whiskers in the WD groups were trimmed every other day from postnatal days 1 to 21.
Results:
Both prenatal valproic acid administration and postnatal WD decreased the rats' performance percentage of the Val and CTL-WD groups of both sexes compared with the CTL groups in the social interaction and texture discrimination tests. Following TS, the performance of the Val-TS-WD group increased significantly compared to the Val group (p < .05), whereas the performance of the CTL-TS-WD group rescued to the CTL group. Nissl staining results also revealed the neuron degeneration percentage in the barrel field area of the Val and CTL-WD groups was increased significantly (p < .05) compared with the CTL group. In this regard, TS decreased the neuron degeneration percentage of the Val-TS-WD and the CTL-TS-WD groups, compared with the CTL group, significantly (p < .05).
Conclusion:
TS in juvenile male and female rats can act as a modulator and compensate for the behavioral and histological consequences of WD and prenatal valproic acid exposure.
... Among them, catecholamines (CAs) are a series of neurological substances containing catechols and amines [8] , mainly including epinephrine (E), norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA). Several studies have found that massage can cause decreased blood levels of corticosteroids [9] , decreased levels of norepinephrine [10] , increased concentrations of serotonin and dopamine [2] , reduced anxiety and improved mood in the massaged subjects. This shows that massage stimulation in this study does cause a series of reactions in the body, promote metabolism, accelerate circulation in the body, and lead to changes in the urine proteome. ...
This study aimed to explore the effect of massage on the urine proteome of healthy people. In this study, participants underwent 1-hour whole body massage. Urine samples were collected at 0, 2, and 24h after the massage and urine proteins were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Compared with the control (before massage), 41 differential proteins were identified in the group 2h after the massage, the random mean number of differentially produced proteins was 11 with 73% confidence, and the biological process of protein enrichment was catecholamine biosynthesis, which was related to the promotion of metabolism and the regulation of neural activities. While 29 differential proteins were identified in the group 24h after the massage, the random average number of differential proteins produced was 10, with the confidence of the difference decreased to 65%, and the effective biological process could not be enriched at this time. The results suggested that the difference in urine protein was greater at 2h after the massage and gradually decreased at 24h after the massage. The proteome of urine may reflect changes in the body following minor massage stimuli, providing a potential way to evaluate the effects of massage therapy.
... Several studies have found that massage can cause decreased blood levels of corticosteroids [12] , decreased levels of norepinephrine [13] , increased concentrations of serotonin and dopamine [2] , reduced anxiety and improved mood in the massaged subjects. This shows that massage stimulation in this study does cause a series of reactions in the body, promote metabolism, accelerate circulation in the body, and lead to changes in the urine proteome. ...
This study aimed to explore the effect of massage on the urine proteome of healthy people. In this study, participants underwent 1-hour whole body massage. Urine samples were collected at 0, 2, and 24h after the massage and urine proteins were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Compared with the control (before massage), 41 differential proteins were identified in the group 2h after the massage, the random mean number of differentially produced proteins was 11 with 73% confidence, and the biological process of protein enrichment was catecholamine biosynthesis, which was related to the promotion of metabolism and the regulation of neural activities. While 29 differential proteins were identified in the group 24h after the massage, the random average number of differential proteins produced was 10, with the confidence of the difference decreased to 65%, and the effective biological process could not be enriched at this time. The results suggested that the difference in urine protein was greater at 2h after the massage and gradually decreased at 24h after the massage. The proteome of urine may reflect changes in the body following minor massage stimuli, providing a potential way to evaluate the effects of massage therapy.
... OT has positive central effects on psychological adjustment and maternal behaviors during postpartum period (63)(64)(65)(66)(67). It is also believed that tactile contact between mother and child during massage could reduce the levels of stress-related hormones (cortisol and norepinephrine) in children and mothers and led to relieved eczema and maternal anxiety (19,68). The placebo effect could also play a role due to a beneficial expectation (18). ...
Objective
To observe the influence of MPIM on infantile eczema, quality of life, growth and maternal mental state.
Methods
This trial was a randomized controlled study. Sixty-six full-term infants with eczema were randomly divided into eczema control group (EC group, n = 33) and eczema with MPIM group (EM group, n = 33), along with healthy full-term infants in the healthy control group (HC group, n = 31). The mothers in the EC group received the instruction of routine care, while the mothers in the EM group applied massage on the infants plus receiving the same instruction of the routine care. HC group received none of any specific intervention. Data were collected in the three groups at the baseline and at the end of 2- and 5-month intervention. Before and at the end of 2-month intervention, the following indexes were investigated in infants including the growth indexes, eczema area severity index (EASI), infantile dermatitis quality of life index (IDQOL). And the scores of self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) were investigated in mothers at the same timepoints. At the end of 5-month intervention, the infants' growth and relapse condition of eczema were observed.
Results
Overall, 31 cases in HC group, 31 in EC group and 32 in EM group were included for data analysis. There were no significant differences in the indexes of infantile growth among the three groups (all P >0.05). The scores of EASI and IDQOL significantly lowered (both P < 0.001) in EC group following the instruction of routine care, along with reduced maternal scores of SAS and SDS (both P < 0.05). Compared with the EC group, the EM group showed significantly lower scores of EASI and IDQOL (both P < 0.001) and lower relapse rate (P < 0.01) in infants with eczema, along with significantly lower scores of SAS and SDS in mothers (both P < 0.01). Moreover, none of obvious adverse reaction was reported following MPIM, to which most of the mothers could adhere.
Conclusion
MPIM could effectively promote the remission of infantile eczema and reduce its relapse, along with relieving maternal anxiety and depression mood.
Clinical trial registration
Identifier: ChiCTR2200066246.
... One project showed that massaging patients with outward-reacting and self-harming behaviour reduced the use of belt fixation (Dürr 2019). In international studies, moderate pressure massage has shown therapeutic benefits (Field 2014), and massage therapy given to adolescents in a psychiatric unit made them feel less depressed and less anxious (Field et al. 1992). Finally, physical touch can give patients a feeling of being acknowledged as human beings (Salzmann-Erikson and Eriksson 2005). ...
Touch is a fundamental sense and the most unexplored of the five senses, despite its significance for everything we do in relation to ourselves and others. Studies have shown that touch generates trust, care and comfort and is essential for constituting the body. Based on ethnographic fieldwork, this study explores the absence and presence of touch in interactions between people with mental illness and professionals, in health care encounters with general practitioners, neurologists and physiotherapists, as well as masseurs. We found that touch and physical examination of patients with mental illness is absent in health care encounters, leaving the patients with feelings of being out of place, misunderstood, less socially approved and less worthy of trust. Drawing on Honneth and Guenther, we conclude that touch and being touched is an essential dimension of recognition-both of the patients' bodily sensations and symptoms and of them as human beings, detached from the psychiatric label-as well as contributing to the constitution of self and personhood. These findings confirm that touch works as an existential hinge that affirms a connection between the patient, the body and others and gives a sense of time, space and existence.
... Earlier studies on the efficacy of massage have encompassed several physiological and physical parameters such as heart rate variability [7], blood pressure [1, 16] as well as cognitive abilities such as psychological record, mental operation [4,5,24,39], and neural activity [8]. The outcomes of these studies have been indicated that massage therapy could be beneficial in relieving not only physical stress such as chronic lower back pain and headache [6, 51], but also psychological stress induced from anxiety [9, 35] and depression [13]. However, decades of independent attempts have not been able to unearth the underlying mechanism of massage therapy. ...
Manual massage, commonly used by healthy individuals for well-being, is an ancient practice requiring the intervention of a trained and experienced physiotherapist. On the other hand, automated massage is carried out by machines or modalities without or with minimal control of a human operator. In the present review, we provide a literature analysis to gather the effects of automated massage on muscle properties, peripheral circulation and psychophysiological variables as reported through psychometric and neurophysiological evaluations of each modality ranging from massage beds and whole-body vibrations to robotic massage. A computerized search was performed in Google Scholar, PubMed, and ResearchGate using selected key search terms, and the relevant data were extracted. The findings of this review indicate that for vibration massage, whole-body vibration exposure with relatively lower frequency and magnitude can be safely and effectively used to induce improvements in peripheral circulation. As for massage chair and mechanical bed massage, while most studies report on positive changes, the lack of strong clinical evidence renders these findings largely inconclusive. As for robotic massage, we discuss whether technological advances and collaborative robots might reconcile active and passive modes of action control during a massage and offer new massage perspectives through a stochastic sensorimotor user experience. This transition faculty, from one mode of control to the other, might definitely represent an innovative conceptual approach in terms of human–machine interactions.
... For example, infants with CMT are strongly recommended to receive stretching manipulation in the reverse direction to the atypical posture to elongate shortened muscles as long as they are identified [36]. Previous clinical trials suggested that massage has potential effects on many paediatric conditions, such as anxiety [37], pain [38], sleep disturbance [39], gastrointestinal functioning [40], immune functioning [41], cognitive problems [42] and emotional disorders [43]. A number of systematic reviews have also been conducted to gather evidence of massage therapy in paediatrics [27,[44][45][46]. ...
Introduction
Massage is a popularly used complementary and alternative therapy. Previous randomised controlled trials have examined the effects of massage on children, and several systematic reviews have been conducted to synthesise these data. This study aims to assess and summarise the current evidence from published systematic reviews of controlled clinical trials on the practice of paediatric massage, specifically in infants and children aged < 5 years.
Methods
The online databases MEDLINE, Embase, Health Technology Assessment Database, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Allied and Complementary Medicine, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang Data will be searched from the inception onwards for evidence of the treatment effects. We will include systematic reviews of randomised control trials evaluating the effects and safety of massage therapy in infants and children aged < 5 years. The primary outcomes will be any physical or psychological outcome, and adverse effects on children. Secondary outcomes will include any physical or psychological outcome on caregivers. Two reviewers will independently screen the articles for inclusion as per the eligibility criteria. They will extract information from the included studies and assess the methodological quality of the included studies. A table will be used to summarise of information of the included studies, which includes the basic information, method and findings. The methodological quality of the included systematic reviews will be assessed by A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews version 2 (AMSTAR 2). Extracted data from the included studies will be collected and presented using narrative approach. The pooled effect estimates for meta-analysed outcomes will be extracted when possible. If there is a discrepancy in results of two or more reviews on the same topic, then the causes of such discrepancy will be further explored.
Discussion
This overview of systematic reviews will summarise the current evidence on massage, specifically for infants and children aged < 5 years. We will comprehensively present the positive effects and adverse effects of this intervention. Findings from this overview will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Systematic review registration
CRD42020186003.
... Such symbolic abilities may play a fundamental role in the processing of social tactile experiences at later stages of life as well, for instance during adolescence. A lack of affiliative social touch in adolescence appears to be linked to violent behaviors later in adulthood (Field, 1999), whereas providing physical contact for violent and conduct disorder adolescents appears to be related to a lower level of anxiety and negative mood, a higher amount of night time sleep, and increased empathic abilities (Field et al., 1992;Diego et al., 2002). These findings, along with results from the current review, suggest that positive interpersonal relationships during childhood and adolescence may be critical for a healthy psycho-social development, and that affective touch could be a preferential way through which beneficial effects of social interactions may be conveyed. ...
C-Tactile (CT) fibers are activated by slow, caress-like stimulations, and convey a specific tactile processing of hedonic and interpersonal components, defined as affective touch. Given the beneficial effects deriving from affective tactile experiences in social interactions at all ages, a systematic review of experimental studies on affective touch perception across the lifespan was performed with the aims of 1) examining whether and how affective touch has been studied in a systematic manner throughout the lifespan; 2) verifying whether the pleasantness associated to affective stimulations is found during the entire lifespan. Empirical human studies on affective touch were searched in two databases (PubMed, PsychINFO) and 112 articles were retrieved. Results indicated that most of the studies recruited participants with a mean age ranging from 18 to 40 years, whereas other age ranges came out as under-represented or not represented at all. Despite high heterogeneity across studies, affective touch was considered as a pleasant experience across the lifetime, and it was associated to specific psychophysiological patterns in infants and adults.
... However, several approaches aiming to reduce stress in children have been tested. Massages and horticulture sessions were effective lowering salivary cortisol levels in children and teenagers with psychiatric and behavioral problems respectively [39,40]. But other interventions such as the presence of the mother during pre-operative phase [41], a clown during venipuncture [42] or animal assisted therapy in post-operative patients [43] did not show cortisol lowering effects despite improving mood in validated scales. ...
Objective
This study sought to assess the effect of reading augmented reality (AR) books on salivary cortisol levels in hospitalized pediatric patients compared to reading a standard children’s book.
Methods
This was a randomized, two-period, cross-over trial in hospitalized children aged 7-11 years. AR books currently in the market were used as intervention. Complete block randomization was used to randomize the order of the intervention. Children allocated to the ‘AR-first’ group received the book, a tablet and were left to interact independently with the technology for an hour. After a 48 -h wash-out period, children received a standard book. ‘Standard-book-first’ group received only the standard book and after wash-out received the tablet and the AR book. Salivary cortisol and a validated visual analogue scale (VAS) for psychological stress were assessed at the beginning and at the end of each intervention.
Results
A total of 29 children were recruited in the study. One was lost during follow up. Cortisol levels decreased after the AR intervention (P = 0.019). Nevertheless, the decrease was not greater than the one associated to reading the standard book. VAS scores increased after the AR intervention (P < 0.001).
Discussion
There is evidence of order and sequence effects that might explain results. First assessment of AR-based interventions on stress. Results justify further research.
Conclusions
There was no evidence that reading AR books diminished cortisol levels more than reading a standard book. AR-books improved VAS score for psychological stress compared to a standard book.
... [1][2][3] Relief from anxiety and stress are two of the most common reasons people seek out complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments, [4][5][6] with massage as one of the most frequently employed therapies for anxiety. 1,7 In fact, 43 % of participants in the Coordinated Anxiety Learning and Management study endorsed using some form of CAM. 8 As a secondary outcome, anxiety symptoms decreased in multiple studies on the efficacy of massage for medical disorders (see 9 for review) including therapeutic effects in infants who were pre-term, cocaine-exposed, HIV-exposed and full-term [10][11][12] ; decreased pain and anxiety associated with childbirth, labor, severe burns, the post-operative period, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, lower back pain, and migraine headaches [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] ; and decreased anxiety and depression associated with multiple sclerosis 21 and spinal cord injuries. 22 , 23 Previous meta-analyses suggest that massage is a useful intervention for people with problems with anxiety, fatigue, muscle tension, muscle soreness, and headaches. ...
Acute treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder often requires 3 months or more of care in order to optimize response. As part of an exploratory grant we have previously demonstrated that six weeks of twice-weekly Swedish Massage Therapy (SMT) was more effective than an active control in decreasing Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale Scores (HAM-A). An additional goal of this project was to determine if an additional six weeks of twice-weekly SMT led to greater clinical and statistical benefit. We found that HAM-A scores did continue to decrease with an additional six weeks of therapy but that the greatest benefit occurred during the first versus the second 12 sessions (−9.91 vs.−3.09, t = 2.21; df = 10; p = 0.052). These preliminary findings suggest that the majority of benefit in symptom reduction occurs in the first six weeks and that six weeks of twice-weekly SMT may be sufficient for the majority of patients.
... At the end of the month they were less aggressive. In a similar study on children and adolescents who were hospitalized for their anxiety and depression, those mood disorders were not only decreased but other measures of anxiety and depression including norepinephrine and cortisol were decreased following a month of 20-min daily massages [34]. Hospitalization anxiety itself has been reduced in school-age children who received 20-min massages three times a day for three days [35]. ...
This narrative review on pediatric massage literature from the last decade suggests that massage therapy has positive effects on several pediatric conditions. These include preterm infant growth, psychological problems including aggression, gastrointestinal problems including constipation and diarrhea, painful conditions including burns and sickle cell, muscle tone disorders including cerebral palsy and Down syndrome, and chronic illnesses including diabetes, asthma cancer, and HIV. Potential underlying mechanisms for the massage therapy effects include increased vagal activity and decreased stress hormones. Limitations of the literature include the need for more randomized controlled trials, longitudinal studies, and underlying mechanism studies.
... For example, infants with CMT are strongly recommended to receive stretching manipulation in the reverse direction to the atypical posture to elongate shortened muscles as long as they are identi ed [36]. Previous clinical trials suggested that massage has potential effects on many paediatric conditions, such as anxiety [37], pain [38], sleep disturbance [39], gastrointestinal functioning [40], immune functioning [41], cognitive problems [42], and emotional disorders [43]. A number of systematic reviews have also been conducted to gather evidence of massage therapy in paediatrics [27,44,45,46]. ...
Introduction: Massage is a popularly used complementary and alternative therapy. Previous randomised controlled trials have examined the effects of massage on children, and several systematic reviews have been conducted to synthesise these data. This study aims to assess and summarise the current evidence from published systematic reviews of controlled clinical trials on the practice of paediatric massage, specifically in infants and children aged < 5 years.
Methods and analysis: This protocol was developed based on the Cochrane Handbook of Systematic Reviews of Interventions and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols. The online databases MEDLINE, Embase, Health Technology Assessment Database, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Allied and Complementary Medicine, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang Data will be searched from the inception to June 2020 for evidence of the treatment effects. We will include systematic reviews of randomised control trials in infants and children aged < 5 years. Two reviewers will independently screen the articles for inclusion as per the eligibility criteria. They will extract information from the included studies and assess the methodological quality of the included studies. In addition, a systematic review of the adverse effects of massage on infants and children aged < 5 years will be included in this overview. We will present the treatment effects and adverse effects narratively. The pooled effect estimates for meta-analysed outcomes from the included studies will be extracted when possible. Additionally, we will generate a figure to show the recommendation level of massage therapy for each condition included according to the evidence quality of the studies included in the systematic reviews.
Discussion: This overview of systematic reviews will summarise the current evidence on massage, specifically for infants and children aged < 5 years. We will comprehensively present the positive effects and adverse effects of this intervention.
Trial registration number: CRD42020186003
... One possible explanation for this effect is that positive affect during handholding may have increased among children in high quality relationships, which in turn resulted in facilitated detection of facial expressions with congruent affect. This interpretation is in line with research showing that positive mood has such effects in adults (Becker & Leinenger, 2011;Tamir & Robinson, 2007) and with previous work with children showing greater positive affect following touch (Field et al., 1992;Khilnani, Field, Hernandez-Reif, & Schanberg, 2003). The current results may therefore indicate that caregiver touch increases positive affect or a sense of safety accompanied by a heightened sensitivity to affiliative signals such as happy facial expressions. ...
From early in development, attention to emotional facial expressions is biased toward threat. We examined whether caregiver availability affects children's emotion perception and possibly reduces threat bias. In 3 experiments, 4- and 5-year-old children were asked to detect threatening (angry) and nonthreatening (happy) facial expressions on a touch screen. Children completed the emotion detection task either with or without their caregiver sitting next to them on a bench, first using a between-subjects design where each child completed the task once (Experiment 1; N = 40) and then using a within-subjects design where each child completed the task twice (Experiment 2; N = 20). In Experiments 1 and 2, mere caregiver presence had no effect on children's emotion detection or threat bias. In Experiment 3, we increased the salience of caregiver presence by having children complete the task while holding hands with their caregiver (Experiment 3; N = 45). In dyads reporting high quality child-caregiver relationships, handholding facilitated detection of happy faces and significantly reduced children's threat bias. These findings suggest that caregiver touch impacts emotion perception in children as a function of relationship quality and that caregiver context plays a role in shaping children's responses to their social environment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
... Regarding those clinical implications, correlations between the LITPQ and general psychological distress, as well as specifically relations with depression, anxiety and somatization were found. Those results are well in line with previous findings linking participants receiving touch therapy to lower depression ratings (Field et al., 1992). The current study again points out the relation between impact of lacking touch and mental distress and therefore also calls for a better understanding of touch perception and revision of existing instruments to measure it. ...
Touch is a crucial factor of physiological and psychological health in humans. A lack of touch in contrast is associated with adverse implications on mental health. A new “Longing for Interpersonal Touch Picture Questionnaire (LITPQ)” was developed and tested for its concurrent, predictive, discriminant and face validity as well as its relation to psychological distress. Six different types of touch were depicted and touch frequency and touch wish concerning different interaction partners assessed. A sample of 110 participants aged 18–56 years completed the LITPQ as well as an existing touch deprivation questionnaire and a questionnaire on mental health. Frequency and wish for touch were higher for close interaction partners than for strangers. For 72.7% of the participants, their touch wish exceeded the reported touch frequency. The LITPQ correlated moderately with the existing questionnaire for touch deprivation and was independent of relationship status or gender but positively correlated with depressiveness, anxiety and somatization. Measuring longing for touch is a very complex task considering the many aspects of subjective touch perception and confounds in the method of self‐report of touch. In our view, the LITPQ provides promising insights into this matter.
... The inhalation of volatile aromatic substances extracted from plants can affect the mood and state of health of the person by inducing psychological and physical effects [6][7][8][9][10]. The transdermal and transmucosal application of essential oils also concerns the phytotherapy [11]. ...
This work compares the composition at different temperatures of gaseous phase of bergamot essential oil at equilibrium with the liquid phase. A new GC-MS methodology to determine quantitatively the volatile aroma compounds was developed. The adopted methodology involved the direct injection of headspace gas into injection port of GC-MS system and of known amounts of the corresponding authentic volatile compounds. The methodology was validated. This study showed that gaseous phase composition is different from that of the liquid phase at equilibrium with it.
... The setting was a quiet room in which the same relaxing music was played throughout all treatments to minimise any distraction by external noise. Participants were asked not to speak with the therapist during treatment as this may confound treatment outcomes through a participant's personal disclosure and stimulation of emotions (Field et al., 1992). ...
Background:
The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and social constructions of Thai massage (TM) and Swedish massage (SM) for patients experiencing fatigue or depleted energy.
Method:
Twenty participants were randomised to receive three once-weekly TM treatments and three once-weekly SM treatments, with crossover after three massages. Symptom checklists were administered at three time points and included Activation-Deactivation Adjective Check List and VAS Scale. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews and participants' diary entries.
Results:
Both massage types enhanced physical, emotional and mental wellbeing through improved sleep, relaxation, relief of stress and relief of muscular tension. TM alone showed specific energising and psychological stimulation results, along with carry-over effect and longer lasting benefits. Ninety-five percent of participants found relief from their initial reason presenting symptoms.
Conclusion:
TM or SM can relieve symptoms of fatigue or low energy by releasing stress, promoting relaxation, relieving muscular aches and pains and improving energy. SM results in a larger effect in relaxation and improved sleep whereas TM results in a larger effect in energising, rejuvenating and mentally stimulating effects.
... Over the past two decades, investigators have shown the effects of massage therapy on various physiological features, such as blood pressure [4,5], heart-rate variability (HRV) [6], and electroencephalogram (EEG) [3,7], and also in terms of psychological abilities, such as mental operations and psychological record [8][9][10][11]. In most studies, researchers have reported that massage therapy relieves psychological or physiological stress, for instance, chronic pain (e.g., headache and low back pain) [12][13][14], muscle fatigue, anxiety [15,16], or depression [7,17,18]. Therefore, massage therapy is often used for rehabilitation purposes, often in combination with other rehabilitation methods to maximize the effect. ...
Various types of massages are reported to relieve stress, pain, and anxiety which are beneficial for rehabilitation; however, more comprehensive studies are needed to understand the mechanism of massage therapy. In this study, we investigated the effect of massage therapy, alone or in combination with infrared heating, on 3 different aspects: physical, physiological, and psychological. Twenty-eight healthy university students were subjected to 3 different treatment conditions on separate days, one condition per day: control, massage only, or massage with infrared heating. Physical (trunk extension [TE]; maximum power of erector spinae), physiological (heart-rate variability [HRV]; electroencephalogram [EEG]), and psychological (state-trait anxiety inventory [STAI]; visual analogue scale [VAS]) measurements were evaluated and recorded before and after each treatment condition. The results showed that massage therapy, especially when combined with infrared heating, significantly improved physical functioning, increased parasympathetic response, and decreased psychological stress and anxiety. In the current study, we observed that massage therapy contributes to various physical, physiological, and psychological changes, where the effect increases with thermotherapy.
Purpose: In understanding the profound and multifaceted impact of sexual violence, there is an emergent need to explore holistic therapeutic interventions. Massage therapy is being explored as a potential means of helping survivors heal, yet its effects are not thoroughly elucidated. This study aims to evaluate the benefits of massage therapy in the psychological support of survivors of sexual violence and rape.
Methods: For this purpose, a systematic review of studies in English and French was conducted, according to PRISMA guidelines, using the PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus and Cochrane databases. Based on the PICOS approach, to be eligible, studies have to include a massage-based intervention and involve a population that had experienced at least one rape or form of sexual violence. Risk of bias was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (Hong et al., 2018).
Results: Eleven quantitative, qualitative and mixed studies were included in this review. They all conclude that therapeutic massage has a positive effect on the care of people who have suffered sexual violence
Discussion: The results suggest a large number of positive effects of using massage in the treatment of survivors of sexual violence. However, the small sample size and the diversity of the research protocols and measurement instruments make it difficult to generalize those results.
Conclusion: This systematic review supports the psychological, physical and social benefits of using massage to treat survivors of sexual violence. The small sample size, lack of representativeness and diversity of study types, experimental protocols and measurement instruments mean that future research is needed to better investigate the issue.
There appears to be no attempt to categorize the specific classes of behavior that the tactile system underpins. Awareness of how an organism uses touch in their environment informs understanding of its versatility in non-verbal communication and tactile perception. This review categorizes the behavioral functions underpinned by the tactile sense, by using three sources of data: (1) Animal data, to assess if an identified function is conserved across species; (2) Human capacity data, indicating whether the tactile sense can support a proposed function; and (3) Human impaired data, documenting the impacts of impaired tactile functioning (e.g., reduced tactile sensitivity) for humans. From these data, three main functions pertinent to the tactile sense were identified: Ingestive Behavior; Environmental Hazard Detection and Management; and Social Communication. These functions are reviewed in detail and future directions are discussed with focus on social psychology, non-verbal behavior and multisensory perception.
Receiving touch is of critical importance, as many studies have shown that touch promotes mental and physical well-being. We conducted a pre-registered (PROSPERO: CRD42022304281) systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis encompassing 137 studies in the meta-analysis and 75 additional studies in the systematic review (n = 12,966 individuals, search via Google Scholar, PubMed and Web of Science until 1 October 2022) to identify critical factors moderating touch intervention efficacy. Included studies always featured a touch versus no touch control intervention with diverse health outcomes as dependent variables. Risk of bias was assessed via small study, randomization, sequencing, performance and attrition bias. Touch interventions were especially effective in regulating cortisol levels (Hedges’ g = 0.78, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.24 to 1.31) and increasing weight (0.65, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.94) in newborns as well as in reducing pain (0.69, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.89), feelings of depression (0.59, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.78) and state (0.64, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.84) or trait anxiety (0.59, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.77) for adults. Comparing touch interventions involving objects or robots resulted in similar physical (0.56, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.88 versus 0.51, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.64) but lower mental health benefits (0.34, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.49 versus 0.58, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.73). Adult clinical cohorts profited more strongly in mental health domains compared with healthy individuals (0.63, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.80 versus 0.37, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.55). We found no difference in health benefits in adults when comparing touch applied by a familiar person or a health care professional (0.51, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.73 versus 0.50, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.61), but parental touch was more beneficial in newborns (0.69, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.88 versus 0.39, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.61). Small but significant small study bias and the impossibility to blind experimental conditions need to be considered. Leveraging factors that influence touch intervention efficacy will help maximize the benefits of future interventions and focus research in this field.
Purpose:
The study was conducted to determine the effect of hand massage applied to preoperative children on anxiety level and hemodynamic variables.
Design:
This research study is a randomized controlled trial with control and study groups, pre- and post-tests.
Methods:
This study was conducted between April and September 2017 with 84 children who were planned to receive an operation by applying general/local anesthesia in a province in the south of Turkey. The population of the research was composed of children between the ages 9 to 12 (study group = 42 and control group = 42). The data were collected through "Child and Parent Information Form," "State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children," "Physical Symptoms Follow-up Form for Anxiety," and "Satisfaction Evaluation Scale."
Findings:
The state-trait anxiety mean after hand massage was found to be 25.78 ± 5.90 in the study group, and 31.80 ± 6.51 in the control group (P < .05). There was a statistically significant difference (P < .05) between the systolic blood pressures and heart rate averages of the children in the study group after hand massage. There was a negative correlation between the satisfaction hand massage and state-trait anxiety means of the study group children (P < .05).
Conclusions:
Hand massage was found to have a positive effect on reducing anxiety, systolic blood pressure and heart rate. No effect was found on diastolic blood pressure, respiratory rate and SpO2. We recommend that more extensive studies on hand massage are performed.
Background:
Healthy sleep is an important component of childhood development. Changes in sleep architecture, including sleep stage composition, quantity, and quality from infancy to adolescence are a reflection of neurologic maturation. Hospital admission for acute illness introduces modifiable risk factors for sleep disruption that may negatively affect active brain development during a period of illness and recovery. Thus, it is important to examine non-pharmacologic interventions for sleep promotion in the pediatric inpatient setting.
Objectives:
To evaluate the effect of non-pharmacological sleep promotion interventions in hospitalized children and adolescents on sleep quality and sleep duration, child or parent satisfaction, cost-effectiveness, delirium incidence, length of mechanical ventilation, length of stay, and mortality.
Search methods:
We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, three other databases, and three trials registers to December 2021. We searched Google Scholar, and two websites, handsearched conference abstracts, and checked reference lists of included studies.
Selection criteria:
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-RCTs, including cross-over trials, investigating the effects of any non-pharmacological sleep promotion intervention on the sleep quality or sleep duration (or both) of children aged 1 month to 18 years in the pediatric inpatient setting (intensive care unit [ICU] or general ward setting).
Data collection and analysis:
Two review authors independently assessed trial eligibility, evaluated risk of bias, extracted and synthesized data, and used the GRADE approach to assess certainty of evidence. The primary outcomes were changes in both objective and subjective validated measures of sleep in children; secondary outcomes were child and parent satisfaction, cost-effectiveness ratios, delirium incidence or delirium-free days at time of hospital discharge, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of hospital stay, and mortality.
Main results:
We included 10 trials (528 participants; aged 3 to 22 years) in inpatient pediatric settings. Seven studies were conducted in the USA, two in Canada, and one in Brazil. Eight studies were funded by government, charity, or foundation grants. Two provided no information on funding. Eight studies investigated behavioral interventions (massage, touch therapy, and bedtime stories); two investigated physical activity interventions. Duration and timing of interventions varied widely. All studies were at high risk of performance bias due to the nature of the intervention, as participants, parents, and staff could not be masked to group assignment. We were unable to perform a quantitative synthesis due to substantial clinical heterogeneity. Behavioral interventions versus usual care Five studies (145 participants) provided low-certainty evidence of no clear difference between multicomponent relaxation interventions and usual care on objective sleep measures. Overall, evidence from single studies found no clear differences in daytime or nighttime sleep measures (33 participants); any sleep parameter (48 participants); or daytime or nighttime sleep or nighttime arousals (20 participants). One study (34 participants) reported no effect of massage on nighttime sleep, sleep efficiency (SE), wake after sleep onset (WASO), or total sleep time (TST) in adolescents with cancer. Evidence from a cross-over study in 10 children with burns suggested touch therapy may increase TST (391 minutes, interquartile range [IQR] 251 to 467 versus 331 minutes, IQR 268 to 373; P = 0.02); SE (76, IQR 53 to 90 versus 66, IQR 55 to 78; P = 0.04); and the number of rapid eye movement (REM) periods (4.5, IQR 2 to 5 versus 3.5, IQR 2 to 4; P = 0.03); but not WASO, sleep latency (SL), total duration of REM, or per cent of slow wave sleep. Four studies (232 participants) provided very low-certainty evidence on subjective measures of sleep. Evidence from single studies found that sleep efficiency may increase, and the percentage of nighttime wakefulness may decrease more over a five-day period following a massage than usual care (72 participants). One study (48 participants) reported an improvement in Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire scores after discharge in children who received a multicomponent relaxation intervention compared to usual care. In another study, mean sleep duration per sleep episode was longer (23 minutes versus 15 minutes), and time to fall asleep was shorter (22 minutes versus 27 minutes) following a bedtime story versus no story (18 participants); and children listening to a parent-recorded story had longer SL than when a parent was present (mean 57.5 versus 43.5 minutes); both groups reported longer SL than groups who had a stranger-recorded story, and those who had no story and absent parents (94 participants; P < 0.001). In one study (34 participants), 87% (13/15) of participants felt they slept better following massage, with most parents (92%; 11/12) reporting they wanted their child to receive a massage again. Another study (20 participants) reported that parents thought the music, touch, and reading components of the intervention were acceptable, feasible, and had positive effects on their children (very low-certainty evidence). Physical activity interventions versus usual care One study (29 participants) found that an enhanced physical activity intervention may result in little or no improvement in TST or SE compared to usual care (low-certainty evidence). Another study (139 participants), comparing play versus no play found inconsistent results on subjective measures of sleep across different ages (TST was 49% higher for the no play groups in 4- to 7-year olds, 10% higher in 7- to 11-year olds, and 22% higher in 11- to 14-year olds). This study also found inconsistent results between boys and girls (girls in the first two age groups in the play group slept more than the no play group). No study evaluated child or parent satisfaction for behavioral interventions, or cost-effectiveness, delirium incidence or delirium-free days at hospital discharge, length of mechanical ventilation, length of hospital stay, or mortality for either behavioral or physical activity intervention.
Authors' conclusions:
The included studies were heterogeneous, so we could not quantitatively synthesize the results. Our narrative summary found inconsistent, low to very low-certainty evidence. Therefore, we are unable to determine how non-pharmacologic sleep promotion interventions affect sleep quality or sleep duration compared with usual care or other interventions. The evidence base should be strengthened through design and conduct of randomized trials, which use validated and highly reliable sleep assessment tools, including objective measures, such as polysomnography and actigraphy.
Durch zwischenmenschliche Berührungen u. a. in Form von Massagen können verschiedenste physiologische Prozesse in Gang gesetzt werden. Zum Beispiel können Entspannungsmassagen Depression, Angst und Fatigue reduzieren, Schlaf verbessern, Stress abbauen, Blutzucker und Blutdruck senken und das Immunsystem regulieren. Die Befunde sind im Einklang mit Erkenntnissen der Psychoneuroimmunologie und Psychoneuroendokrinologie. Aus diesen Fachgebieten ist bekannt, dass Psyche und Nervensystem sowohl mit dem Immunsystem als auch dem Hormonsystem in Wechselwirkung stehen. Kurz gesagt bedeutet das, dass Veränderungen in einem der Systeme, Veränderungen in allen anderen Systemen nach sich ziehen. Daraus ergeben sich vielfältige Einsatzmöglichkeiten von zwischenmenschlichen Berührungen und Massagen als unterstützende Therapiemethode im Krankheitsfall.
Außerdem in diesem Kapitel: Gewichtsdecken/ Sandwesten; Kontraindikationen und Nebenwirkungen von Massagen
An evidence-based guide for laypeople on psychological, medical, complementary and lifestyle interventions for depression.
Individuals possess an innate capacity to communicate and understand non-verbal cues (i.e., touch). In addition, touch affects individuals at the intrapersonal level (e.g., physiological reactions) and at the interpersonal level (e.g., impression formation, pro-social behavior). Recent studies testify to the effects of touch also at the intergroup level (e.g., improvement of outgroup attitudes). The present review will discuss the effects of touch on a wide range of situations, and differently from past reviews, special attention will be given to the effects of touch (also in its indirect form, i.e., imagined physical contact) at the intergroup level
This Review reports on a scoping review followed by a systematic review to consider interventions designed to address or manage depression or anxiety in children and young people up to the age of 25 years without the need to involve mental health professionals. The scoping review identified 132 approaches, 103 of which referred to children or young people (younger than 25 years). These approaches included social interaction, engagement with nature, relaxation, distraction, sensory stimulation, physical activity, altering perceptions, engaging in hobbies, self-expression, and exploration. A systematic review of effectiveness studies from the literature identified in the scoping review found only 38 studies on seven types of intervention that met the inclusion criteria. 16 studies were based on cognitive or behavioural principles (15 on digital interventions and one on bibliotherapy), ten focused on physical exercise, five on light therapy, three on dietary supplements, two on massage therapy, one on online peer support, and one on contact with a dog. Most studies focused on adolescents or young adults. Evidence suggested that light therapy could be effective for season depression and that digital interventions based on attention bias modification are ineffective for anxiety. Mixed evidence was available on the effectiveness of computerised cognitive behavioural therapy for depression and anxiety, and of physical exercise for depression. All other studies had insufficient certainty to obtain even tentative conclusions about effectiveness. These results highlight the disparity between the extensive range of approaches identified in the scoping review and the restricted number and focus found in the systematic review of effectiveness of these approaches. We call for an expanded research agenda that brings evaluation rigour to a wide range of self or community approaches.
In this study, the physiological and psychological effect of intentional self-touching during skincare by users of cosmetics is considered. Self-touching is defined as the action where pressure is applied to the cheeks with both hands after lotion application in this study. For physiological indicators, an electrocardiogram was taken and respiration was measured, and for psychological indicators, subjective emotions were assessed. From the results of the experiment, shallow breathing increased and emotions such as “Satisfaction C“Enjoyment C“Vitality C“Luxury and “Tokimeki occurred from self-touching after lotion application. Changes in physiological response and the arousal of subjective emotions indicated that self-touching increased outward awareness.
Mindfulness-Based Bodywork and Training (Insightouch) Improves Anxiety, Depression, and Attachment Disorders Background: Attachment disorders may be associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression; these can be ameliorated through correcting emotional experiences. We aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of Insightouch, a mindfulness-based massage, in which therapist and client are in a state of mindfulness. Participants and Methods: We recruited 36 participants with (1) psychological symptoms, (2) reduced ability for attachment, and (3) low mindfulness. Baseline and endpoint parameters were documented using validated questionnaires (Brief Symptom Inventory, Adult Attachment Scale, Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory). The parameters were determined at 3 time points at intervals of 8 weeks. Half of the participants started with the treatment phase and were reevaluated after another 8 weeks (sustainability data). The other half entered an 8-week waiting phase (untreated control); these participants were evaluated again before and after the treatment phase. Results: After the waiting phase, we observed no significant changes compared to the baseline data. The treatment significantly improved all parameters (symptoms, attachment deficits, and mindfulness). In the group which was reevaluated 8 weeks post treatment, further symptom improvements were observed. The acquired ability to be mindful was maintained. Conclusion: Insightouch as a primarily non-verbal intervention sustainably increases the ability for attachment, ameliorates psychosomatic symptoms
Objective:
The primary objective of this scoping review was to examine and map the range of neurophysiological impacts of human touch and eye gaze, and consider their potential relevance to the therapeutic relationship and to healing.
Introduction:
Clinicians, and many patients and their relatives, have no doubt as to the efficacy of a positive therapeutic relationship; however, much evidence is based on self-reporting by the patient or observation by the researcher. There has been little formal exploration into what is happening in the body to elicit efficacious reactions in patients. There is, however, a growing body of work on the neurophysiological impact of human interaction. Physical touch and face-to-face interaction are two central elements of this interaction that produce neurophysiological effects on the body.
Inclusion criteria:
This scoping review considered studies that included cognitively intact human subjects in any setting. This review investigated the neurophysiology of human interaction including touch and eye gaze. It considered studies that have examined, in a variety of settings, the neurophysiological impacts of touch and eye gaze. Quantitative studies were included as the aim was to examine objective measures of neurophysiological changes as a result of human touch and gaze.
Methods:
An extensive search of multiple databases was undertaken to identify published research in the English language with no date restriction. Data extraction was undertaken using an extraction tool developed specifically for the scoping review objectives.
Results:
The results of the review are presented in narrative form supported by tables and concept maps. Sixty-four studies were included and the majority were related to touch with various types of massage predominating. Only seven studies investigated gaze with three of these utilizing both touch and gaze. Interventions were delivered by a variety of providers including nurses, significant others and masseuses. The main neurophysiological measures were cortisol, oxytocin and noradrenaline.
Conclusions:
The aim of this review was to map the neurophysiological impact of human touch and gaze. Although our interest was in studies that might have implications for the therapeutic relationship, we accepted studies that explored phenomena outside of the context of a nurse-patient relationship. This allowed exploration of the boundary of what might be relevant in any therapeutic relationship. Indeed, only a small number of studies included in the review involved clinicians (all nurses) and patients. There was sufficient consistency in trends evident across many studies in regard to the beneficial impact of touch and eye gaze to warrant further investigation in the clinical setting. There is a balance between tightly controlled studies conducted in an artificial (laboratory) setting and/or using artificial stimuli and those of a more pragmatic nature that are contextually closer to the reality of providing nursing care. The latter should be encouraged.
This chapter aims to consider the literature pertaining to sleep-related problems, and in particular considers the well-established link between sleep problems and anxiety. It also gives an overview of anxiety symptoms in general and clinical populations, using a full range of the definitions and assessments of anxiety. In addition to the myriad ways that sleep quality or sleep-related problems are defined, there are also many measurement tools that have been developed. The chapter also aims to provide a brief overview of these assessment methods. It is clear that sleep-related problems in childhood are associated with a range of poor health, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive outcomes both concurrently and longitudinally. Prevention is considered best—and research suggests that even providing parents of infants aged three months with a booklet about the importance of routines and methods that can be used to settle an infant can prove effective in preventing problems.
Background
Scar massage is used in burn units globally to improve functional and cosmetic outcomes of hypertrophic scarring following a burn, however, the evidence to support this therapy is unknown.
Objective
To review the literature and assess the efficacy of scar massage in hypertrophic burn scars.
Methods
MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library were searched using the key words “burn”, “burn injury”, “thermal injury” and “scar”, “hypertrophic scar” and “massage”, “manipulation”, “soft tissue mobilisation”, “soft tissue manipulation”. The articles were scored by the assessors using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale and outcome measures on range of motion (ROM), cosmesis (vascularity, pliability, height), pain scores, pruritus, and psychological measures of depression and anxiety were extracted.
Results
Eight publications were included in the review with 258 human participants and 15 animal subjects who received scar massage following a thermal injury resulting in hypertrophic scarring. Outcome measures that demonstrated that scar massage was effective included scar thickness as measured with ultrasonography (p = 0.001; g = −0.512); depression (Centre for Epidemiologic Studies — Depression [CES-D]) (p = 0.031; g = −0.555); pain as measured with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) (p = 0.000; g = −1.133) and scar characteristics including vascularity (p = 0.000; g = −1.837), pliability (p = 0.000; g = −1.270) and scar height (p = 0.000; g = −2.054). Outcome measures that trended towards significance included a decrease in pruritus (p = 0.095; g = −1.157).
Conclusions
It appears that there is preliminary evidence to suggest that scar massage may be effective to decrease scar height, vascularity, pliability, pain, pruritus and depression in hypertrophic burns scaring. This review reflects the poor quality of evidence and lack of consistent and valid scar assessment tools. Controlled, clinical trials are needed to develop evidence-based guidelines for scar massage in hypertrophic burns scarring.
Im Folgenden finden Sie Informationen über gängige Medikamente einschließlich ihrer möglichen Wechselwirkungen mit einer Massagetherapie. Es gehört zur Pflicht des Therapeuten, sich diesbezüglich zu informieren. Dazu gehören auch Nebenwirkungen, die durch eine Massagebehandlung gelindert werden können. Die folgende Liste nennt einige der gebräuchlisten Medikamente und erhebt keinen Anspruch auf Vollständigkeit.
This chapter is a review of representative data (not an exhaustive review) on moderate pressure massage therapy effects and potential underlying mechanisms for those effects. They include (1) weight gain in preterm infants, (2) pain reduction and potential underlying mechanisms for pain reduction following massage, (3) enhanced attention, (4) reduced depression and its EEG correlates, and (5) enhanced immune function. Moderate pressure massage is necessary for these effects which, in turn, may be mediated by increased vagal activity and reduced cortisol. The fMRI data from one study suggest that touch when combined with movement simulates findings on other rewarding pleasant touch.
Możliwości zastosowania technik tkanek miękkich w zmniejszaniu poziomu lęku a poziom optymizmu Streszczenie Optymiści mają bardziej pozytywną reakcję na interwencje medyczne oraz za-chowania promujące zdrowie, a jeżeli dochodzi do choroby, to bardziej wytrwa-le stosują się do rad lekarzy, realizując wzory behawioralne służące poprawie zdrowia. Celem eksperymentu było zbadanie, czy u pacjentów o optymistycz-nym stylu wyjaśniania w większym stopniu obniży się lęk po zastosowaniu za-biegów: masażu ogólnoustrojowego (eksperyment I) oraz masażu miejscowe-go (eksperyment II). Przeprowadzono łącznie dwa niezależne eksperymenty, w których wzięło udział 57 osób z dolegliwościami bólowymi w wyniku zaburzeń czynnościowych narządu ruchu. W eksperymencie I wzięło udział 30 pacjentów w przedziale wiekowym 35–65 lat (M= 54,6; SD=8,94). W eksperymencie II na-tomiast 27 pacjentów w przedziale wiekowym 23–69 lat (M=42,65;SD=13,4). W badaniu wykorzystano dwa kwestionariusze: Kwestionariusz Stylu Atry-bucyjnego (ASQ) oraz Kwestionariusz STAI. W przeprowadzonych badaniach wykazano, iż poziom lęku jako stanu u optymistów obniża się zarówno po za-stosowaniu masażu ogólnoustrojowego, jak i po zastosowaniu jednorazowej terapii docelowej. Stwierdzono także, że optymizm zależny jest od płci i wieku respondentów. Badania pokazują, że docelowo warto skupić się na psychotera-pii pozytywnej zmieniającej osoby z pesymistów w optymistów. Jednocześnie autorzy pracy zastrzegają, że skuteczność psychoterapii musi zostać zweryfiko-wana przez obiektywne badania kliniczne. Słowa kluczowe: optymizm, lęk, masaż ogólnoustrojowy, masaż miejscowy Abstract Optimists have a more positive response to medical interventions and health-promoting behaviors. Especially in difficult situations like suffering from disease. The aim of the experiment was to investigate if patients with opti-139
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is now a highly visible feature of contemporary health care. No longer restricted to the lay sector and the medical fringe, CAM practices can be found in conventional care settings. They are widely and increasingly being subject to research and there is now good evidence that at least some techniques are potentially effective. In the United States, as in other countries of the developed world, many millions of patients spend billions of dollars each year on CAM.
A previously described coefficient of agreement for nominal scales, kappa, treats all disagreements equally. A generalization to weighted kappa (Kw) is presented. The Kw provides for the incorpation of ratio-scaled degrees of disagreement (or agreement) to each of the cells of the k * k table of joint nominal scale assignments such that disagreements of varying gravity (or agreements of varying degree) are weighted accordingly. Although providing for partial credit, Kw is fully chance corrected. Its sampling characteristics and procedures for hypothesis testing and setting confidence limits are given. Under certain conditions, Kw equals product-moment r. The use of unequal weights for symmetrical cells makes Kw suitable as a measure of validity.
30 moderately depressed high school students were randomly assigned to either cognitive-behavioral treatment, relaxation training, or a wait-list control condition. Treatment Ss met in small groups for 10 50-min sessions over 5 wks in a high school setting. Outcome measures included a modified Beck Depression Inventory, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The cognitive-behavioral and relaxation training groups were superior to the wait-list control group in the reduction of depressive symptoms at both posttest and 5-wk follow-up assessments. There was no significant difference between active treatments in their effectiveness for reducing depression. Ss in the cognitive-behavioral and relaxation training conditions went from moderate levels of depression at pretest to nondepressed levels at posttest, and they maintained these levels at follow-up. Improvements in anxiety and academic self-concept were also demonstrated by the active treatments. Findings demonstrate that these short-term group-administered therapies are effective in significantly decreasing depression in adolescents. (48 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
The immediate effects of relaxation therapy (RT) were assessed in 40 hospitalized children and adolescents with diagnoses of adjustment disorder and depression. These effects were assessed using a within subjects pre-test/post-test design and by comparison with a control group of 20 depressed and adjustment disorder patients who watched a 1-h relaxing videotape. The 1-h RT class consisted of yoga exercise, a brief massage and progressive muscle relaxation. Decreases were noted in both self-reported anxiety and in anxious behavior and fidgeting as well as increases in positive affect in the RT but not the video group. In addition, adjustment disorder patients and a third of the depressed patients showed decreases in cortisol levels following RT, while no changes were noted in the video group. Thus, both diagnostic groups appeared to benefit from the RT class.
Modifications and adjuncts to traditional therapy techniques appear to be necessary for successfully treating hospitalized adolescents with impaired social and verbal skills, and a history of acting-out behavior. Modified therapy groups were combined with a structured biofeedback and cognitive training program to help these adolescents control anger and modify their behavior. Used in conjunction with training and practice in relaxation techniques, this multimodal treatment approach appeared to be helpful in both reducing incidents of acting out on residential units, and in reaching individualized therapeutic goals. The present paper describes use of this multimodal approach within selected residential settings, and outlines the structured materials developed by the authors.
This paper reviews studies that have examined the efficacy of relaxation training techniques in the treatment of childhood disorders. Methodological problems encountered in doing research in this area resemble those found in working with an adult population: imprecise definitions of subject populations and use of a variety of dependent variables from one study to another. Findings suggest that relaxation training is at least as effective as other treatment approaches for a variety of learning, behavioral, and physiological disorders when it is continued over an extended period of time and is augmented by other supportive measures. Needs for future research include better follow-up studies and further investigations with a behaviorally disruptive population.