Collin R. Payne and Dr. Bruce Carpenter, Psychology
Current research shows that touch stimulation can positively affect physiological, behavioral, and social development (1). Because of this research, health care professionals regard touch as vitally important in interactions and healing (2). In view of the benefits of touch on anxiety and recovery, therapeutic massage is gradually becoming a recognized health care profession (3).
To date, no research has been accomplished regarding psychotherapy outcome as a function of both psychotherapy and massage therapy. The purpose of this proposed pilot research is to assess whether a 20-minute therapeutic seated massage, in conjunction with psychotherapy, is more beneficial in reducing distress than psychotherapy without a massage therapy protocol.
Ten adult participants (age 18 and over), who endure some form of distress, are being recruited from the clientele of the Brigham Young University Comprehensive Clinic. With the cooperation of therapists at the clinic, clients are recruited through the normal protocol of the intake officers, who selects distressed subjects into a psychotherapy/massage therapy treatment group. An established database of clients scores (clients who have already received psychotherapy at the Brigham Young University Comprehensive Clinic) on a distress measure provides a normative distribution to which participants are compared. The scores of anonymous participants in the clinic database are being compared to the scores of clients who are receiving psychotherapy, plus massage therapy. This comparison is the basis for statistical analysis.
Assistant psychotherapists are being given a written description of the study and instructions regarding the participant. This document includes the basic description of the study, followed by information regarding the involvement of a non-mental health professional (massage therapist) and informed consent instructions. Participants are being told they can initially refuse participation or can withdraw from the study at any time. The therapists are told not to discuss the massage therapy portion of their treatment as to not influence the participant in this regard. In addition, the participants are told that regardless of their participation in a massage therapy protocol, their psychotherapy treatment will remain the same.
It was assumed that clients of the Comprehensive Clinic receive therapy for their distress approximately once a week. Each week, participants are receiving their respective psychotherapy and massage therapy protocols. Massage therapy always follows psychotherapy. This procedure occurs each week for 6 weeks.
Measurement of distress levels are being taken prior to the beginning of psychotherapy and each week thereafter for six weeks. After the initial assessment by the psychotherapist, participants are being given the dependent measure to be taken immediately following the massage therapy protocol. The participant then returns the measure to relevant clinical personnel before leaving the clinic.
A state (Utah) licensed massage therapist administers the massage therapy. The massage therapists are to follow the same protocol in giving the 20-minute seated massages. The most common massage (the massage that is used in this pilot research) for this 20-minute procedure is of the Swedish type. This massage modality utilizes gliding, friction, percussion and kneading strokes to achieve relaxation of muscles. In addition, Swedish massage focuses on back, neck, and shoulder areas as places of greatest tension.
Hypothesis testing is utilized in this pilot research. First, a z test compares the psychotherapy/massage therapy treatment group with the psychotherapy outcome questionnaire normative group. The hypothesis is confirmed if the psychotherapy/massage therapy group differs significantly from the normative group at the conclusion of the study (6 weeks). Next, a week by week comparison of the psychotherapy/massage therapy group to the psychotherapy questionnaire sample distribution is evaluated. This comparison will show how quickly or slowly the independent variable affects psychotherapy outcome. If this hypothesis is confirmed, psychotherapy, in conjunction with massage therapy, will significantly reduce distress levels of clients on a weekly basis. I expect to find a significant difference between the treatment group and the database, suggesting that a 20-minute massage, in conjunction with conventional psychotherapy, is more beneficial than psychotherapy without a massage therapy protocol.
Availability of student psychotherapists has postponed the completion of this study. The limited number of these therapists during the spring and summer months has pushed the completion time of this study to the end of fall semester 1999. Dr. Carpenter assures that with the reemergence of therapists for fall semester, we will be able to complete the research within the aforementioned time frame. All necessary parameters for the study have already been met to affirm the rapid conclusion of this pilot study.
Preliminary results look promising. With one client already receiving her respective treatment, the psychotherapy outcome score for a psychotherapy / massage therapy protocol is significantly lower from the beginning of her treatment to the termination.
References
- Cigales, M., Field, T., Lundy, B., Cuadra, A., & Hart, S. (1997). Massage enhances recovery from habituation in normal infants. Infant Behavior & Development, 20, 29-34.
- Ross-Flanigan, N. (1995, April 18). The power of a touch. Detroit Free Press, pp. 8F-10F.
- Siegel, B. S. (1993). How to live between office visits. New York: HarperCollins.