Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 13, 2025
Author Spotlight: Methodologies and Advancements of Chronic Pain Management Research
Published on: January 5, 2024
Assessing the feasibility of a spiritual healing intervention for adults with moderate depression: A pilot randomized
Trine Stub1, Anne Helen Hansen2, Audun Campell Irgens3
1National Research Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NAFKAM), Faculty of Health Science, Institute of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Hansine Hansensveg 19, Tromsø 9037, Norway.
Background:
Many individuals with depression explore complementary and alternative medicine, including spiritual healing. This pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed to assess the feasibility of a study that integrated spiritual healing with standard care versus standard care alone for adults with moderate depression.
Method:
In this pilot RCT with two parallel groups, 28 adult patients with depression were randomized to receive either spiritual healing alongside usual care (n = 14) or usual care alone (n = 14). The healing session was highly individualized. The healer positioned her hands over various areas of the client's body (head, chest, knee, hip, and feet) intending to adjust the energy flow within the client. Outcomes were measured by changes in the Beck Depression Inventory for Primary Care (BDI) scores pre-and post-intervention. Participants' experiences with spiritual healing were explored through a process evaluation. .
Results:
The BDI scores captured significant changes in depression severity, with the intervention group showing the greatest mean difference from baseline (BDI 23.0) to week 16 (BDI 14.9), compared to the control group which worsened from baseline (BDI 24.2) to week 16 (BDI 26.7). In addition, participants expressed satisfaction with the study components and procedures, and all completed the questionnaires at designated times. Recruiting from clinical practice proved suboptimal due to conflicts with primary care physicians' schedules leading to fewer participants in the study than planned. Measures to minimize loss to follow-up were effective.
Conclusion:
Spiritual healing may be a beneficial option for individuals who suffer from moderate depression. The participants in this study were satisfied with the spiritual healing treatment, and adherence rates were high. Future RCTs should consider recruiting participants through different avenues to enhance research feasibility to alleviate the burden on family care physicians' offices.
More Related Videos
08:42Design and Implementation of an fMRI Study Examining Thought Suppression in Young Women with, and At-risk, for Depression
Published on: May 19, 2015
08:25Polar Histogram Visualization of Acute Stress Disorder Scale Scores for Comprehensive Clinical Assessment
Published on: December 6, 2024
