Therapeutic touch with HIV-infected children: a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Complementary and Alternative Medicine
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Children with HIV infection often experience heightened anxiety.
• Anxiety can negatively impact the well-being and treatment adherence of pediatric patients.
• Exploring non-pharmacological interventions for anxiety in this population is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic touch (TT) in reducing state anxiety among children with HIV infection.
• To compare the impact of TT versus a mimic TT intervention on anxiety levels.
• To provide preliminary evidence for TT as a supportive therapy for pediatric HIV patients.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving 20 children aged 6-12 years with HIV infection.
• Random assignment to either a therapeutic touch (TT) group or a mimic TT group.
• Administration of the A-State Anxiety subscale of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory For Children before and after interventions.

Main Results:

• The therapeutic touch (TT) group exhibited significantly lower mean anxiety scores post-intervention.
• The mimic TT group did not show a significant reduction in anxiety scores.
• TT demonstrated a potential anxiolytic effect in the studied pediatric population.

Conclusions:

• Therapeutic touch (TT) shows promise as an intervention for reducing state anxiety in children with HIV infection.
• These findings support the preliminary efficacy of TT in a clinical pediatric setting.
• Further research with larger sample sizes is warranted to confirm these results.