HEALTH SERVICE RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION ABSTRACTS
Please note: All posters will be displayed in
Salons 10-12.
FRIDAY, 5:45-6:30 PM
Moyer CA, Rounds J, Hannum JW.
A meta-analysis of massage therapy research.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign camoyer@uiuc.edu
Massage therapy (MT) is an ancient form of treatment
that is now gaining popularity as part of the complementary and alternative
medical therapy movement. A meta-analysis was conducted of studies that
used random assignment to test the effectiveness of MT. Mean effect
sizes were calculated from 37 studies for 9 dependent variables. Single
applications of MT reduced state anxiety, blood pressure, and heart
rate but not negative mood, immediate assessment of pain, and cortisol
level. Multiple applications reduced delayed assessment of pain. Reductions
of trait anxiety and depression were MT's largest effects, with a course
of treatment providing benefits similar in magnitude to those of psychotherapy.
No moderators were statistically significant, though continued testing
is needed. The limitations of a medical model of MT are discussed, and
it is proposed that new MT theories and research use a psychotherapy
perspective.
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