title: Comparison of therapeutic touch and casual touch in stress reduction of hospitalized children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effectiveness of therapeutic touch and causal touch for stress reduction of hospitalized children aged 2 weeks to 2 years old.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stress reduction was measured by pulse, peripheral skin temperature, and galvanic skin response as observed on the GSR-II biofeedback instrument.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An ANOVA measured effectiveness of the interventions of causal touch and therapeutic touch at 3 and 6 minute intervals. The results demonstrated a significant difference with the critical value of F = 4.18 p less than .05. The computed value of F = 26.98 at 3 minutes and F = 26.94 at 6 minutes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Therapeutic touch reduced time needed to calm children after stressful experiences.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Kramer
mesh_terms: D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D012064:Relaxation Therapy / Q000592:standards*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing*; D014110:Touch