title: The state of research on the effects of therapeutic touch.
abstract: Therapeutic Touch is investigated using an integrative review of the literature. Using Ganong's (1987) methodology, the article explores the research question, What is the state of development of research regarding Therapeutic Touch? by analyzing primary research reports from 23 articles in 14 referred journals. The findings of the review indicate positive regard for the use of Therapeutic Touch. All research points to the need for further study in this area. Research methods used are satisfactory, but more rigorous methodologies would promote a more scientific contribution to the body of literature on Therapeutic Touch.
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri at Columbia, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Easter
mesh_terms: D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D018939:Holistic Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D015399:Nursing Research / Q000379:methods; D010506:Periodicals as Topic; D011643:Publishing; D012107:Research Design; D019124:Therapeutic Touch / Q000592:standards*