Efficacy of therapeutic touch in treating pregnant inpatients who have a chemical dependency.
Chemical dependency is known to complicate about 3.8% of pregnancies in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In this study, 54 English-speaking, hospitalized women were randomly assigned to receive either (a) daily Therapeutic Touch over a 7-day period for 20 minutes each day, (b) shared activity with a registered nurse for 20 minutes over a 7-day period, or (c) standard ward care. Anxiety was measured using Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Withdrawal symptoms were measured using a standardized Symptom Checklist. Anxiety scores were significantly less on Days 1, 2, and 3 (p<.05) for the group receiving Therapeutic Touch. Therapeutic Touch may be of value as an adjunctive measure in the treatment of chemical dependency among pregnant women.
Larden
Cheryl N
CN
British Columbia Women's Hospital, British Columbia, Canada.
Palmer
M Lynne
ML
Janssen
Patricia
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control; D001955:British Columbia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000451:nursing*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control; D019124:Therapeutic Touch / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome