The effects of Chinese calligraphy handwriting and relaxation training in Chinese Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma patients: a randomized controlled trial.
BACKGROUND
Chinese calligraphy handwriting is the practice of traditional Chinese brush writing, researches found calligraphy had therapeutic effects on certain diseases, some authors argued that calligraphy might have relaxation effect.


OBJECTIVE
This study was to compare the effects of calligraphy handwriting with those of progressive muscle relaxation and imagery training in Chinese Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma patients.


METHODS
This study was a randomized controlled trial. Two hundred and eighty-seven Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma patients were approached, ninety (31%) patients were recruited and randomized to one of the three treatment groups: progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagery training group, Calligraphy handwriting group, or a Control group. Seventy-nine (87.8%) completed all of the outcome measures.


METHODS
The primary treatment outcome was the changes of physiological arousal parameters measured by pre- and post-treatment differences of heart rate, blood pressure and respiration rate. The secondary outcomes included: modified Chinese version of Symptom Distress Scale, Profile of Mood State-Short Form, and Karnofsky Performance Status measured at baseline, during treatment (after the 2-week intervention), post-treatment (after the 4-week intervention) and after a 2-week follow-up. Effectiveness was tested by repeated measure ANOVA analyses.


METHODS
Cancer centre of a major university hospital in Guangdong, China.


RESULTS
Results showed that both of calligraphy and relaxation training demonstrated slow-down effects on physiological arousal parameters. Moreover, calligraphy practice gradually lowered participants' systolic blood pressure (simple main effect of time at pre-treatment measure, p=.007) and respiration rate (p=.000) at pre- and post-treatment measures as the intervention proceeded, though with a smaller effect size as compared to relaxation. Both of calligraphy and relaxation training had certain symptom relief and mood improvement effects in NPC patients. Relaxation was effective in relieving symptom of insomnia (p=.042) and improving mood disturbance, calligraphy elevated level of concentration (p=.032) and improved mood disturbance.


CONCLUSIONS
Similar to the effects of relaxation training, calligraphy demonstrated a gradually build-up physiological slow-down, and associated with heightened concentration and improved mood disturbance. Calligraphy offered a promising approach to improved health in cancer patients.
Yang
Xue-Ling
XL
Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Xin gang xi Road 135, Guangzhou 510275, Guangdong, China.
Li
Huan-Huan
HH
Hong
Ming-Huang
MH
Kao
Henry S R
HS
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D005260:Female; D006236:Handwriting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000502:physiology; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D012064:Relaxation Therapy / Q000379:methods*