title: Calligraphy and meditation for stress reduction: an experimental comparison.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chinese calligraphic handwriting (CCH) has demonstrated a new role in health and therapy. Meanwhile, meditation is an traditional and effective method for coping with stress and staying healthy. This study compared the effectiveness of CCH and meditation as distinctive and parallel stress reduction interventions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty graduate students and academic staff members in Taiwan who suffered from stress were selected by the General Health Questionnaire and randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups, ie, a CCH group, a meditation group, or a control group, for 8 consecutive weeks. Changes in physiological parameters were measured before, during, and after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CCH and meditation showed their strength in the respective indices of stress. There was a significant difference in respiratory rate, heart rate, and electromyographic scores between the groups. Comparing pre- and post-effects, a decrease in heart rate and an increase in skin temperature was seen in subjects who practiced CCH. Increased skin temperature and decreased respiratory rate were also seen in subjects who practiced meditation, along with reduced muscle tension and heart rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CCH and meditation have good effects in stress reduction. CCH is a particularly promising new approach to reducing stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work and Social Administration, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: International Society of Calligraphy Therapy, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: An An
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.affiliation: Department of Business Administration, National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hao Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ivy Cy
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Manlin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: calligraphic handwriting; intervention; meditation; stress reduction