title: A Pilot Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effectiveness of a bio-energy intervention on self-reported stress for a convenience sample of University students, faculty, and staff during finals week. We hypothesized that participants would report a decrease in stress after a 20 minute bio-energy intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  A quasi-experimental, single-group, pretest-posttest design was used.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine faculty, staff, and students participated. Participants served as their own controls. A specific technique was provided by each bio-energy practitioner for 20 minutes after participants had completed a visual analogue scale identifying level of stress and listing two positive and negative behaviors they were currently using in response to stress.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A one-sample t test indicates that bio-energy therapy significantly reduces stress, t(35) = 7.74, p < .0001. A multiple regression analysis further indicates that the decrease in stress levels is significantly greater for higher initial stress levels, t(31) = 4.748, p < .0001); decreases in stress are significantly greater for faculty and staff compared to students, t(31) = -2.223, p = .034; and decreases in stress levels are marginally significantly higher for older participants, t(31) =1.946, p = .061.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bio-energy therapy may have benefit in reducing stress for faculty, staff, and students during final examination week. Further research is needed.
authors.affiliation: Montana State University.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Running
authors.affiliation: Montana State University.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hildreth
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology / Q000379:methods*; D005178:Faculty / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012044:Regression Analysis; D057566:Self Report; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000628:therapy*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: alternative/complementary therapies; educators; energy-based therapies/energy work; healing touch; students