Six versus twelve weeks of Swedish massage therapy for generalized anxiety disorder: Preliminary findings

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Mark Rapaport, Emory University; Pamela Schettler, Emory University; Erika R Larson, Atlanta Sch Massage; Boadie Dunlop, Emory University; Jeffrey Rakofsky, Emory University; Becky Kinkead, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2021-01-01
• Publisher: CHURCHILL LIVINGSTONE
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2020 Elsevier Ltd.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102593
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES IN MEDICINE
• Volume: 56
• Start Page: 102593
• End Page: 102593
• Grant/Funding Information: The study was funded by grant R21AT004208 from the National Institutes of Health to Dr. Rapaport. The funding organization had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; or preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript. Drs. Rapaport and Schettler had full access to all the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.
• Keywords: Swedish massage; Dose; RELAXATION; PAIN; ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE; Science & Technology; Treatment; Integrative & Complementary Medicine; Generalized anxiety disorder; WORRY; BENEFIT; UNITED-STATES; IMPROVES; Anxiety; HEART-RATE; PREVALENCE; Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Abstract

Acute treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder often requires 3 months or more of care in order to optimize response. As part of an exploratory grant we have previously demonstrated that six weeks of twice-weekly Swedish Massage Therapy (SMT) was more effective than an active control in decreasing Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale Scores (HAM-A). An additional goal of this project was to determine if an additional six weeks of twice-weekly SMT led to greater clinical and statistical benefit. We found that HAM-A scores did continue to decrease with an additional six weeks of therapy but that the greatest benefit occurred during the first versus the second 12 sessions (−9.91 vs.−3.09, t = 2.21; df = 10; p = 0.052). These preliminary findings suggest that the majority of benefit in symptom reduction occurs in the first six weeks and that six weeks of twice-weekly SMT may be sufficient for the majority of patients.