Rexilius, S.J., Mundt, C., Erickson Megel, M., & Agrawal, S. (2002). Therapeutic effects of massage therapy and healing touch on caregivers of patients undergoing autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Oncology Nursing Forum, 29, E35–E44.

In the control group, one of the researchers visited caregivers for about 10 minutes twice a week for three weeks and asked, “How are you doing?”

In the massage therapy and Healing Touch groups, caregivers were provided with six 30-minute sessions. A certified massage therapist administered massage therapy, and a certified therapist provided Healing Touch treatments.

• The sample (N = 36) was comprised of family caregivers of patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
• Caregivers did not have an acute health problem.

Outpatient oncology clinic

• The study was a well-designed quasi-experimental trial without randomization (control group [n = 13], massage therapy group [n = 13], Healing Touch group [n = 10]).
• The sample size was determined by power analysis.

• Subjective Burden Scale
• Beck Anxiety Inventory
• Center for Epidemiologic Studies–Depression
• Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory–20

• No significant difference was found in burden.
• Anxiety scores declined significantly for the massage therapy group only.
• Although depression scores declined for both treatment groups, only the massage therapy group achieved significance on post-hoc analysis.
• Significant differences in general fatigue, reduced motivation fatigue, and emotional fatigue were found between the control and massage therapy groups, but no differences were found in physical fatigue and activity.

• The study had a small sample and no randomization.
• Special training was needed for the intervention.