Date Approved

1999

Graduate Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Nursing (M.S.N.)

Degree Program

College of Nursing

Abstract

Therapeutic touch (TT) has been used to treat persons with many different illnesses, especially those with chronic pain. The purpose of this study was to determine if TT reduces fibromyalgia pain.

In this study five TT treatments were given to each of 10 female subjects with fibromyaIgia from 36 to 59 years old using a quasi-experimental single-subject design.

Using a visual Analogue Scale (VAS) to measure the subject's pain before and after each of 5 TT treatments, a repeated measures ANOVA was employed to analyze the data. .A significant difference in pain levels was found between the pre- and post-test scores F(9.1)=9.35. p=0.01. supporting the hypothesis that TT decreased pain for fibromyalgia sufferers. No significant change was noted in consecutive pre-test pain levels. F(36. 4)=1.71. p=0.17. showing no long term benefit from each TT treatment.

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