RESUMEN
Research Questions : How do participants with anxiety receiving distance healing using tuning forks, experience healing sessions? What outcomes do they spontaneously report? Theoretical Framework : Modified grounded theory, using single interviews to learn about experiences with distant sound healing. Methodology : Standardized open-ended, qualitative interviews of 30-minute length were conducted after the intervention and analyzed using an inductive and iterative process for identifying themes, categories, and patterns in qualitative data. Context : Single-arm, pilot feasibility study of Biofield Tuning (BT) for anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic delivered at a distance facilitated by Zoom (without video). Sample Selection : A total of 15 participants were recruited to this study: 13 completed all quantitative aspects, and the 12 who completed the interviews are reported here. Data Collection : The 30-minute qualitative interviews were designed to understand the impact of virtual BT sessions on the participant's experience, anxiety, and within the larger context of their life. The Self-Assessment of Change measured subjective shifts pre and post treatment. Analysis and Interpretation : The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed using otter.ai. Two researchers read all the transcripts, identified key themes within the broader experience of sessions and outcomes categories, and came to consensus on key themes using a qualitative research analysis approach. Main Results : Participants were surprised by the degree to which they felt sensations and heard tuning fork changes. They commented on the accuracy of the healers' perceptions and comprehension of their life experiences. Participants reported positive shifts in perceptions of themselves and their surroundings, both interpersonally and in response to triggers. The patients' own words provide insight into the lived experiences of healing, and guide future research.
RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: This study examined the feasibility and effectiveness of a virtually-delivered, biofield-based sound healing treatment to reduce anxiety for individuals meeting criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. DESIGN: This one-group, mixed-method feasibility study was conducted virtually via Zoom during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic. Fifteen participants with moderate to high levels of anxiety as determined by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (≥10), were enrolled. INTERVENTION: Five certified Biofield Tuning Practitioners performed the interventions. Participants were given three weekly, hour-long sound healing treatments virtually, over a month's period. OUTCOME MEASURES: Attrition rates and reports on feasibility of intervention delivery and outcomes assessment were obtained by participants. Data on anxiety, positive and negative affect, spiritual experience, perceived stress, and quality of life were obtained via validated surveys and analyzed via repeated-measures analysis of variance with intention-to-treat. Linguistic inquiry and word count was utilized to assess changes in affective processing as reflected in participants' spoken words over the course of the intervention. Qualitative interviews were conducted to further determine tolerability and experiences with receiving BT that may not have been captured by survey and language data. RESULTS: Attrition rates were 13.3%, with two participants dropping out of the study after one session. The remaining participants reported acceptability of the data collection process and intervention delivery. Intention to treat analyses revealed statistically significant reductions in anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), negative affect (Positive and Negative Affect Scale), and perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale) (p < .001 in all cases). Linguistic and word count analysis revealed a significant linear decrease (p = .01) of participants' use of negative affect words over the course of the intervention. Qualitative data results are reported in another paper. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that BT delivered virtually is feasible and amenable to study, and that the impact of BT may be substantial in reducing anxiety and improving mental health. This is the first study of its kind to report clinically significant reductions in anxiety levels in response to a virtually-delivered, biofield-based sound therapy. Data will be used to power a randomized controlled trial to more deeply examine the effects of BT on whole-person healing for those suffering from anxiety.