ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of yoga (physical activity) versus social support (verbal activity) on prenatal and postpartum depression. Ninety-two prenatally depressed women were randomly assigned to a yoga or a social support control group at 22 weeks gestation. The yoga group participated in a 20-min group session (only physical poses) once per week for 12 weeks. The social support group (a leaderless discussion group) met on the same schedule. At the end of the first and last sessions the yoga group reported less depression, anxiety, anger, back and leg pain as compared to the social support group. At the end of the last session the yoga group and the support group did not differ. They both had lower depression (CES-D), anxiety (STAI), and anger (STAXI) scores and improved relationship scores. In addition, cortisol levels decreased for both groups following each session. Estriol and progesterone levels decreased after the last session. At the postpartum follow-up assessment depression and anxiety levels were lower for both groups.
Subject(s)
Anxiety/therapy , Depression/therapy , Hydrocortisone/metabolism , Pregnancy Complications/therapy , Social Support , Yoga , Adult , Anger , Anxiety/psychology , Depression/psychology , Depression, Postpartum/prevention & control , Depression, Postpartum/psychology , Female , Humans , Interpersonal Relations , Pain Management/methods , Pain Management/psychology , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications/psychology , Prenatal Care , Self-Help Groups , Socioeconomic FactorsABSTRACT
Forty-four prenatally depressed women were randomly assigned to peer support or interpersonal psychotherapy groups at 22 weeks gestation. The peer support group participated in a 20-minute group session once per week for 12 weeks, and the interpersonal psychotherapy group met for one hour per week for 12 weeks. Assessments were conducted before and after the sessions at 22 and 34 weeks gestation. Despite the peer support group having lower socioeconomic status and higher depression scores at the beginning of the treatment period and having shorter group sessions, both groups had lower summary depression (CES-D) scores and lower anxiety (STAI) scores by the end of the treatment period. In addition, cortisol levels decreased for both groups after the last day session, although the decrease was greater for the peer support group. The groups did not differ on neonatal outcomes including gestational age and birthweight. These data suggest that peer support group sessions may be a cost-effective form of treatment for prenatal depression.
Subject(s)
Anxiety/therapy , Depression/therapy , Hydrocortisone/blood , Prenatal Care , Psychotherapy, Group , Self-Help Groups , Adolescent , Adult , Anxiety/blood , Anxiety/diagnosis , Depression/blood , Depression/diagnosis , Female , Humans , PregnancyABSTRACT
METHODS: Forty-two adults with rheumatoid arthritis in the upper limbs were randomly assigned to a moderate pressure or a light pressure massage therapy group. A therapist massaged the affected arm and shoulder once a week for a 4-week period and also taught the participant self-massage to be done once daily. RESULTS: The moderate pressure vs. the light pressure massage therapy group had less pain and perceived greater grip strength following the first and last massage sessions. By the end of the one month period the moderate pressure massage group had less pain, greater grip strength and greater range of motion in their wrist and large upper joints (elbows and shoulders).
Subject(s)
Arthritis, Rheumatoid/therapy , Massage/methods , Analysis of Variance , Anxiety/therapy , Female , Hand Strength , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pain Management/methods , Range of Motion, Articular , Upper ExtremityABSTRACT
Ninety-two prenatally depressed pregnant women were randomly assigned to a tai chi/yoga or a waitlist control group at an average of 22 weeks gestation. The tai chi/yoga group participated in a 20-min group session per week for 12 weeks. At the end of the treatment period the tai chi/yoga group had lower summary depression (CES-D) scores, as well as lower negative affect and somatic/vegetative symptoms subscale scores on the CES-D, lower anxiety (STAI) scores and lower sleep disturbances scores.
Subject(s)
Anxiety/therapy , Depression/therapy , Depressive Disorder/therapy , Pregnancy Complications/therapy , Sleep Wake Disorders/therapy , Tai Ji , Yoga , Adult , Affect , Anxiety Disorders/therapy , Breathing Exercises , Female , Gestational Age , Humans , Meditation , Pregnancy , Prenatal Care , Waiting Lists , Young AdultABSTRACT
Eighty-four prenatally depressed women were randomly assigned to yoga, massage therapy or standard prenatal care control groups to determine the relative effects of yoga and massage therapy on prenatal depression and neonatal outcomes. Following 12 weeks of twice weekly yoga or massage therapy sessions (20 min each) both therapy groups versus the control group had a greater decrease on depression, anxiety and back and leg pain scales and a greater increase on a relationship scale. In addition, the yoga and massage therapy groups did not differ on neonatal outcomes including gestational age and birthweight, and those groups, in turn, had greater gestational age and birthweight than the control group.
Subject(s)
Depressive Disorder/therapy , Massage/methods , Premature Birth/psychology , Prenatal Care/methods , Yoga/psychology , Adult , Anxiety/psychology , Anxiety/therapy , Birth Weight , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Male , Massage/psychology , Pain/psychology , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Outcome/psychology , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Stress, Psychological/therapy , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
METHODS: Forty-six adults with hand pain were randomly assigned to a massage therapy or a standard treatment control group. Those assigned to the massage therapy group were massaged by a therapist on the affected hand once a week for a 4-week period and were also taught self-massage on the hand that was to be done by the individual participant once daily. RESULTS: The massage therapy group versus the control group had less pain and greater grip strength after the first and last sessions, and their anxiety and depressed mood scores decreased more than the control group. Over the four-week period the massage group had a greater decrease in pain and a greater increase in grip strength as well as lower scores on anxiety, depressed mood and sleep disturbance scales.
Subject(s)
Anxiety/therapy , Depression/therapy , Hand Strength , Massage , Musculoskeletal Pain/therapy , Sleep Wake Disorders/therapy , Anxiety/etiology , Depression/etiology , Hand , Humans , Middle Aged , Muscle Weakness/therapy , Musculoskeletal Pain/complications , Musculoskeletal Pain/psychology , Self Care , Sleep Wake Disorders/etiology , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
A sample of 192 university students who had experienced a recent breakup of a romantic relationship was divided into high versus low score groups based on the Breakup Distress Scale. Females had higher Breakup Distress Scale scores. The group who had high Breakup Distress Scale scores reported having less time since the breakup occurred, did not initiate the breakup, reported that the breakup was sudden and unexpected, felt rejected and betrayed, and had not yet found a new relationship. They also scored higher on the Intrusive Thoughts Scale, on the Difficulty Controlling Intrusive Thoughts Scale, on The Sleep Disturbance Scale, and on the depression (CES-D) and anxiety scales (STAI). In a regression analysis, the most important predictors of the Breakup Distress scores were the depression score (CES-D), the feeling of being betrayed by the breakup, shorter time since the breakup occurred, and a higher rating of the relationship prior to the breakup. This explained as much as 37% of the variance, suggesting that these factors are important contributors to relationship breakup distress.
