Hat eine osteopathische Behandlung Einfluss auf den emotionalen Gefühlszustand ?

Title

Author(s)

Dettling Claudia

Abstract

Objectives
Again and again patients report about a change in their emotions after osteopathic treatments.
Well-known osteopaths describe a connection between osteopathy and emotions, Thereby
they mainly rely on their own observations made in clinical practice (BARRAL and
CROIBIER, 2003; BARRAL, 2004, 2006; BECKER, 2007; CHICKLEY, 2001; FULFORD,
2005; UPLEDGER, 2000) or on observations made by other colleagues (COMEAUX, 2002;
HINKELTHEIN and ZALPOUR, 2006; LIEM, 2001, 2003; PARSONS, 2006;
TEMPELHOF, 2001), on a philosophical approach (MC GOVERN, 2003, 2006), on anatomic
facts (FULFORD, 2005; HINKELTHEIN and ZALPOUR, 2006; MC GOVERN, 2003;
PARSONS, 2006, TEMPELHOF, 2001) and on publications in osteopathic literature
(HINKELTHEIN and ZALPOUR, 2006; LIEM, 2003; PARSONS, 2006; TEMPELHOF,
2001). Furthermore emotions are claimed to be indications for an osteopathic treatment
(BECKER, 2007; CROIBIER, 2006; FULFORD, 2005; LIEM, 2003).
So far in osteopathy there is hardly any research concerning the field of osteopathy and
emotions that was conducted within the framework of a scientific research.
Only a few studies investigate the effects of osteopathic techniques on emotions within a
scientific framework (ENGEL, 2006; LINNENBANK, 1999).
The research of medical, osteopathic and psychological data bases did not lead to any results
concerning a study which has examined and measured possible effects of a complete
osteopathic treatment on the whole spectrum of all momentary emotional feelings.
The study at hand shall clarify whether an osteopathic treatment has a measurable influence
on emotions.
Study design
A quantitative study design is chosen. In an experimental clinical study, including to
collectives of test persons (group 1 and group 2) emotional experience is inquired by means of
two different inquiring instruments (questionnaires): Emotionsskalen EMO-16-aktuell
(SCHMIDT-ATZERT und HÜPPE, 1996) [Emotion scales EMO-16-current] and
Emotionsskalen EMO-16-Woche (SCHMIDT-ATZERT, 1997) [Emotion scales EMO-
week].
The two collectives of test persons undergo two different applications (1: immediate
osteopathic treatment, 2: lying still with prospect of subsequent osteopathic treatment). The
two groups shall be examined concerning their current emotional condition before and after
the treatment.
The individual intensity of 16 emotional qualities concerning the participants’ current
emotional state is recorded by means of the questionnaire EMO-16-current that uses a six-step
scale.
After this data is recorded, as promised group 2 is osteopathically treated as well. After that
the test persons fill in the parallel constructed EMO-16-week questionnaire. Thereby the
frequency of the same emotions during the previous seven days is inquired by means of a
five-step scale.
Participants
Emotional experience is inquired for a survey sample size of 50 test persons. Test persons
were assigned to the two respective groups by means of the match-controlled method.
The following inclusion criteria were defined:
Age between 20 and 60, patients of either sex that are under my current treatment or former
patients of either sex, friends of either sex; language skills (sufficient knowledge of German
in speech and writing).
Furthermore the following exclusion criteria were chosen:
Diagnosed neuroses or psychoses, acute psychosocial crises, alcoholism, drug addiction (legal
or illegal drugs), intake of psychotropic drugs.
Main Outcome Measures
The intensity of 16 individual emotional qualities (disgust, anger, envy, boredom, anxiety,
restlessness, sadness, yearning, shame, feeling of guilt, joy, pride, compassion, affection,
sexual excitement, surprise) concerning the test persons‘ current emotional condition is rated
according to SCHMIDT-ATZERT and HÜPPE (1996) before and after the application by
means of the EMO-16-current questionnaire on a six-step scale.
By means of the analogously constructed questionnaire EMO-16-week according to
SCHMIDT-ATZERT (1997) one week after the treatment the frequency of the same emotions
over the course of seven days is rated on a five-step scale
By means of totaling the item values for “disgust”, “anger”, “envy”, “anxiety”, “restlessness”,
“sadness”, “shame” and “feeling of guilt” can be summarized under a total value for “negative
feelings” (SCHMIDT-ATZERT and HÜPPE, 1996; SCHMIDT-ATZERT, 1997).
Results
The values are collected in excel charts and are evaluated after the external transformation
into SPSS statistical software.
Thus the results of the enquiry of both groups can be compared on the basis of arithmetic
averages and frequencies. Thereby all emotion-items are considered individually, except for
the sum of negative feelings.
Taking into consideration the strict conditions of multiple average value comparisons with
Bonferroni correction, significant values become apparent for “anxiety” and “restlessness”,
which show more than random lower ratings after the osteopathic treatment (p< 0,00315), no
significant but nevertheless tendential values for “anger”, “sadness” and “compassion”
(p<0,05).
After having applied the Bonferroni correction, the items “restlessness” (p<0,00315) and
“sadness” (p<0,00315) show significant values after only “lying”; not significantly but
nevertheless tendentially lower values show the items “yearning”, “feeling of guilt” and
“compassion” ( p<0,05 each)
After the osteopathic treatment negative feeling is on average highly significantly lower
(p<0,01).
After “lying still” the negative feeling is on average highly significantly lower (p<0,01).
When testing differences with regard to possible treatment effects the observation of
differences in the three categories “better”, “worse” and “same” reveal not significant values
after the Bonferroni correction has been applied. No significant but nevertheless tendential
values (p<0,05) are observed for “pride” and “compassion”.
When testing differences with regard to a possible treatment effects a comparison of the
average values of the two groups reveals no significant differences after the Bonferroni
correction was applied due to multiple testing. No significant but nevertheless tendential
differences (p<0,05) become apparent for “anger” and “boredom”.
In case of “envy”, “shame” and “surprise” there were significant differences between the two
groups already before the treatment. These emotions are stronger in group 2 before and after
lying still.
A comparison of the results of the questionnaire EMO-16-week revealed, after Bonferroni
correction, no significant differences between the two groups. There are however tendential
(p<0,05) differences concerning the items envy and yearning. On average “envy” is higher in
group 2, “yearning” in group 1.
Conclusions
The results of the study at hand show that an osteopathic treatment has no treatment effect on
emotions when compared to only “lying still”.
It is, however, interesting that within the groups significant differences concerning the total
value for negative feelings (“disgust”, “anger”, “envy”, “anxiety”, “restlessness”, “sadness”,
“shame” and “feeling of guilt”) and concerning some emotions, after only “lying still”
(“restlessness”, “sadness”) as well as after the osteopathic treatment (“anxiety”,
“restlessness”) can be observed.
Results have to be viewed within the framework of the complexity of emotional processes
under the consideration of neurophysiological behavior and experience aspects and
interpreted as individual-environment-adaption (TRAUE, 1989).
However, the concrete mechanisms of action between osteopathy and emotions are still not
clarified precisely and require further examinations.
Thus systematic studies in the field of osteopathy and emotion would be desirable.
Key Words
Osteopathy, emotions, capturing emotional states, questionnaire development, questionnaire
self-report

presented at

Wiener Schule für Osteopathie

Date Accepted

2009

Date Submitted

1.2.2009 00:00:00

Type

osteo_thesis

Language

English

Number of pages

117

Submitted by:

62

Pub-Identifier

13997

Inst-Identifier

781

Keywords

emotionen

Recommended

1

Medium

Dettling.pdf

Item