E-Newsletter:
Glossary of Reiki Research Terms (10/09)
If you were wondering what a "double-blind randomized controlled trial" was after reading September's e-newsletter, this month's issue is for you. Here's a glossary of terms used in energy healing research:
Treatment Group
Also called the "experimental group," these participants receive energy healing during the study.
Control Group
In a controlled trial, the control group does not receive Reiki, but their outcomes are tracked and compared to the treatment group's data. Control groups are very important in situations where improvement is to be expected, like after surgery. In Reiki research, the control group often rests for the same length of time as a Reiki treatment, to account for the relaxation of lying on the practitioner's table away from distractions.
Placebo Group
Sometimes the idea that we're being treated makes us feel better, even if the treatment isn't working. To account for this, energy healing researchers have developed "sham Reiki." Actors or healthcare professionals are shown the hand placements for Reiki, but they aren't attuned or taught anything else. Sham Reiki recipients usually fare a little better than the control group, but genuine Reiki significantly outperforms sham Reiki. Participants, however, can't tell the difference.
Double Blind
In a blind experiment, participants don't know whether they're receiving genuine Reiki or sham Reiki. In a double blind experiment, the researchers and healthcare professionals with whom they interact don't know either. If doctors, nurses and technicians knew what group a participant was in, they might inadvertently treat that person differently or unconsciously encourage the outcomes they expect.
Randomized
Each participant is randomly assigned to the treatment, control or placebo group in a randomized trial. Randomization prevents researchers from making biased assignments. Without randomizing, researchers might be tempted to put the sickest participants in the treatment group because they need the most help, or to stack the deck so the treatment group would have better outcomes.
ABAB Design
During time period A, baseline data is collected before energy healing begins in time period B. A basic AB-designed trial stops there, but in an ABAB-designed study the Reiki treatments stop in the second A phase and restart in the second B phase. This design helps rule out other causes, so ABAB trials demonstrate a stronger relationship between energy healing and the outcomes than the basic AB design.
Standardized Treatments
Out in the real world, Reiki sessions' length and frequency vary wildly, and Reiki practitioners provide individualized treatments to give each client the greatest benefit. Clinical trials set a consistent treatment length and frequency, and some even standardize what is done during the session. Some people with Alzheimer's experience increasing symptoms as the day goes on, so trials with this population usually set a steady start time for Reiki treatments.
Statistical Significance
Does Reiki really lead to better outcomes, or do they just occur by chance? To answer this question, researchers compare the differences between with-Reiki and without-Reiki outcomes to normal variations. A statistically significant result is one that is unlikely to have occurred by chance. Most researchers consider a result significant if it would occur by chance only 1 in 20 times, but some researchers demand a 1 in 100 likelihood.
Thanks for reading!
Anna Schibrowsky
Chicago Healing Studio
