Abstract
Background: The aims of this pilot study were to observe perceived outcomes of spiritual healing in Germany. Patients and Methods: In this prospective case study, we performed qualitative interviews with clients and healers about perceived outcomes of spiritual healing treatments. A directed qualitative content analysis was used. In addition, we applied questionnaires (WHOQOL-BREF, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Sense of Coherence 13, SpREUK-15, intensity of complaints on visual analogue scale) at baseline and after week 1, month 2 and month 6 which were analysed descriptively. Results: Seven healers and 7 clients participated, 42 interviews were analysed. In the interviews, the clients described positive body sensations, greater relaxation and well-being as short-term effects of healing treatments. Perceived longer-term effects were related to making significant life changes, creating new meanings, activating resources and improving social relationships. Patients in pain described a reduction of pain intensity. In the questionnaires, the clients reported improvements in quality of life and self-efficacy, to a smaller extent improvements of intensity of complaints and sense of coherence. Conclusion: The results from this pilot study could be useful to choose outcomes of future prospective studies with a larger sample: qualitative assessments combined with global and broad quantitative outcomes such as quality of life, self-efficacy and intensity of complaints could be applied.
References
1.
Benor
DJ
. Spiritual healing: a unifying influence in complementary therapies
. Complement Ther Med
. 1995
;3
(4
):234
–8
. 0965-22992.
Brown
CK
. The integration of healing and spirituality into health care
. J Interprof Care
. 1998
;12
(4
):373
–81
. 1356-18203.
Stöckigt
BM
, Besch
F
, Jeserich
F
, Holmberg
C
, Witt
CM
, Teut
M
. Biographical similarities between spiritual healers and their clients in Germany - a qualitative study
. Anthropol Med
. 2015
;22
(2
):177
–90
.
[PubMed]
1364-84704.
Stöckigt
BM
, Besch
F
, Jeserich
F
, Holmberg
C
, Witt
CM
, Teut
M
. Healing relationships: a qualitative study of healers and their clients in Germany
. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med
. 2015
;2015
:145154
.
[PubMed]
1741-427X5.
Voss
E
. Mediales Heilen in Deutschland: Eine Ethnographie
. Berlin
: Reimer Verlag
; 2011
.6.
Obrecht
A
. Die Welt der Heiler: Die Renaissance Magischer Weltbilder
. Wien
: Böhlau Verlag
; 1999
.7.
Obrecht
A
. Die Klienten der Geistheiler. Vom anderen Umgang mit Krankheit, Krise, Schmerz und Tod
. Wien
: Böhlau Verlag
; 2000
. pp. 207
–32
.8.
Teut
M
, Stöckigt
B
, Holmberg
C
, Besch
F
, Witt
CM
, Jeserich
F
. Perceived outcomes of spiritual healing and explanations—a qualitative study on the perspectives of German healers and their clients
. BMC Complement Altern Med
. 2014
Jul
;14
(1
):240
.
[PubMed]
1472-68829.
Biernacki
P
, Waldorf
D
. Snowball sampling: problems and techniques of chain referral sampling
. Sociol Methods Res
. 1981
;10
(2
):141
–63
. 0049-124110.
Angermeyer
MC
, Kilian
R
, Matschinger
H
. WHOQOL-100 und WHOQOL-BREF- Handbuch für die Deutschsprachigen Versionen der WHO Instrumente zur Erfassung von Lebensqualität
. Göttingen
: Hogrefe Publishing
; 2000
.11.
Schwarzer
R
, Jerusalem
M
, editors. Skalen zur Erfassung von Lehrer- und Schülermerkmalen: Dokumentation der Psychometrischen Verfahren im Rahmen der Wissenschaftlichen Begleitung des Modellversuchs Selbstwirksame Schulen
. Berlin
: Freie Universität Berlin
; 1999
.12.
Büssing
A
. Spirituality as a resource to rely on in chronic illness: the SpREUK questionnaire
. Religions (Basel)
. 2010
;1
(1
):9
–17
. 2077-144413.
Büssing
A
, Ostermann
T
, Matthiessen
PF
. Role of religion and spirituality in medical patients: confirmatory results with the SpREUK questionnaire
. Health Qual Life Outcomes
. 2005
Feb
;3
(1
):10
.
[PubMed]
1477-752514.
Abel
T
, Kohlmann
T
, Noack
H
. SOC-Fragebogen. Revidierte Fassung der Übersetzung von Noack und Bachmann (1987)
. Bern
: Abteilung für Gesundheitsforschung des Instituts für Sozial-und Präventivmedizin
; 1995
.15.
Antonovsky
A
. Unraveling the Mystery of Health
. San Francisco (CA)
: Jossey-Bass
; 1987
.16.
Jeserich
F
: Can sense of coherence be modified by religious/spiritual interventions?: a critical appraisal of previous research. Interdiscip J Res Relig 2013
;9:1-3617.Schumacher J, Brähler E: Sense of Coherence Scale von Antonovsky (SOC-Skala). Leipzig, Universität Leipzig, 2000.17.
Schumacher J, Brähler E. Sense of Coherence Scale von Antonovsky (SOC-Skala). Leipzig: Universität Leipzig; 2000.
18.
Neumann
M
, Wirtz
M
, Bollschweiler
E
, Warm
M
, Wolf
J
, Pfaff
H
. Psychometrische evaluation der deutschen version des messinstruments (Consultation and relational empathy“ (CARE)
. Psychother Psych Med
. 2008
;58
(1
):5
–15
. 19.
20.
Hsieh
HF
, Shannon
SE
. Three approaches to qualitative content analysis
. Qual Health Res
. 2005
Nov
;15
(9
):1277
–88
.
[PubMed]
1049-732321.
Schwarzer
R
, Jerusalem
M
. Generalized self-efficacy scale. In: Weinman
J
, Wright
S
, Johnston
M
, editors. Measures in Health Psychology: A User’s Portfolio Causal and Control Beliefs
. Windsor, UK
: NFER-NELSON
; 1995
. pp. 35
–7
.22.
Hinz
A
, Schumacher
J
, Albani
C
, Schmid
G
, Brähler
E
. Bevölkerungsrepräsentative normierung der skala zur allgemeinen selbstwirksamkeitserwartung
. Diagnostica
. 2006
;52
(1
):26
–32
. 0012-192423.
Schumacher
J
, Gunzelmann
T
, Brähler
E
. Deutsche Normierung der Sense of Coherence Scale von Antonovsky
. Diagnostica
. 2000
;46
(4
):208
–13
. 0012-192424.
Jonas
WB
, Crawford
CC
. Science and spiritual healing: a critical review of spiritual healing, “energy” medicine, and intentionality
. Altern Ther Health Med
. 2003
Mar-Apr
;9
(2
):56
–61
.
[PubMed]
1078-679125.
Mercer
SW
, McConnachie
A
, Maxwell
M
, Heaney
D
, Watt
GC
. Relevance and practical use of the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) Measure in general practice
. Fam Pract
. 2005
Jun
;22
(3
):328
–34
.
[PubMed]
0263-213626.
WHO
. WHOQOL-BREF – Introduction, Administration, Scoring, and Generic Version of the Assessment – Field Trial Version
. Geneva
: World Health Organization
; 1996
.27.
Skevington
SM
, Lotfy
M
, O’Connell
KA
; WHOQOL Group
. The World Health Organization’s WHOQOL-BREF quality of life assessment: psychometric properties and results of the international field trial. A report from the WHOQOL group
. Qual Life Res
. 2004
Mar
;13
(2
):299
–310
.
[PubMed]
0962-934328.
Skevington
SM
, Gunson
KS
, O’Connell
KA
. Introducing the WHOQOL-SRPB BREF: developing a short-form instrument for assessing spiritual, religious and personal beliefs within quality of life
. Qual Life Res
. 2013
Jun
;22
(5
):1073
–83
.
[PubMed]
0962-9343© 2019 S. Karger AG, Basel
2019
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.
