research project in

[Guest guest]

Hello,

 

I would like to inform everyone of a current research

project on the relationship between mind, body and

spirit; and cancer recovery.

A flyer and study abstract follows. Sorry, but no

website. The best way to communicate is via E-mail

 

Thank you,

 

 

 

Effects of a Compassionate/Loving Intention as a

Therapeutic Intervention

by Partners of Cancer Patients: A Randomized

Controlled Trial.

 

Research Staff: Ellen Levine, PhD, Jerome Stone, RN,

Shahram Nejad, MD

 

 

PROJECT SUMMARY STATEMENT

 

Purpose:

 

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of

a practice of a loving-compassionate intention by the

partner of a cancer patient on his/her functional

quality of life, his/her physical indicators of

stress, the well being of both parties, and the

quality of their relationship.

 

Importance of the study:

 

Interpersonal support is an important determinant of

well being in cancer patients. Among patients who are

in an intimate loving relationship, the partner

(spouse or significant other) is the primary source of

support. However, there is evidence that emotional

distress in partners may equal or surpass that of

patients. One source of distress in partners is a

perceived inability to influence the patient’s

condition, reduce her suffering, or contribute to her

healing. Research in non-local or “Distant Healing,”

for example prayer, suggests a potential unexplored

pathway through which the partner might contribute to

the well-being of the patient- through the use of

loving compassionate intention. To date the studies of

the use of loving compassionate intention have relied

on interventions by trained practitioners, naturally

gifted healers, individuals praying in the context of

a religious affiliation, or volunteers praying for

strangers.

 

Research design:

 

In this study, sixty-four individuals with cancer and

their partners will be chosen to participate. Partners

will attend one brief training sessions in a practice

of “compassionate intention,” regarded as the common

intention of the various traditions that employ

distant healing. They will then be instructed to

practice the technique 20 minutes daily for 3 months.

There will be two arms of data collection: Functional

and psychosocial outcomes: All couples will complete

self-report questionnaires at baseline and at one and

three month follow-ups to discern the effects of the

partner’s practice on the patient’s quality of life,

both parties’ psychological and spiritual well-being,

both parties’ perceptions of relationship quality, and

how frequently the practice is used. Non-local

effects: All couples will travel to a lab with

physiological monitoring equipment to evaluate

real-time non-local effects of compassionate intention

by the partner on physiologic indices of stress in the

patient, using a randomized double blind design.

 

Significance and potential impact of work:

 

Loving-kindness practices teach the practitioner to

generate an internal feeling of love and compassion

and then to intentionally direct that love to another

person. This study will assess the impact of this

practice on the practitioner, on the target person and

on the relationship between the two people. Two

primary mechanisms are postulated for any beneficial

effect on the target person. First, it may be that

increased compassion, altruism, or patience in the

practicing partner may affect the relationship in a

way that will benefit the target partner. Second,

there may be a non-local or “distant healing” effect

of the practice, such that the practicing partners

intention for the target partner’s well-being will

have a direct effect. The design of this study allows

assessment of a possible role for either of these

mechanisms. If both partners show improved

psychosocial outcomes, but there is no change on the

distant-intention scores, then changes may be assumed

to be mediated via changes in the relationship. If

distant-intention scores change as well, then this

would suggest a specific role for the practice of

developing loving-kindness, in the practice of prayer

and distant healing. If this proposed study finds that

partners can positively influence the well being of

their loved ones through use of a loving intention

practice, it could have an important social impact in

the population of couples facing cancer. Specifically,

it could empower partners and possibly other family

members and friends with the recognition that they are

not helpless bystanders, but can contribute to the

patient’s well-being -- even when not physically

present. Further, it could help raise consciousness on

a wide scale about the value of such practices by

loved ones in a wide range of illnesses. The study

will also aid in the development of a systematic

training protocol that can be applied for both lay and

professional care givers to develop efficacy in

compassionate intention.

 

-------------------

 

 

A clinical study on the healing effects of love and

compassion in cancer recovery

 

California Pacific Medical Center, in collaboration

with the Institute of Noetic Sciences, is studying the

effects of Loving-Intention on:

 

Individuals with Cancer and Their Partners

 

Needed: Couples interested in participating in a study

on the effects of learning a unique “loving-intention”

practice for partners of individuals with cancer.

 

SEEKING COUPLES WHO:

 

1 Have been in a committed relationship for at least

12 months

2 Individuals in the relationship diagnosed with any

form of cancer

3 Are not presently in a family therapy group

4 Have fluency or proficiency in English

 

 

Call Shahram Nejad (415) 600-1456 for enrollment

information

Study participation requires one 6-8 hour training

workshop for partners, as well as one two-hour visit

to the physiology lab in Petaluma for both partners.

Enrollment requires meeting research assistant.

Couples will receive $100 at completion of the study.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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