Polarity Therapy for American Indian Caregivers of Dementia Patients

The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of polarity therapy (PT), a complementary and alternative medicine treatment, in American Indian caregivers living in the Pacific Northwest.

Completed

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Key information

Conditions

Stress Anxiety Anxiety Disorders Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Depression Mental Disorders

Age range

35 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 1

Primary location

Center for World Indigenous Studies

Olympia, Washington, 98502, United States

About this study

The caregivers of people with dementia experience high levels of stress and are at particularly high risk for physical and mental illness. Although stress and illness are serious problems among American Indian caregivers in the Northwest, few studies have concentrated on this population. PT is a treatment that involves awareness of one's energy field and touch therapy; it has been shown to provide several physiological, biological, and psychological benefits. This study will determine whether PT is more effective than respite from caregiving in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression and improving health function and overall quality of life in American Indian caregivers.

Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either eight weekly sessions of PT or 3 hours of weekly respite from caregiving for 8 weeks. At the beginning of the study and at Weeks 4 and 8, participants will complete questionnaires and self-report scales on stress, anxiety, depression, and quality of life. In addition, heart rate variability and levels of cortisol will be measured at study entry and Weeks 4 and 8.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Caregiver of a family member with dementia for at least 4 hours a day
American Indian

Exclusion criteria

Nerve disorders caused by diabetes
Use of beta blockers

Treatment and study plan

Polarity therapy

Procedure

Primary outcomes

Perceived stress

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Nih

Registry information

Official study title

Polarity Therapy for Dementia Caregivers

Important dates

Study start: 2004
Primary completion: 2007
Study completion: 2007
First posted: Dec 23, 2004
Registry last updated: Apr 22, 2008

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed