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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT00515242

Therapeutic Massage for Generalized Anxiety Disorder

The purpose of this study is to compare the relative effectiveness of three relaxation treatments (therapeutic massage, thermotherapy, and time in a relaxing environment) in reducing anxiety in persons with Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Completed

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Key information

Conditions

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Anxiety Disorders Mental Disorders

Age range

18 year–70 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 1 / Phase 2

Primary location

Group Health Research Institute

Seattle, Washington, 98101, United States

About this study

Anxiety and stress are costly problems that afflict millions of American adults. Together, they are among the most common reasons for which adults use complementary and alternative medical (CAM) therapies as well as more conventional relaxation therapies. Although massage is one of the most popular CAM treatments for anxiety, its effectiveness for this problem has never been rigorously evaluated. This study is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of massage as a treatment for a diagnosed anxiety disorder. Massage will be compared with two other relaxing treatments: thermotherapy and time in a relaxing environment, which reflect the types of activities that persons with anxiety might try to relieve their symptoms.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Member of Group Health, Seattle metropolitan area
  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder confirmed by SCID
  • At least moderate anxiety

Exclusion criteria

  • Serious mental health co-morbidity
  • Any life threatening condition
  • Currently receiving psychotherapy
  • Substantial alcohol use
  • Contraindications for massage

Treatment and study plan

massage

Behavioral

therapeutic massage

thermotherapy

Behavioral

heat therapy

relaxing environment

Behavioral

time in a relaxing environment

Primary outcomes

  1. anxiety

    Time frame: 6 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. worry, depression, disability

    Time frame: 6 months

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Kaiser Permanente

Other

Collaborators

  • National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Registry information

Acronym: CALM

Important dates

Study start
2007
Primary completion
2008
Study completion
2009
First posted
Aug 13, 2007
Registry last updated
Oct 13, 2017

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.

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