Sound healing reduces generalized anxiety during the pandemic: A feasibility study

Abstract

Objectives: This study examined the feasibility and effectiveness of a virtually-delivered, biofield-based sound healing treatment to reduce anxiety for individuals meeting criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Design: This one-group, mixed-method feasibility study was conducted virtually via Zoom during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic. Fifteen participants with moderate to high levels of anxiety as determined by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (≥10), were enrolled.

Intervention: Five certified Biofield Tuning Practitioners performed the interventions. Participants were given three weekly, hour-long sound healing treatments virtually, over a month's period.

Outcome measures: Attrition rates and reports on feasibility of intervention delivery and outcomes assessment were obtained by participants. Data on anxiety, positive and negative affect, spiritual experience, perceived stress, and quality of life were obtained via validated surveys and analyzed via repeated-measures analysis of variance with intention-to-treat. Linguistic inquiry and word count was utilized to assess changes in affective processing as reflected in participants' spoken words over the course of the intervention. Qualitative interviews were conducted to further determine tolerability and experiences with receiving BT that may not have been captured by survey and language data.

Results: Attrition rates were 13.3%, with two participants dropping out of the study after one session. The remaining participants reported acceptability of the data collection process and intervention delivery. Intention to treat analyses revealed statistically significant reductions in anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), negative affect (Positive and Negative Affect Scale), and perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale) (p < .001 in all cases). Linguistic and word count analysis revealed a significant linear decrease (p = .01) of participants' use of negative affect words over the course of the intervention. Qualitative data results are reported in another paper.

Conclusions: Results indicate that BT delivered virtually is feasible and amenable to study, and that the impact of BT may be substantial in reducing anxiety and improving mental health. This is the first study of its kind to report clinically significant reductions in anxiety levels in response to a virtually-delivered, biofield-based sound therapy. Data will be used to power a randomized controlled trial to more deeply examine the effects of BT on whole-person healing for those suffering from anxiety.

Keywords: Anxiety; Biofield; Distance healing; Feasibility; Healing; Sound healing; Tuning forks; Virtual; behavioral intervention; mental health.

Conflict of interest statement

Declarations of Competing Interest Dr. Jain is the Founder and CEO of Consciousness and Healing Initiative, a nonprofit organization who received grant funding via the Biofield Tuning Institute, in order to conduct this feasibility study. Ms. McKusick is the Founder and CEO of BioSona, a for-profit organization that trains Biofield Tuning practitioners, all of whom were practitioners in this research study. Ms. McKusick is also founder of the nonprofit Biofield Tuning Institute, who helped secure grant funding for this study. Dr. Ciccone is a contract employee for the Consciousness and Healing Initiative. Ms. Sprengel was a contract employee for the Consciousness and Healing Initiative at the time the study was conducted. Dr. Ritenbaugh is Professor Emerita of Family and Community Medicine at The University of Arizona, and a Senior Scientist in the Consciousness and Healing Initiative.

Published by Elsevier Ltd.