Effects of the laying on of hands on anxiety, stress and autonomic response of employees in a hospital: A double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Mental and behavioral disorders result in increased absenteeism and abandonment of work. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anxiety, stress, depression, negative and positive affects, and hematological and autonomic responses of employees in a public hospital exposed to laying on of hands with (LHS) or without Spiritual connection (control-LHW). METHODOLOGY: Eighty-four employees with anxiety/stress were enrolled and randomly allocated into two groups of intervention LHS by Spiritist "passe" and control-LHW by volunteers with healing intent. Anxiety, stress and depression were evaluated by Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS21). Negative and positive affects by Subjective Well-being Scale (SWS), cardiac autonomic modulation by heart rate variability and cytokines and blood count were assessed by blood sample. RESULTS: Our study showed a significant improvement in the neutrophils (p = 0.041; d = 0.70) and cardiac parasympathetic activity, and reduction in VLF (p < 0.005) in the LHS. There was reduction in erythrocyte parameters and interleukin 10 (p < 0.005) in the control-LHW. In both groups there was a significant reduction in anxiety, stress, depression and negative affects after one session (p < 0.005). CONCLUSION: Laying on of hands with Spiritual connection by Spiritist "passe" appears to be effective in increasing cardiac vagal activity and regulation of immune responses of employees in a public hospital with stress/anxiety.

Effect of Spiritist "Passe" on Preoperative Anxiety of Surgical Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Double-Blind.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the preoperative anxiety of hospitalized patients exposed to Spiritist "passe," laying on of hand with the intention of healing (Sham) and without laying on of hand. Other variables as depression, pain, physiological parameters, muscle tension, and well-being were assessed. Patients in the Spiritist "passe" intervention group showed greater reductions in anxiety (p < 0.05) and muscle tension (p < 0.01) and increases in well-being (p < 0.01). More marked reductions in preoperative anxiety and muscle tension and improvement in well-being were observed in patients exposed to Spiritist "passe" compared to Sham or standard medical care.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03356691.