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Positive effects of tactile massage for adolescents with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) - A small scale study.

Complementary therapies in clinical practice
November 1, 2024
Anna-Carin Robertz et al. (5 authors)
Journal ArticleHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to evaluate the impact of tactile massage on ADHD core symptoms, sleep ability, pain perception, and stress levels in adolescents.

Results Summary

Tactile massage significantly reduced hyperactivity/impulsivity, inattention, and oppositional defiant disorder symptoms, and improved sleep ability. Pain perception showed a non-significant reduction.

Population

Adolescents aged 15-17 with a prior ADHD diagnosis.

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (6)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
tactile massage
decrease
hyperactivity/impulsivity
adolescents aged 15-17 and previously diagnosed with ADHD
-
statistically significant reduction
#1
tactile massage
decrease
inattention
adolescents aged 15-17 and previously diagnosed with ADHD
-
statistically significant reduction
#2
tactile massage
decrease
oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)
adolescents aged 15-17 and previously diagnosed with ADHD
-
statistically significant reduction
#3
tactile massage
increase
ability to fall asleep
adolescents aged 15-17 and previously diagnosed with ADHD
-
significantly easier
#4
tactile massage
decrease
pain
adolescents aged 15-17 and previously diagnosed with ADHD
-
tendency to perceive less
#5
tactile massage
no change
adverse physiological changes
adolescents aged 15-17 and previously diagnosed with ADHD
-
absence of adverse physiological changes
#6
Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Epidemiological studies show the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adolescents is around 5 %. There is strong evidence for psychosocial interventions and medication for treatment of ADHD core symptoms, but these alone do not always reach a satisfactory outcome. The aim of this small-scale study was to evaluate the impact of tactile massage on ADHD core symptoms in adolescents in a clinical setting. Secondary outcome measures addressed pain perception, ability to fall asleep, and stress levels before, during, and after the intervention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen adolescents aged 15-17 and previously diagnosed with ADHD received tactile massage sessions in an experimental, single-subject ABA study combined with a group-based evaluation using descriptive statistics. The adolescents and their parents answered questionnaires to follow up on the primary and secondary outcomes. RESULTS: The results showed a statistically significant reduction in hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattention, as well as oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Participants reported that it was significantly easier to fall asleep. There was also a tendency to perceive less pain, but these results were not statistically significant. The compliance in this study was excellent. CONCLUSION: In this study, tactile massage appears to have had a significantly positive impact on ADHD core symptoms and the ability to fall asleep. The absence of adverse physiological changes and the excellent compliance, coupled with positive results, supports the idea that tactile massage may be considered safe and beneficial for adolescents with ADHD. Our findings need to be further investigated in future research.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
HumansMassageAttention Deficit Disorder with HyperactivityAdolescentMaleFemaleSurveys and QuestionnairesTouch
Study Links
Quality Scores
Safety90
Efficacy80/10
Quality70/10
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.05
Weight Score2.25
Normalized Score0.82
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