Sonnex, C., Roe, C. and Roxburgh, E. C. (2020) Testing the Pagan Prescription : Using a Randomized Controlled Trial to Investigate Pagan Spell-Casting as a Form of Noncontact Healing. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 26(3), pp. 219-225. 1075-5535.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Abstract: | Objectives: This research investigates the healing practices of modern Paganism using a randomized controlled trial. Paganism is a burgeoning belief system in the United Kingdom, within which healing is a key aspect. However, Pagan spell-casting practices have received little attention from distance healing researchers. This study aims to address this gap in the literature. Design: This study utilized a randomized, double-blind, delayed intervention design. Settings/Location: Research took place at the University of Northampton. Subjects: Forty-four participants (30 females, 14 males) were recruited using snowball sampling (mean age = 24.30; range = 18-55). Procedure: Participants were randomly allocated to either Group A or B. Participants made written requests to the practitioner about changes they would like to see in their lives and provided a photograph and personal item to be used during the intervention. Participants attended meetings once a week during which they would take part in a guided body scan meditation before completing a quality-of-life measure. Healing practices were conducted for Group A between weeks 1 and 2 and for Group B between weeks 2 and 3. Outcome Measure: Well-being was measured using the 26-item WHOQOL-BREF. Results: Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) showed a significant, positive change in general health from weeks 1 to 4 (F = 4.02, p = 0.025, η2 = 0.149). Separate analysis of variances of the four WHOQOL domains showed significant improvements across the study in the physical and psychologic domains only; there was no significant group difference on any of the outcomes. Conclusion: All participants showed an increase in health and well-being domains directly related to their spell requests. However, there are no group differences to suggest that the spell-casting intervention was responsible. |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | /dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/3200 |
| Creators: | Sonnex, Charmaine, Roe, Chris and Roxburgh, Elizabeth C |
| Faculties, Divisions and Institutes: |
Faculties > Faculty of Health & Society > Psychology Research Centres > Centre for Psychology and Social Sciences |
| Date: | 11 March 2020 |
| Date Type: | Publication |
| Page Range: | pp. 219-225 |
| Journal or Publication Title: | Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine |
| Volume: | 26 |
| Number: | 3 |
| Number of Pages: | 7 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2019.0279 |
| ISSN: | 1075-5535 |
| Status: | Published / Disseminated |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Related URLs: | |
| URI: | http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/id/eprint/13053 |
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