Abstract | CONTEXT: Therapists can use horticultural therapy as an adjuvant therapy in a non threatening context, with the intent of bringing about positive effects in physical health, mental health, and social interaction. Very few experimental studies exist that test its clinical effectiveness. OBJECTIVE: DESIGN: The research team designed a prospective, nonrandomized, controlled cohort study, enrolling all patients consecutively referred to the Zurzach Interdisciplinary Pain Program (ZISP) who met the studys criteria. The team divided them into two cohorts based on when medical professionals referred them: before (control group) or after (intervention group) introduction of a horticultural therapy program. SETTING: The setting was the rehabilitation clinic (RehaClinic) in Bad Zurzach, Switzerland. PARTICIPANTS: INTERVENTIONS: OUTCOME MEASURES: The research team assessed the outcome using the Medical Outcome Study Short Form-36 (SF-36), the West Haven-Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale ( HADS), the Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ ), and two functional performance tests. The team tested participants on entry to and discharge from the 4-week pain-management program. RESULTS: Between-group differences in sociodemographic and outcome variables were not significant on participants entry to the pain-management program. On discharge, the research team measured small to moderate outcome effects (effect size [ES] up to 0.71) within both groups. The study found significantly larger improvements for the horticultural therapy group vs the control group in SF-36 role physical (ES = 0.71 vs 0.22; P = .018); SF-36 mental health (ES = 0.46 vs 0.16; P = .027); HADS anxiety (ES = 0.26 vs 0.03; P = .043); and CSQ pain behavior (ES = 0.30 vs -0.05; P = .032). CONCLUSION:
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Authors | M L Verra, Martin L Verra, Felix Angst, Trudi Beck, Susanne Lehmann, Roberto Brioschi, Renata Schneiter, Andre Aeschlimann |
Journal | Alternative therapies in health and medicine
(Altern Ther Health Med)
2012 Mar-Apr
Vol. 18
Issue 2
Pg. 44-50
ISSN: 1078-6791 [Print] United States |
PMID | 22516884
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)
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Topics |
- Adaptation, Psychological
- Adult
- Aged
- Chronic Pain
(psychology, therapy)
- Female
- Fibromyalgia
(psychology, therapy)
- Horticultural Therapy
- Humans
- Low Back Pain
(psychology, therapy)
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Pain Measurement
- Pilot Projects
- Psychometrics
- Surveys and Questionnaires
- Treatment Outcome
- Young Adult
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