In clinical practice, symptoms of dissociation and lack of bodily self-awareness are frequently associated with chronic physical pain and/or psychological distress due to illness, stress or trauma. These factors are thought to hinder the recovery processes, prompting mind-body researchers to examine alternative therapeutic approaches. The long-term goal of this research is to develop a foundation for research in body-oriented psychotherapy with bodywork as an integral component of the therapy. The immediate purpose of this proposal is to examine the effects of 'delving,' a body-oriented psychotherapy approach developed to facilitate integration of psyche and soma through bodily awareness. The specific study aims are to examine the efficacy of delving compared to massage, and to explore change associated with the therapeutic process across time. The study uses a 2-group, repeated measures design with 40 participants randomized to experimental or control group. Repeated-measures ANOVA, trend analyses, and correlational techniques will be used to test outcome efficacy and to explore the hypothesized intervention processes. This study is novel because it combines bodywork with highly specified focusing processes. Its significance lies in exploration of integration processes to enhance understanding of dissociation in general and of bodily self awareness in mind-body healing and health.
| Price, Cynthia (2007) Dissociation reduction in body therapy during sexual abuse recovery. Complement Ther Clin Pract 13:116-28 |
| Price, Cynthia J; Thompson, Elaine Adams (2007) Measuring dimensions of body connection: body awareness and bodily dissociation. J Altern Complement Med 13:945-53 |
| Price, Cynthia (2005) Body-oriented therapy in recovery from child sexual abuse: an efficacy study. Altern Ther Health Med 11:46-57 |
