CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT05698953Updated Jun 22, 2023

The Effect of Reiki Therapy in Pediatric Oncology Patients

An interventional study of Reiki and Placebo in Reiki, sponsored by University of Yalova. Completed at 1 site in Turkey. Open to participants aged 5 Years to 7 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-06-22.

Sponsored by University of Yalova · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care

From the registry’s dates

  • Registered 2 years 1 month after the study started (first participant enrolled Dec 2020, registered Jan 2023).
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
66
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
5 Years to 7 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The study was conducted based on randomized controlled experimental design with double-blind, pre-test-post-test to determine the effect of Reiki applied to pediatric oncology patients aged 5-7 years on pain, vital signs, oxygen saturation (SpO2) and quality of life. While the population of the study consisted of oncology patients aged 5-7 years who were hospitalized in the pediatric oncology services between December 2020 and November 2021, the sample consisted of 66 children diagnosed with leukemia who met the sample selection criteria. The research consists of 3 groups. These groups are Reiki group (n=22), Placebo group (n=22), control group (n=22). The data are collected using Introductory Information Form, Wong-Baker FACES Pain Scale (W-BPS), Vital Signs Follow-up Form, The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 3.0 Cancer Module Child and Parent Form. Reiki was applied to the Reiki group for 20-30 minutes for three consecutive days and Placebo was applied to the sham Reiki group by an independent nurse during the same application period. The children in the control group were like the routine of the ward.

Read the detailed description

The universe of the study consisted of pediatric oncology patients who met the selection criteria in the pediatric oncology services. The study was planned as a randomized controlled experimental design with double-blind, pre-test post-test to determine the effect of Reiki applied to pediatric oncology patients aged 5-7 years on pain, vital signs, oxygen saturation (SpO2) and quality of life. In order for the groups to be distributed homogeneously, the order produced by a computer program (http://www.randomization.com , Balanced permutation) was used. Patients who meet the inclusion criteria and agree to participate in the study assigned to the experimental and control groups according the randomization list. The control variable of the study is demographic characteristics of the children. The dependent variables of the study are pain, vital signs, oxygen saturation parameters and quality of life score.

02

Conditions studied

  • Reiki

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Keywords

  • Reiki Touch Therapy
  • Pediatric Oncology
  • Pain
  • Quality of Life
  • Vital Signs
03

In context

Neoplasms

9,365 studies on the registry are indexed under Neoplasms; 2,489 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 66 is above the median of 50 across 7,253 interventional studies indexed under Neoplasms.

Browse Neoplasms studies →

Lead sponsor

University of Yalova is the lead sponsor of 56 studies on the registry; 18 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
5 Years to 7 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Being treated in the pediatric oncology service at the time of the study
  • Being between 5-7 years old
  • Body temperature being within normal limits
  • To have received at least 1 course of chemotherapy
  • Absence of visual, auditory problems or mental retardation at a level that can fill the scales,

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • To have taken analgesic medication in the last 6 hours,
  • Have received any energy and body-mind therapy (yoga, reiki, massage, meditation, healing touch) in the last six months
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Participant)
Enrollment
66 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Reiki Group

    Reiki is applied to the Reiki group for 20-30 minutes for three consecutive days.

    Other: Reiki

  • Placebo comparator
    Placebo Group

    Placebo group is applied to the sham Reiki group for 20-30 minutes for three consecutive days Placebo Reiki group is applied to the sham Reiki by an independent nurse during the same application period.

    Other: Placebo

  • No intervention
    Control Group

    No intervention is made in the control group. Standard care was used

Interventions

  • OtherReiki

    Reiki is applied to the Reiki group for 20-30 minutes for three consecutive days.

  • OtherPlacebo

    Placebo group is applied to the sham Reiki group for 20-30 minutes for three consecutive days by an independent nurse during the same application period.

    Also known as: Sham Reiki

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Comparison of the pain score values of the groups

    The Wong-Baker Faces Pain Scale revised (W-BFS) was used to determine the level of pain during the procedure. The W-BFS is a scale that is most commonly used in identifying pain in children of the ages 3 to 18. It is reported that the scale is reliable when used with children older than the age of 3 who can verbally express the degree of pain they feel. The scale is made up of faces and numbers. Pain is assessed on a scale of "0" to "10." Pain is described by selecting the facial expression depicting the degree of perceived pain.

    Time frame: Children's pain levels will be evaluated on the 1st day.

  2. Comparison of the pain score values of the groups

    The Wong-Baker Faces Pain Scale revised (W-BFS) was used to determine the level of pain during the procedure. The W-BFS is a scale that is most commonly used in identifying pain in children of the ages 3 to 18. It is reported that the scale is reliable when used with children older than the age of 3 who can verbally express the degree of pain they feel. The scale is made up of faces and numbers. Pain is assessed on a scale of "0" to "10." Pain is described by selecting the facial expression depicting the degree of perceived pain.

    Time frame: Children's pain levels will be evaluated on the 2nd day.

  3. Comparison of the pain score values of the groups

    The Wong-Baker Faces Pain Scale revised (W-BFS) was used to determine the level of pain during the procedure. The W-BFS is a scale that is most commonly used in identifying pain in children of the ages 3 to 18. It is reported that the scale is reliable when used with children older than the age of 3 who can verbally express the degree of pain they feel. The scale is made up of faces and numbers. Pain is assessed on a scale of "0" to "10." Pain is described by selecting the facial expression depicting the degree of perceived pain.

    Time frame: Children's pain levels will be evaluated on the 3rd day.

  4. Comparison of the heart rate values of the groups

    Finger type portable "Creative PC 60" pulse oximeter device was used to measure the heart rate values of the children.

    Time frame: Children's heart rate values will be evaluated on the 1st day.

  5. Comparison of the heart rate values of the groups

    Finger type portable "Creative PC 60" pulse oximeter device was used to measure the heart rate values of the children.

    Time frame: Children's heart rate values will be evaluated on the 2nd day.

  6. Comparison of the heart rate values of the groups

    Finger type portable "Creative PC 60" pulse oximeter device was used to measure the heart rate values of the children.

    Time frame: Children's heart rate values will be evaluated on the 3rd day.

  7. Comparison of the respiratory rate values of the groups

    The respiratory rate values of the children will be measured by counting for 1 minute.

    Time frame: Children's respiratory rate values will be evaluated on the 1st day.

  8. Comparison of the respiratory rate values of the groups

    The respiratory rate values of the children will be measured by counting for 1 minute.

    Time frame: Children's respiratory rate values will be evaluated on the 2nd day.

  9. Comparison of the respiratory rate values of the groups

    The respiratory rate values of the children will be measured by counting for 1 minute.

    Time frame: Children's respiratory rate values will be evaluated on the 3rd day.

  10. Comparison of the body temperature values of the groups

    "Cem brand" infrared thermometer device was used to measure body temperature of the children.

    Time frame: Children's body temperature values will be evaluated on the 1st day.

  11. Comparison of the body temperature values of the groups

    "Cem brand" infrared thermometer device was used to measure body temperature of the children.

    Time frame: Children's body temperature values will be evaluated on the 2nd day.

  12. Comparison of the body temperature values of the groups

    "Cem brand" infrared thermometer device was used to measure body temperature of the children.

    Time frame: Children's body temperature values will be evaluated on the 3rd day.

  13. Comparison of the oxygen saturation values of the groups

    Finger type portable "Creative PC 60" pulse oximeter device was used to measure the oxygen saturation values of the children.

    Time frame: Children's oxygen saturation values will be evaluated on the 1st day.

  14. Comparison of the oxygen saturation values of the groups

    Finger type portable "Creative PC 60" pulse oximeter device was used to measure the oxygen saturation values of the children.

    Time frame: Children's oxygen saturation values will be evaluated on the 2nd day.

  15. Comparison of the oxygen saturation values of the groups

    Finger type portable "Creative PC 60" pulse oximeter device was used to measure the oxygen saturation values of the children.

    Time frame: Children's oxygen saturation values will be evaluated on the 3rd day.

  16. Comparison of Groups' Quality of Life Scale (PedsQL 3.0 Cancer Module) Scores

    The Child and Parent Reports of the PedsQL 3.0 Cancer Module for Young Children (ages 5-7), are composed of 26 items comprising 8 dimensions. Scores are transformed on a scale from 0 to 100. Items are reversed scored and linearly transformed to a 0-100 scale as follows: 0=100, 1=75, 2=50, 3=25, 4=0. Higher scores indicate lower problems.

    Time frame: Measurements will be made before on the 1st and after 3rd days the intervention.

07

Study locations

1 site
  • University of Yalova
    Yalova, Turkey
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Miles P, True G. Reiki--review of a biofield therapy history, theory, practice, and research. Altern Ther Health Med. 2003 Mar-Apr;9(2):62-72. PubMed 12652885 ↗
  • Natale GW. Reconnecting to nursing through Reiki. Creat Nurs. 2010;16(4):171-6. doi: 10.1891/1078-4535.16.4.171. PubMed 21140870 ↗
  • Vitale A. An integrative review of Reiki touch therapy research. Holist Nurs Pract. 2007 Jul-Aug;21(4):167-79; quiz 180-1. doi: 10.1097/01.HNP.0000280927.83506.f6. PubMed 17627194 ↗
  • Thrane SE, Grossoehme DH, Tan A, Shaner V, Friebert S. Feasibility and Acceptability of a Reiki Intervention With Very Young Children Receiving Palliative Care. Nurs Res. 2021 Nov-Dec 01;70(6):469-474. doi: 10.1097/NNR.0000000000000540. PubMed 34262006 ↗
  • Thrane SE, Maurer SH, Danford CA. Feasibility and Acceptability of Reiki Therapy for Children Receiving Palliative Care in the Home. J Hosp Palliat Nurs. 2021 Feb 1;23(1):52-58. doi: 10.1097/NJH.0000000000000714. PubMed 33252426 ↗
  • Thrane SE, Williams E, Grossoehme DH, Friebert S. Reiki Therapy for Very Young Hospitalized Children Receiving Palliative Care. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol Nurs. 2022 Jan-Feb;39(1):15-29. doi: 10.1177/27527530211059435. PubMed 35722865 ↗
  • Charkhandeh M, Talib MA, Hunt CJ. The clinical effectiveness of cognitive behavior therapy and an alternative medicine approach in reducing symptoms of depression in adolescents. Psychiatry Res. 2016 May 30;239:325-30. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.03.044. Epub 2016 Mar 30. PubMed 27058159 ↗
  • Radziewicz RM, Wright-Esber S, Zupancic J, Gargiulo D, Woodall P. Safety of Reiki Therapy for Newborns at Risk for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. Holist Nurs Pract. 2018 Mar/Apr;32(2):63-70. doi: 10.1097/HNP.0000000000000251. PubMed 29315084 ↗
  • Zucchetti G, Candela F, Bottigelli C, Campione G, Parrinello A, Piu P, Vassallo E, Fagioli F. The Power of Reiki: Feasibility and Efficacy of Reducing Pain in Children With Cancer Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation. J Pediatr Oncol Nurs. 2019 Sep/Oct;36(5):361-368. doi: 10.1177/1043454219845879. Epub 2019 May 3. PubMed 31046557 ↗
  • Kocoglu F, Zincir H. The Effect of Reiki on Pain, Fatigue, and Quality of Life in Adolescents With Dysmenorrhea. Holist Nurs Pract. 2021 Nov-Dec 01;35(6):306-314. doi: 10.1097/HNP.0000000000000477. PubMed 34647912 ↗
  • Vitale AT, O'Connor PC. The effect of Reiki on pain and anxiety in women with abdominal hysterectomies: a quasi-experimental pilot study. Holist Nurs Pract. 2006 Nov-Dec;20(6):263-72; quiz 273-4. PubMed 17099413 ↗
  • Whelan KM, Wishnia GS. Reiki therapy: the benefits to a nurse/Reiki practitioner. Holist Nurs Pract. 2003 Jul-Aug;17(4):209-17. doi: 10.1097/00004650-200307000-00008. PubMed 12889549 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jun 22, 2023, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05698953
Lead sponsor
University of Yalova
Responsible party
Duygu Demir (Research Assistant - PhD, University of Yalova) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jan 26, 2023
Start date
Dec 1, 2020
Primary completion
Feb 1, 2023
Completion
Mar 1, 2023
Last update
Jun 22, 2023

Study contacts

Duygu Demir, PhD
study chair · Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa
Birsen Mutlu, Assoc. Prof.
study director · Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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