IOBA - Impact on Body Awareness

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Due to social isolation and increased stress factors during the COVID-19 pandemic an increase of psychological and psychosomatic complaints in the population can be observed. There is growing evidence of the importance of body awareness (BA) in these complaints. The question arises how BA can be modified through therapeutic measures. The Awareness Body Chart (ABC), an innovative non-verbal tool for investigating subjective body awareness, implemented in clinical practice brings to light astonishing findings of patients' bodily experiences which have not been collected through verbal communication so far. In a randomized controlled study with 96 healthy adults in three groups (massage, gymnastics and control group), the use of the ABC questionnaire and further German questionnaires (Short questionnaire on self-perception of the body, self-rating mood scale - revised) concerning body awareness and well-being should analyse the following hypotheses: Primary hypothesis: There is a difference in the change of BA between the massage group and the control group, and there is a difference in the change of BA between the gymnastics group and the control group. Secondary hypothesis: There is a difference in the change of BA between the massage group and the gymnastics group. Before interventions demographic data and further questionnaires concerning health conditions of the participants (Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire, Short Form Health Survey, Brief Symptom Inventory and additional questions) are administered. Correlations between BA and the results of these tests will be investigated too. All these analyses can provide innovative information about BA and be indicative in the use of physiotherapeutic measures.

Official Title
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Impact of Therapeutic Measures on Body Awareness

Conditions
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Perception, Self, Body Image, Self-Assessment

Intervention / Treatment
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* Procedure: Massage
* Procedure: Gymnastics
* Other: Lecture


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Healthy volunteers Signing of informed consent by participants and head of the study Understanding of German language in order to be able to follow a lecture and complete questionnaires Exclusion Criteria: Current sick leave Pregnancy Acute physical or psychological complaints on the day of study participation Chronic illnesses / disabilities which make it difficult to participate in a moderate exercise while standing Chronic diseases / impairments that make it difficult to lie prone for a massage Current illnesses or injuries that are a contraindication for hand massages or gymnastics

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: Massage<br> | Procedure: Massage<br>* 20-minute manual full-body massage<br>|
| Active Comparator: Gymnastics<br> | Procedure: Gymnastics<br>* 20-minute moderate body workout<br>|
| Placebo Comparator: Lecture<br> | Other: Lecture<br>* 20-minute lecture on medicinal herbs<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Awareness Body Chart Questionnaire | Body charts to fill in with colours according to intensity of body awareness. In sum, 51 body regions to colour with 5 different colour pencils (orange = I can perceive with much detail, yellow = I can perceive distinctly, green = I can perceive, blue = I can perceive indistinctly, black = I cannot perceive). To quantify the information, every region of the body will be coded as an extra item and the data of the colours will be transcribed: orange (= 5), yellow (= 4), green (= 3), blue (= 2), black (= 1). Higher values mean higher intensity of body awareness. | Before intervention | 
| Awareness Body Chart Questionnaire | Body charts to fill in with colours according to intensity of body awareness. In sum, 51 body regions to colour with 5 different colour pencils (orange = I can perceive with much detail, yellow = I can perceive distinctly, green = I can perceive, blue = I can perceive indistinctly, black = I cannot perceive). To quantify the information, every region of the body will be coded as an extra item and the data of the colours will be transcribed: orange (= 5), yellow (= 4), green (= 3), blue (= 2), black (= 1). Higher values mean higher intensity of body awareness. | Immediately after intervention | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Short questionnaire on self-perception of the body | Verbal questionnaire concerning body awareness. 20 items (5 = I can perceive with much detail, 4 = I can perceive distinctly, 3 = I can perceive, 2 = I can perceive indistinctly, 1 = I cannot perceive). Higher values mean higher intensity of body awareness. | Before intervention | 
| Short questionnaire on self-perception of the body | Verbal questionnaire concerning body awareness. 20 items (5 = I can perceive with much detail, 4 = I can perceive distinctly, 3 = I can perceive, 2 = I can perceive indistinctly, 1 = I cannot perceive). Higher values mean higher intensity of body awareness. | Immediately after intervention | 
| Self-rating mood scale - revised | Verbal questionnaire concerning mood status. 24 pairs of oppositional adjectives concerning mood: One of them or <neither nor> should be ticked, depending on how it best corresponds to the current situation. The negative pole = 2. The positive pole = 0. <neither nor> = 1. Higher sum scores indicate worse subjective mood, lower values better mood. | Before intervention | 
| Self-rating mood scale - revised | Verbal questionnaire concerning mood status. 24 pairs of oppositional adjectives concerning mood: One of them or <neither nor> should be ticked, depending on how it best corresponds to the current situation. The negative pole = 2. The positive pole = 0. <neither nor> = 1. Higher sum scores indicate worse subjective mood, lower values better mood. | Immediately after intervention |