Evaluating a complementary therapies clinic: outcomes and relationships
Limited EvidenceIn Plain Language
There are few published examples of research examining the effect of massage, aromatherapy, and reflexology in clinic settings. In addition to measuring treatment outcomes, it may also be important to measure the quality of the relationship between the client and therapist and assess its contribution to outcomes. To evaluate perceived changes in client quality of life following treatment; to determine whether the relationship between the client and therapist predicts the outcome of treatment; to assess the usefulness of the measures used. The Measure Yourself Medical Outcome Profile (MYMOP2) and the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI) were used to collect data from 66 clients and 13 therapists in a complementary therapies clinic in South Wales. The MYMOP2 data showed significant improvements for client symptoms and activity but not for well-being. A low correlation was found between MYMOP2 profile scores and WAI scores suggesting that symptoms, activity and well-being were associated with a positive working alliance but this narrowly failed to achieve statistical significance. Further research is necessary to confirm improvements in client quality of life and to establish causes. More research is needed to examine the client-therapist relationship and treatment outcome.
Key Findings: what this observational study found
- ✓Clients receiving complementary therapies at the clinic showed significant improvements in symptoms and activity levels, but not in overall well-being as measured by the MYMOP2.
- ✓The quality of the therapeutic relationship between client and therapist, as measured by the Working Alliance Inventory, showed low correlation with treatment outcomes, suggesting that symptom improvement may be independent of relationship quality.
- ✓This study provides rare empirical evidence examining the effectiveness of massage, aromatherapy, and reflexology in an actual clinic setting rather than controlled research environments.
What This Means for You
This study shows modest evidence that reflexology and related therapies may help with specific symptoms and daily activities, though the benefits to overall well-being were not confirmed.
What This Means for Practitioners
Building a strong therapeutic relationship with clients may support treatment outcomes, though you should recognize that client-therapist connection alone does not guarantee symptom improvement.
Study Design: how this observational study was run
Common questions about this study
What does this study mean in practice?
This study shows modest evidence that reflexology and related therapies may help with specific symptoms and daily activities, though the benefits to overall well-being were not confirmed.
What did this study find?
Clients receiving complementary therapies at the clinic showed significant improvements in symptoms and activity levels, but not in overall well-being as measured by the MYMOP2. The quality of the therapeutic relationship between client and therapist, as measured by the Working Alliance Inventory, showed low correlation with treatment outcomes, suggesting that symptom improvement may be independent of relationship quality. This study provides rare empirical evidence examining the effectiveness of massage, aromatherapy, and reflexology in an actual clinic setting rather than controlled research environments.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a observational study and we rate its evidence limited. It covers 66 participants. It was published in Complementary therapies in clinical practice, a Q2 journal. This study is indexed here for context; it did not test reflexology itself.
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