Effects of Self-induced Unclassified Therapeutic Tremors on Quality of Life among Non-professional Caregivers: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background:Chronic stress has a negative effect on health-related quality of life. In challenging environments with multiple stressors, limited access to mental health resources, and cultural impediments to health care delivery, effective and accessible methods of stress management are critical. Activation of self-induced therapeutic tremors (SUTT) may mitigate excess stress and improve quality of life (QoL) under such conditions.Objectives:To investigate (1) the feasibility of a 10-week SUTT training and practice intervention and (2) the association between participants' use of SUTT and any changes in their self-reported health-related QoL.Methods:All staff members of the SOS Children's Village in Cape Town, South Africa (n=21) received 10 weeks of SUTT weekly training and group practice along with independent SUTT practice 2 to 3 times weekly. A wellness-based QoL questionnaire was administered before and after the intervention, and participants were instructed to keep a diary of their experiences.Results:Following 10 weeks of SUTT instruction and practice (1) there was a 91.3% adherence rate to the intervention protocol and (2) participants reported their overall impressions of changes in all five QoL domains increased at a statistically significant level: mean scores were 3.81 at pre-test and 4.35 at post-test (P<.05).Conclusions:A 10-week SUTT instruction and practice protocol is both highly feasible among non-professional caregivers and a potential therapeutic method for improving QoL.

The Relationship Between Professional Quality of Life (ProQol) and General Health in Rajaee Trauma Hospital Staff of Shiraz, Iran

“…Employees, who were leaving their position showed higher burnout and lower compassion satisfaction scores (26). Berceli et al showed that chronic stress has a negative effect on the health-related quality of life (27).…”

The Effectiveness of Self-Induced Unclassified Therapeutic Tremor for Decreasing Secondary Traumatic Stress among Social Workers

“…Other techniques are therapy with resource-oriented procedures (Priebe, Omer, Giacco, & Slade, 2014), sensory motor therapy (Gene-Cos, et al, 2016;Fisher & Ogden, 2013), mindfulness-based intervention procedures (Follette, et al, 2015) and body-based intervention procedures. Intervention procedures that are based on the body include somatic experiencing (Brom et al, 2017), yoga (Descilo et al, 2010;Kolk et al, 2014;Price et al, 2017;Spinazzola et al, 2011;West et al, 2017), reiki (Novoa & Cain, 2014), and Self-Induced Therapeutic Tremors (Berceli et al, 2014). The interventions can be done individually or in groups, yet techniques that can be done independently as a self-care method are still minimal.…”

Trauma-afflicted refugees’ experiences of participating in physical activity and exercise treatment: a qualitative study based on focus group discussions

“…Interventions including PA and exercise are offered to most patients as adjunctive group-based treatment, e.g. warm-water pool training, aerobics classes, yoga, gym training, ball sport activities, Basic Body Awareness Training (Stade, Skammeritz, Hjortkjaer, & Carlsson, 2015), and Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (Berceli, Salmon, Bonifas, & Ndefo, 2014). All PA and exercise groups are led by experienced physiotherapists, delivered separately for men and women, and often involve both psychoeducational components and adjusted practical exercises.…”