‘To give is better than to receive?’ Couples massage significantly benefits both partners’ wellbeing

Abstract

This experimental study evaluated the differential effects of 'giving' and 'receiving' massage on wellbeing in healthy but stressed couples. Forty-two volunteers started the study and of these, 38 (i.e. 19 couples) completed a 3-week massage course. Emotional stress and mental clarity were assessed before and after mutual massage between each pair of adults belonging to a couple at home. While massage benefitted both parties' wellbeing within a session, critically we found no differences in wellbeing between those 'giving' and 'receiving' massage. These novel findings suggest that home-based massage may be advocated to couples as a 'selves-care', health-promoting behaviour.

Positive Massage for Couples’ Wellbeing and Relationships: The Bridge between Positive Psychology and Massage

“…This aligns with a balanced view of positive psychology, which deals with both negatives and positives [45]. The expected positive outcomes of PM include increasing positive emotions, positive cognitions, positive behaviours and positive relationships [41]. Among these, the particular strength in PM is the dyadic approach in close relationships via shared positive health experiences.…”

“…The first study to explore the effect of PM demonstrated significant improvements in mental clarity coupled with a significant reduction of emotional stress. Importantly, these effects were found for both receivers and givers of massage [41]. Similarly, the PM programme produced significant increases in mental wellbeing and perceived coping, with a strong trend toward increased relationship satisfaction also present [40].…”

“…Similarly, the PM programme produced significant increases in mental wellbeing and perceived coping, with a strong trend toward increased relationship satisfaction also present [40]. Based on these positive results, a new term, "selves-care" that refers to an activity that simultaneously cares for a loved one and the self, was proposed and advocated as an approach to the enhancement of couples' wellbeing [41].…”

“…Positive Massage (PM) is a health intervention, aiming to enhance interpersonal and intrapersonal wellbeing in close relationships through mutual lay massage [40] [41]. Instead of lengthy clinical professional massage therapy, PM has been created to be a self-help technique 3 , with a short (15 min) sequence of massage to be used in a home environment 4 The intention of PM is not to replace professional massage therapy, but to increase self-care skill as a preventative activity which may also enhance massage therapy effects by professionals.…”

“…Moreover, PM itself owns the features of caring touch, kind act, and gratitude (feeling and expressing appreciation), and all of these are previously established elements of PAIs [13]. Having the unique feature that the activity itself supports both oneself and the partner [41], suggests that PM can be an effective PAI for couples' wellbeing and positive relationships.…”