Researchers from the Department of Psychobiology at the Universidade Federal de São Paulo in Brazil looked at the efficacy of Siddha Samadhi Yoga, a program of meditation and pranayama (breathing exercises).  Twenty-two volunteers with anxiety complaints (Median age = 42.8 yr., Standard deviation = 10.3) were assigned to two groups: 14 attended the yoga group, and 8 attended a waiting-list or control group.

Subjects were evaluated before the intervention and 1 month after it on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory, Tension Feelings Self-evaluation Scales, and the Well-being Self-evaluation Scales. 

Researchers from the Department of Nursing, Pochon CHA University in Kyonggi-Do, Korea, compared the impact of feeling state guided imagery (FSGI – imagery to generally improve mood) and end state guided imagery (ESGI – imagery to imagine successful performance) on stress levels and quality of performance in nursing students learning to give intramuscular (IM) injections.

The subjects were 40 female sophomores (21 for the ESGI, 19 for the FSGI). The instruments used were the Visual Analogue Scale for Stress and the Nursing Skill Performance Check-list on Intramuscular Injection, developed by the researchers. Guided imagery was provided through audiotapes for 8 minutes. A pretest was given before applying the guided imagery; the first posttest was taken after the intervention; and the second posttest was taken before the intramuscular injection.  Evaluation of the performance of the intramuscular injection was done immediately afterward. 

Researchers from the University of Sheffield in the UK evaluated the effectiveness of homeopathic treatment for reducing the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. 

Using a triple-blind design, 103 patients were randomly assigned to homeopathic medicine or an identical placebo condition. Patients had monthly consultations with a professional homeopath for 6 months. Outcomes were measured on the MFI - Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory.  Secondary outcome measures were the Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS) and the Functional Limitations Profile (FLP).

Ninety-two patients completed treatment in the trial (47 homeopathic treatment, 45 placebo). Eighty-six patients returned fully or partially completed posttreatment outcome measures (41 homeopathic treatment group who completed treatment, 2 homeopathic treatment group who did not complete treatment, 38 placebo group who completed treatment, and 5 placebo group who did not complete treatment). Seventeen of 103 patients withdrew from treatment or were lost to follow-up.
 

Researchers from the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University in Iowa reviewed previous meta-analyses of studies investigating the connection between stress reduction and high blood pressure and found them either outdated or methodologically limited. As a result they conducted an updated systematic review of the published literature and identified 107 studies on stress reduction and BP. 

Researchers from University Hospital of Erlangen in Bavaria, Germany conducted a randomized trial comparing the efficacy of a group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention, designed for the treatment of compulsive buying disorder, to a wait list control (WLC) group.

Cochrane analysts examined five randomized, controlled trials of the efficacy of exercise therapy for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and found that after 12 weeks, those receiving exercise therapy were less fatigued than the control participants (SMD -0.77, 95% CIs -1.26 to -0.28).  Additionally, physical functioning was significantly improved with exercise therapy (SMD -0.64, CIs -0.96 to -0.33) but there were more dropouts with exercise therapy (RR 1.73, CIs 0.92 to 3.24). 

Investigators from the Department of Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle looked at patterns of alternative medicine use among twins where one twin of the pair had CFS and the other did not.  They also looked at the perceived helpfulness of these methods, and how often these therapies were discussed with physicians.

Researchers from Cheju National University in Korea performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of various kinds of job stress management interventions.   From 46 studies, six intervention types were distinguished: cognitive-behavioral interventions (CBT), relaxation techniques (RT), exercise (EX), multimodal programs 1 and 2(MT1, 2), and organization focused interventions (OTs).

In a small pilot study, researchers from the Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, examined the efficacy of Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).  Cognitive behavioral therapy alone rr5has been found effective for GAD, but can leave residual symptoms.  This MBCT intervention added a mindfulness component, based on the methods of Jon Kabat-Zin, along with more standard cognitive strategies, in a group context, to see if this combination might yield greater efficacy.

Romanian researchers from Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj, Romania, undertook a randomized clinical trial to investigate the relative efficacy of rational-emotive behavior therapy (REBT), cognitive therapy (CT), and pharmacotherapy in the treatment of 170 outpatients with nonpsychotic, major depressive disorder.

The patients were randomly assigned to one of the following: 14 weeks of REBT, 14 weeks of CT, or 14 weeks of pharmacotherapy (fluoxetine or prozac). The outcome measures used were the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and the Beck Depression Inventory.