The efficacy of massage therapy for people with schizophrenia

This literature review examines evidence regarding the likely efficacy of massage therapy for people with schizophrenia and is placed in context by reviewing the past and current uses of touch based therapies in health care. To date, only one study has examined the efficacy of massage therapy for schizophrenia. Andres, Bellwald and Brenner (1993) found that an intervention combining massage therapy with movement and breathing exercises significantly reduced physiological arousal and significantly improved subjective ratings of well being for people with schizophrenia. Evidence reviewed from diverse bodies of research suggests that by improving body awareness, reducing anxiety and depression, providing temporary relief from movement disorders caused by antipsychotic medication, and providing touch massage therapy may improve quality of life and possibly reduce the symptoms of schizophrenia. While there is some evidence that, as people with schizophrenia may be less familiar with touch and less sensitive to tactile stimulation, massage therapy may be less effective than in other populations which have been studied, in general the evidence reviewed supports its use.