About Research

Research studies have found that Therapeutic Touch™ reduces anxiety, regulates and supports the immune function, alters the perception of pain and encourages general healing. One of the earliest research studies on Therapeutic Touch was a study conducted by Dolores Krieger. It was published in 1975 in The American Journal of Nursing. The article, entitled "Therapeutic Touch: The Imprimatur of Nursing", examined the effect of Therapeutic Touch on hemoglobin levels. A group of registered nurses were trained to offer Therapeutic Touch to patients as part of general nursing care. The control group received the nursing care without Therapeutic Touch. The hemoglobin levels of patients who received Therapeutic Touch changed.

Since then a large body of research on outcomes of Therapeutic Touch has been accumulated. For further information about research outcomes please refer to research outcomes and the annotated bibliography on this website .

An Annotated Bibliography Published Therapeutic Touch™ Research 1975 to July, 2004 includes forty-five studies. It was commissioned by the Therapeutic Touch Network of Ontario and compiled by Theresa Moore RN, MScN. It is available from the Therapeutic Touch Network of Ontario (TTNO). Two meta-analyses of Therapeutic Touch, one conducted by P. Winsted Fry and J. Kijek and the other by R. M. Peters, both published in 1999, are included in the Annotated Bibliography. These meta-analyses also find that, in general, Therapeutic Touch has a medium effect on various conditions and illnesses when comparing those receiving Therapeutic Touch to those not receiving Therapeutic Touch, i.e. the control group. Click here for more information about the Annotated Bibliography.

The Therapeutic Touch Network of Ontario is interested in furthering research on the effects of Therapeutic Touch on various conditions and illness through either qualitative or quantitative research.

Download The Therapeutic Touch Network of Ontario Research Fund: Policy and Procedures.

Download  The Therapeutic Touch Network of Ontario Research Guidelines.

The Therapeutic Touch Network of Ontario has produced a DVD, Therapeutic Touch™ - The DVD, designed as an educational view of Therapeutic Touch as developed by Dolores Krieger and Doran Kunz.