Title: Effect of Therapeutic Touch on Daytime Sleepiness, Stress and Fatigue

Mardin Artuklu University Of Scientific Research Projects

Objective: This study was conducted to assess the effect of therapeutic touch on stress, daytime sleepiness, sleep quality and fatigue among the students of nursing and midwifery.

Design: Randomized placebo-controlled study.

The trial was conducted between April and July 2018. The students who met the inclusion criteria were separated into three groups through randomization method as in therapeutic touch (n=32), placebo (n=32) and control (n=32), and a total of 96 students participated in the study. In this randomized placebo controlled study, the therapeutic touch group were subjected to therapeutic touch for twice a week throughout 4 weeks with each session of 20 minutes. The data was acquired via Student Information Form, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Pittburgh Sleep Quality Index, Perceived Stress Scale and Visual Analogue Scale for Fatigue.

Inclusion Criteria:

• students who were at and above the age of 18,
• were the 1st year, 2nd year, 3rd year or 4th year students of nursing or midwifery,
• did not receive any energy therapy (Reiki, healing touch, therapeutic touch),
• received a score above 10 from the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS),
• did not have any communication problem,
• and accepted to take part in the study were included in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Students who were getting a psychologic and/or pharmacologic treatment in regard to their sleep, fatigue and stress problems,
• previously got a psychiatric diagnosis, still had a psychiatric illness,
• previously or still used anxiety (psychotropic) medicines were excluded from the study.