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| Name | Class |
|---|---|
| Global Medical Research Institute | UNKNOWN |
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This study examines whether proximal (in-person) intercessory prayer (PIP) and virtual intercessory prayer (VIP) can reduce pain and anxiety in adults seeking care at a family medicine clinic. Participants who report moderate or higher levels of pain or anxiety will be randomly assigned to receive either brief Christian prayer (in person or virtually) or a control condition of 5 minutes of relaxing music. Prayer sessions last approximately 5 to 15 minutes and are led by trained prayer practitioners. All participants complete surveys about their pain and anxiety levels before and after the session, and again at 2 to 4 weeks and 6 to 8 weeks. The goal is to determine whether prayer leads to greater improvement in pain and anxiety symptoms compared to the control condition, whether effects differ between in-person and virtual prayer, and how participants perceive the experience.
This is a prospective, randomized, controlled study with four groups: Immediate In-Person Prayer (Group 1), In-Person Music Control (Group 2), Immediate Virtual Prayer (Group 3), and Virtual Music Control (Group 4). Randomization uses an alternating list with equal probability of assignment to intervention or control within each arm. The PIP arm recruits patients presenting in person at University of Maryland Department of Family and Community Medicine clinics. The VIP arm recruits patients of the same clinics via email outreach, with sessions conducted over Zoom Healthcare. The prayer intervention follows a standardized Christian 5-step prayer model. The control condition consists of a 5 minutes of soothing instrumental music. Outcome assessments use the GAD-7 and likert scare for anxiety and the Numeric Pain Rating Scale for pain, collected at baseline, immediately post-intervention (except GAD-7), 2 to 4 weeks, and 6 to 8 weeks. Secondary analyses examine whether effects vary by age, gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and religious beliefs. Participant perceptions of the prayer experience are also assessed. This is a feasibility and pilot study.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proximal (In-Person) Intercessory Prayer (PIP) | Experimental | 5-15 minutes of in person PIP from a volunteer prayer practitioner following the 5-step prayer model |
|
| In-Person Music Control | Active Comparator | 5 minutes of soothing instrumental music in a private room |
|
| Virtual Intercessory Prayer (VIP) | Experimental | 5-15 minutes of VIP over zoom from a volunteer prayer practitioner following the 5-step prayer model |
|
| Virtual Music Control | Active Comparator | 5 minutes of soothing instrumental music in a private zoom room |
|
| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intercessory Prayer | Behavioral | Brief Christian prayer (5-15 minutes) led by trained volunteer prayer practitioners following a standardized 5-step prayer model. Delivered in person (Arm 1) or via Zoom Healthcare (Arm 3). |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Pain Intensity | Change in score on the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (0-10, with 10 being worst possible pain) | Baseline and immediately post-intervention, 2-4 weeks, and 6-8 weeks |
| Change in Anxiety (Likert Scale) | Change in self-reported anxiety on a Likert scale | Baseline and immediately post-intervention |
| Change in Anxiety (GAD-7) | Change in score on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7) | Baseline, 2-4 weeks, and 6-8 weeks |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Participant Perception of Prayer Experience | Self-reported participant experience and opinion regarding the prayer intervention, including desire to receive prayer again and opinion on whether prayer should be offered at other medical clinics. Assessed in intervention groups only. | Immediately post-intervention |
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Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
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| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Maryland Department of Family and Community Medicine | Baltimore | Maryland | 21201 | United States |
| PubMed Identifier | Type | Citation | Retractions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16717171 | Background | Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JB, Lowe B. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Arch Intern Med. 2006 May 22;166(10):1092-7. doi: 10.1001/archinte.166.10.1092. | |
| 32234287 | Background | Romez C, Freedman K, Zaritzky D, Brown JW. Case report of instantaneous resolution of juvenile macular degeneration blindness after proximal intercessory prayer. Explore (NY). 2021 Jan-Feb;17(1):79-83. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2020.02.011. Epub 2020 Feb 28. |
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D010146 | Pain |
| D001008 | Anxiety Disorders |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D009461 | Neurologic Manifestations |
| D012816 | Signs and Symptoms |
| D013568 | Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms |
| D001523 | Mental Disorders |
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| Music Listening | Behavioral | 5 minutes of soothing instrumental music. |
|
| 30935546 | Background | Romez C, Zaritzky D, Brown JW. Case Report of gastroparesis healing: 16 years of a chronic syndrome resolved after proximal intercessory prayer. Complement Ther Med. 2019 Apr;43:289-294. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2019.03.004. Epub 2019 Mar 9. |
| 11142453 | Background | Matthews DA, Marlowe SM, MacNutt FS. Effects of intercessory prayer on patients with rheumatoid arthritis. South Med J. 2000 Dec;93(12):1177-86. |
| 10547166 | Background | Harris WS, Gowda M, Kolb JW, Strychacz CP, Vacek JL, Jones PG, Forker A, O'Keefe JH, McCallister BD. A randomized, controlled trial of the effects of remote, intercessory prayer on outcomes in patients admitted to the coronary care unit. Arch Intern Med. 1999 Oct 25;159(19):2273-8. doi: 10.1001/archinte.159.19.2273. |
| 3393937 | Background | Byrd RC. Positive therapeutic effects of intercessory prayer in a coronary care unit population. South Med J. 1988 Jul;81(7):826-9. doi: 10.1097/00007611-198807000-00005. |
| 20686441 | Background | Brown CG, Mory SC, Williams R, McClymond MJ. Study of the therapeutic effects of proximal intercessory prayer (STEPP) on auditory and visual impairments in rural Mozambique. South Med J. 2010 Sep;103(9):864-9. doi: 10.1097/SMJ.0b013e3181e73fea. |
| 20391859 | Background | Boelens PA, Reeves RR, Replogle WH, Koenig HG. A randomized trial of the effect of prayer on depression and anxiety. Int J Psychiatry Med. 2009;39(4):377-92. doi: 10.2190/PM.39.4.c. |