Results
Anxiolytic and Anti-Depressive Effects We assessed psychologic responses to treatment as changes in anxiety and depression using HADS and STAI (Fig. 1). In HADS, we tested the anxiety level 1 month before aromatherapy massage, immediately before the first, fifth and eighth massage and 1 month after massage. The results showed a significant difference among whole periods, tested by repeated measures ANOVA (P50.01). It was found that there were no significant changes in anxiety or depression in HADS during the waiting control period and the anxiety level gradually reduced over time and that there were significant differences between anxiety scores 1 month before massage and immediately before the eighth massage (P50.05) and between those tested 1 month before and after massage (P50.01, by paired t-test and P50.05, by Bonferroni test). However, there were no significant differences observed in the depression scores, by repeated measures ANOVA. Also, in the total HADS score, there were significant differences among whole
periods and between those of 1 month before massage and immediately before the eighth massage P50.01, by
paired t-test and P50.05 by Bonferroni test), and between those of 1 month before and after massage
(P50.01 by paired t-test and Bonferroni test), as in the anxiety scores. In STAI, trait anxiety was gradually reduced and there were significant differences among whole periods, between the scores tested 1 month before massage and
immediately before the first massage (P50.05) and between those tested 1 month before and after the first
massage (P50.05). State anxiety scores from STAI were significantly reduced after aromatherapy massage.
Namely, there were significant differences among whole periods and between the scores tested 1 month before
massage and immediately before the fifth massage and between those tested immediately before and after the first, fifth and eighth massages. However, there was no significant difference in the waiting control period.