This is a descriptive, exploratory, phenomenological study on children's lived experiences of perceiving the human energy field using Therapeutic Touch (T). Eleven children, 3 to 9 years of age, willingly participated in the study. The study's findings suggest that children can feel the human energy field with purpose or intent to help, thus supporting TT as an innate potential.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Bohm, D. (1980). Wholeness and the implicate order. New York: Ark.
2.
Colaizzi, P. (1983). Psychological research as the phenomenologist views it. In R. Valle & M. King (Eds.), Existential-phenomenological alternatives for psychology. New York: Oxford University Press.
3.
Fedoruk, R. (1984). Transfer of the relaxation response: Therapeutic touch B as a method for reduction of stress in premature neonates. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Maryland, Silver Spring.
4.
Fine, G., & Sandstrom, K. (1988). Knowing children: Participant observation with minors. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
5.
Haase, J. (1987). Components of courage in chronically ill adolescents: A phenomenological study. Advances in Nursing Science, 9(2), 64-80.
6.
Hainstock, E. (1968). Teaching Montessori in the home. New York: New American Library.
7.
Heidt, P. (1981). Effect of therapeutic touch on the anxiety level of hospitalized patients. Nursing Research, 30(1), 32-37.
8.
Heidt, P. (1990). Openness: A qualitative analysis of nurses' and patients' experiences of therapeutic touch. Image, 22(3), 180-186.
9.
Husserl, E. (1970). Logical investigations. New York: Humanities Press.
10.
Keller, E., & Bzdek, V. (1986). Effects of therapeutic touch on tension headache pain. Nursing Research, 35(2), 101-106.
11.
Kramer, N. (1990). Comparison of therapeutic touch and casual touch in stress reduction of hospitalized children. Pediatric Nursing, 16(5), 483-485.
12.
Krieger, D. (1972). The response of in-vivo human hemoglobin to an active healing therapy by direct laying-on of hands. Human Dimensions, 1, 12-15.
13.
Krieger, D. (1979). The therapeutic touch: How to use your hands to help or heal. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
14.
Leners, D. (1990). The deep connection: An echo of transpersonal caring. Dissertation Abstracts International, 51, 06B. (University Microfilms No. 9029762)
15.
Lincoln, Y., & Guba, E. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
16.
Lionberger, H. (1986). Therapeutic touch: A healing modality or a caring strategy? In P. Chinn (Ed.), Nursing research methodology (pp. 169-180). Rockville, MD: Aspen.
17.
Macrae, J. (1988). Therapeutic touch: A practical guide. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
18.
Morse, J. (1989). Qualitative nursing research: A contemporary dialogue. Rockville, MD: Aspen.
19.
Munhall, P., & Oiler, C. (1986). Nursing research: A qualitative perspective. Norwalk, CT: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
20.
Natanson, N. (1973). Edmond Husserl-Philosopher of infinite tasks. Evanston, IL: Northwestern University Press.
21.
Parkes, B. (1985). Therapeutic touch as an intervention to reduce anxiety in elderly, hospitalized patients. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Texas at Austin.
22.
Pass, C. (1987). Qualitative research will enhance the care of children. Children's Health Care, 15(4), 214-215.
23.
Polkinghorne, D. (1983). Methodology for the human sciences: Systems of inquiry. Albany: State University of New York Press.
24.
Quinn, J. (1984). Therapeutic touch as energy exchange: Testing the theory. Advances in Nursing Science, 6(2), 42-49.
25.
Quinn, J. (1989a). Future directions for therapeutic touch research. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 7(1), 19-25.
26.
Quinn, J. (1989b). Healing: The emergence of right relationship. In R. Carlson & B. Shield (Eds.), Healers on healing (pp. 139-143). Los Angeles: Tarcher.
27.
Quinn, J. (1989c). Therapeutic touch as energy exchange: Replication and extension. Nursing Science Quarterly, 2(2), 79-87.
28.
Randolph, G. (1984). Therapeutic and physical touch: Physiological response to stressful stimuli. Nursing Research, 33(1), 33-36.
29.
Reeder, F. (1984). Nursing research, holism and philosophies of science: Points of congruence between E. Husserl and M. E. Rogers' nursing science (Doctoral dissertation, New York University, 1984). Dissertation Abstracts International, 45, 2498B-2499B.
30.
Rogers, M. (1970) An introduction to the theoretical basis of nursing. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis.
31.
Stiles, M. (1988). The shining stranger: A phenomenological investigation of the nurse-family spiritual relationship. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO.
32.
Wright, S. (1987). The use of therapeutic touch in the management of pain. Nursing Clinics of North America, 22(3), 705-714.