As part of my BTEC Level 6 Diploma in Advanced Clinical massage and Sports therapy (the highest qualification in the UK & Europe) I completed a 16 week research project which had significant results and has lead to being asked to speak at the 3rd World Congress on Mental Health and Psychiatry in the Netherlands March 2025

I am currently looking into possibilities of publishing, if this is something you think you can help with please get in touch

Assessing an online Jing Method™ Advanced Clinical Massage Protocol to treat stress in unpaid carers of children or adults with disability

Abstract

Objective:

This study aims to build on previous studies which have shown positive evidence that providing weekly online massage and self-care, following the principles of The Jing MethodTM Advanced Clinical Protocol, has a positive effect on stress levels in unpaid carers of children or adults with disability.

Method

8 participants agreed to join the 16-week study, with initial levels for eligibility assessed using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21) questionnaire. They were recruited from the researcher’s client base, social media, and through the Carers Centre Tower Hamlets.

Control period, weeks 1-6:  Participants completed the DASS-21 questionnaire each week. They did not receive any treatment. These findings established the group's stress level as a baseline.

Intervention Period, weeks 7–12: Using a modified Jing MethodTM protocol, weekly guided self-treatment sessions were conducted using the Zoom platform. Every session addressed a distinct area of the body. Four sessions were scheduled over two days each week. These were conducted in small groups of no more than five people to build the therapeutic alliance. This also allowed for some flexibility, which was useful given the unpredictability of the caring role, as participants could swap to a different session if they were unable to attend at their allotted time.

The DASS-21 questionnaire was used weekly throughout the 14-week project. Weeks 1-6 to establish baseline stress levels and weeks 7-12 during the intervention period, a follow-up was sent at week 14 to assess longer-term results. Participants were also encouraged to complete a self-care routine in the intervening period between sessions and were sent a written feedback form to fill in a few weeks later.

 Result

All participants showed a marked decrease in levels of depression, anxiety and stress with average decreases of

DEPRESSION 58.5%,

ANXIETY 42% 

STRESS 50% 

Overall DASS-21 scores decreased by 38.7% during the intervention phase.

Conclusion

This research study clearly demonstrates that the adaptation of the Jing MethodTM principles to an online protocol has huge potential and that further investigation to establish optimum intervention levels could be helpful to improve efficiency and may have significant implications for the health and wellness field, including the future possibility of social prescription.