A study to test the effectiveness of placebo Reiki standardization procedures developed for a planned Reiki efficacy study

Reiki is one type of alternative therapy that is increasing in popularity. It is advocated by its practitioners as a precise method for connecting uni versal life energy with the body's innate process of healing through hands- on techniques. The claim of Reiki practitioners is that Reiki reduces a var iety of physical problems and improves psychospiritual well-being. There ar e abundant anecdotal records that support the previous claim, and a few pio neer scientific studies are starting to emerge. Although the Reiki research in totality supports the anecdotal records, the absence of randomized and placebo-controlled trials precludes the interpretation of the outcomes as r esulting from specific effects as opposed to placebo effects plus natural h istory. Authorities in the field indicate that researchers interested in pl acebo-controlled studies should have the placebo treatment look exactly lik e the real intervention in every respect. Because no studies could be found in the literature that tested standardization procedures for real and plac ebo Reiki, the decision was made to conduct one. The purpose of this study was to test the standardization procedures developed by our research team f or placebo Reiki, before going ahead and conducting our planned full-scale randomized and placebo-controlled Reiki efficacy study. This study used a 4 -round, crossover experimental design in which 20 blinded subjects (12 stud ents, 4 breast cancer survivors, and 4 observers) were exposed to a combina tion of 2 interventions (Reiki plus Reiki, or placebo plus placebo, or Reik i plus placebo, or placebo plus Reiki); and were then asked to evaluate the interventions using a self-administered questionnaire. The blinded observe rs were used in round number 4. Two real Reiki practitioners in the Usui sy stem were chosen first, then 2 placebo practitioners who closely resembled them were recruited. The placebo practitioners were trained in Reiki by the study Reiki Master and the principal investigator, but were not initiated. The belief in Reiki is that only practitioners that are initiated could gi ve Reiki, thus making it possible to have a placebo arm in efficacy studies . The findings of the study indicate that the developed standardization pro cedures were successful because none of the final participants in round 4 ( 4 breast cancer patients and 4 observers) could differentiate between the i dentity of placebo and Reiki practitioners. The qualitative comments expres sed by the participants further confirmed the quantitative data. If was con cluded based on these findings that it is safe to go ahead and conduct the planned randomized 3-arm Reiki efficacy clinical trial. It is recommended t hat scholars interested in Reiki research could incorporate our techniques to strengthen their designs by adding a placebo arm.