Activities of Psychosomatic Medicine in the Harvard University : From the Experience at the Mind/Body Medical Institutec (Panel Discussion/Activities of Psychosomatic Medicine in Oversea Countries)

Nakao Mutsuhiro

doi:10.15064/jjpm.45.7_487

According to the Japanese National Survey of Health, approximately half of Japanese people perceive psychosocial stress concerning work-, financial-, and health-related problems. While we may be unable to avoid the stressors in our lives, we certainly can limit their impact through the practice of proven mind/body skills. The relaxation response is a physical state of deep rest that changes the physical and emotional responses to stress (e.g.decrease in heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension). Dr.Herbert Benson is a pioneer in this field, and has been organizing the Mind/Body Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School as the President for more than 10 years, based on the concept of the relaxation response. In this review article, the activities of the institute were introduced from the perspectives of research, education, and clinical activities. Because the institute has offered a variety of stress management programs including training in the relaxation response, cognitive restructuring, exercise, and nutrition to those who complained of mind/body symptoms, the published data of stress management and the relaxation response were summarized from the perspectives of mind/body medicine. For example, the treatment effects of medical symptom reduction program were assessed in the Mind/Body Medicine Clinic, Harvard Medical School (Nakao M, et al : Psychother Psychosom 67 : 43-49, 1998). Participants were 1,312 outpatients attending a 10-week behavioral medicine intervention which included training in the relaxation response, cognitive restructuring, exercise, and nutrition. All of the patients had physical symptoms and were referred to the clinic by their physician. The Medical Symptom Checklist (12 major symptoms), Symptom Checklist 90 Revised (SCL-90 R), Stress Perception Scale, and the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile were administered before and after the program. Of the sample, 1,012 patients completed the program, and 911 completed the post-treatment assessment. Self-reported frequency of medical symptoms, degree of discomfort, and interference with daily activities were significantly reduced as a result of the program. Anxiety and other psychological distress as measured by the SCL-90 R and stress perception scales showed significant reductions as well. Furthermore, health-promoting lifestyle functioning significantly improved. Evidence suggests that this stress management is important to prevent from many types of diseases and to maintain our health conditions.

Activities of Psychosomatic Medicine in the Harvard University : From the Experience at the Mind/Body Medical Institutec (Panel Discussion/Activities of Psychosomatic Medicine in Oversea Countries)

Bibliographic Information

Search this article

Description

Journal

Citations (2)*help

References(22)*help

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Export

Report a problem