The Crisis of Breast Biopsy: Testing a Reiki Intervention. Pamela Potter, APRN, MA, MSN Yale University School of Nursing (pamela.potter@yale.edu) Based on the current breast cancer incidence, over one million women annually face breast biopsy. Crisis theory accounts for the threat, inherent in the event of a breast biopsy, to integrity of the woman facing a possible breast cancer diagnosis. Women report distressing pyschological sypmtoms of anxiety, depression, somatic complaints, uncertainty, and decreased attention span comparable to those equated with psychiatric diagnosis. The primary purpose to the parent study is to test the distress reducing, crisis averting, effect of a standardized Reiki treatment for women undergoing breast biopsy compared with a conventional care control. The purpose of this feasibility study was to test the dose adequacy and timing of the Reiki intervention and to assess the appropriateness of the instruments chosen to measure the crisis experience. DESIGN: The design of the parent study is a pre-post randomized experimental clinical trial. The independent variables are group and time. The dependent variables are: breast concern, physical symptom distress, anxiety, depression, and uncertainty. The covariates are trait anxiety, existential concerns, spiritual perspective, and demographic variables (age, ethnicity, history). The intervention tested was a Reiki treatment administered to the women in the surgical outpatients clinic. The researcher was particularly interested in comparing several outcome measures to identify the least subject burden. RESULTS: Five women scheduled for breast biopsy agreed to receive th Reiki intervention and completed the instruments. Subjects were interviewed about the process. The women responded that the Reiki had a calming effect on them during the uncertainty surrounding their diagnosis. The Reiki dose, including its frequency and length, was established. Subsequently a study protocol was established and the final instruments were selected for the outcomes measures. CONCLUSION: The Reiki treatment, a 45-minute intervention, will be given once within 7 days prior to the biopsy and once with 7 days after. The effects of the intervention will be evaluated using known, reliable, and validated self-report questionnaires administered pre-intervention/pre-biopsy (within 7 days), and post-biopsy/post intervention (within 7 days). This contributes to knowledge of the effectiveness of a relatively low-cost, noninvasive, complementary therapy for alleviating the crisis of breast biopsy. Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.