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Modified African Ngoma Healing Ceremony for Stress Reduction: A Pilot Study.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Vinesett, AL; Whaley, RR; Woods-Giscombe, C; Dennis, P; Johnson, M; Li, Y; Mounzeo, P; Baegne, M; Wilson, KH
Published in: J Altern Complement Med
October 2017

OBJECTIVE: Indigenous people's ceremonies using rhythm and dance have been used for countless generations throughout the world for healing, conflict resolution, social bonding, and spiritual experience. A previous study reported that a ceremony based on the Central African ngoma tradition was favorably received by a group of Americans. The present trial compared the effects of the modified ngoma ceremony (Ngoma) with those of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) in a randomized pilot study. METHODS: Twenty-one women were randomized to either Ngoma or MBSR. Both groups had sessions on a weekly basis for 8 weeks and completed questionnaires at baseline, week 8, and 1 month after the intervention. Participants completed questionnaires, which included self-report of depressive and anxiety symptoms, health status (e.g., quality of life and functioning), social bonding, and perception of the credibility of the two interventions. RESULTS: Both groups showed improvements in depression, anxiety, emotional well being, and social functioning as measured by respective scales. Social bonding also increased in both groups during the study and may be a mechanism for both interventions. Participants found both interventions credible. CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot study, Ngoma showed significant and durable beneficial effects comparable to MBSR. The effects of Ngoma and other indigenous rhythm-dance ceremonies on distress and health status in western culture should be investigated in larger clinical studies.

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Published In

J Altern Complement Med

DOI

EISSN

1557-7708

Publication Date

October 2017

Volume

23

Issue

10

Start / End Page

800 / 804

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Stress, Psychological
  • Random Allocation
  • Pilot Projects
  • Mindfulness
  • Middle Aged
  • Medicine, African Traditional
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Depression
 

Citation

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Vinesett, A. L., Whaley, R. R., Woods-Giscombe, C., Dennis, P., Johnson, M., Li, Y., … Wilson, K. H. (2017). Modified African Ngoma Healing Ceremony for Stress Reduction: A Pilot Study. J Altern Complement Med, 23(10), 800–804. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2016.0410
Vinesett, Ava LaVonne, Riitta Rutanen Whaley, Cheryl Woods-Giscombe, Paul Dennis, Medina Johnson, Yin Li, Pline Mounzeo, Mabiba Baegne, and Kenneth H. Wilson. “Modified African Ngoma Healing Ceremony for Stress Reduction: A Pilot Study.J Altern Complement Med 23, no. 10 (October 2017): 800–804. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2016.0410.
Vinesett AL, Whaley RR, Woods-Giscombe C, Dennis P, Johnson M, Li Y, et al. Modified African Ngoma Healing Ceremony for Stress Reduction: A Pilot Study. J Altern Complement Med. 2017 Oct;23(10):800–4.
Vinesett, Ava LaVonne, et al. “Modified African Ngoma Healing Ceremony for Stress Reduction: A Pilot Study.J Altern Complement Med, vol. 23, no. 10, Oct. 2017, pp. 800–04. Pubmed, doi:10.1089/acm.2016.0410.
Vinesett AL, Whaley RR, Woods-Giscombe C, Dennis P, Johnson M, Li Y, Mounzeo P, Baegne M, Wilson KH. Modified African Ngoma Healing Ceremony for Stress Reduction: A Pilot Study. J Altern Complement Med. 2017 Oct;23(10):800–804.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Altern Complement Med

DOI

EISSN

1557-7708

Publication Date

October 2017

Volume

23

Issue

10

Start / End Page

800 / 804

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Stress, Psychological
  • Random Allocation
  • Pilot Projects
  • Mindfulness
  • Middle Aged
  • Medicine, African Traditional
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Depression