Positive Massage: An Intervention for Couples’ Wellbeing in a Touch-Deprived Era
COVID-19 has brought not only fear and anxiety, but also legitimate restrictions of communication and consequential touch-deprivation in our daily lives. Couples’ relational wellbeing continues to be impacted by these COVID-19 related stressors. Protecting both personal and relational wellbeing is t...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-05-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/11/2/33 |
| _version_ | 1827691782599606272 |
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| author | Sayuri M. Naruse Mark Moss |
| author_facet | Sayuri M. Naruse Mark Moss |
| author_sort | Sayuri M. Naruse |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | COVID-19 has brought not only fear and anxiety, but also legitimate restrictions of communication and consequential touch-deprivation in our daily lives. Couples’ relational wellbeing continues to be impacted by these COVID-19 related stressors. Protecting both personal and relational wellbeing is therefore particularly important at this time. Using a preventative intervention approach, the current paper argues the theoretical benefit of the Positive Massage programme and reports a qualitative analysis of stressed but healthy couples’ experience of engaging in the programme. Thirty-four participants completed 3 weekly classes and home-based practice of massage exchange. Data from an open text online questionnaire completed every week of the programme and again 3 weeks afterwards were analysed using thematic analysis. The identified themes included “holistic stress relief”, “relationship-promotion”, and “selves-care skill”. Couples perceived Positive Massage as an effective mutual support skill to relax and help one another by de-stressing, both emotionally and physically through verbal and nonverbal communication, creating gratitude, deeper connection and self-efficacy via quality time together and pleasurable touch. Theoretically and experientially, Positive Massage can be an effective preventative selves-care skill. Promoting the concept of selves-care and its practical application through Positive Massage would be beneficial for couples’ personal and relational wellbeing in a touch-deprived era. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:08:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8d11038523804e3aa7f9cff25870a9a3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2174-8144 2254-9625 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:08:28Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-8d11038523804e3aa7f9cff25870a9a32023-11-21T20:59:25ZengMDPI AGEuropean Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education2174-81442254-96252021-05-0111245046710.3390/ejihpe11020033Positive Massage: An Intervention for Couples’ Wellbeing in a Touch-Deprived EraSayuri M. Naruse0Mark Moss1Department of Psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UKDepartment of Psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UKCOVID-19 has brought not only fear and anxiety, but also legitimate restrictions of communication and consequential touch-deprivation in our daily lives. Couples’ relational wellbeing continues to be impacted by these COVID-19 related stressors. Protecting both personal and relational wellbeing is therefore particularly important at this time. Using a preventative intervention approach, the current paper argues the theoretical benefit of the Positive Massage programme and reports a qualitative analysis of stressed but healthy couples’ experience of engaging in the programme. Thirty-four participants completed 3 weekly classes and home-based practice of massage exchange. Data from an open text online questionnaire completed every week of the programme and again 3 weeks afterwards were analysed using thematic analysis. The identified themes included “holistic stress relief”, “relationship-promotion”, and “selves-care skill”. Couples perceived Positive Massage as an effective mutual support skill to relax and help one another by de-stressing, both emotionally and physically through verbal and nonverbal communication, creating gratitude, deeper connection and self-efficacy via quality time together and pleasurable touch. Theoretically and experientially, Positive Massage can be an effective preventative selves-care skill. Promoting the concept of selves-care and its practical application through Positive Massage would be beneficial for couples’ personal and relational wellbeing in a touch-deprived era.https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/11/2/33couples wellbeingpositive massagetouch-deprivationselves-carestressprevention |
| spellingShingle | Sayuri M. Naruse Mark Moss Positive Massage: An Intervention for Couples’ Wellbeing in a Touch-Deprived Era European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education couples wellbeing positive massage touch-deprivation selves-care stress prevention |
| title | Positive Massage: An Intervention for Couples’ Wellbeing in a Touch-Deprived Era |
| title_full | Positive Massage: An Intervention for Couples’ Wellbeing in a Touch-Deprived Era |
| title_fullStr | Positive Massage: An Intervention for Couples’ Wellbeing in a Touch-Deprived Era |
| title_full_unstemmed | Positive Massage: An Intervention for Couples’ Wellbeing in a Touch-Deprived Era |
| title_short | Positive Massage: An Intervention for Couples’ Wellbeing in a Touch-Deprived Era |
| title_sort | positive massage an intervention for couples wellbeing in a touch deprived era |
| topic | couples wellbeing positive massage touch-deprivation selves-care stress prevention |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/11/2/33 |
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