An analysis of efficacy regarding the integrated use of the Hwa-Chim acupuncture method and expectancy in the treatment of depression in women

This randomized experimental-design 3 arm study attempted to examine the effects of practitioner stated expectancy in combination with the Hwa-Chim method of acupuncture on the outcome of treatment for depression in women. Two different levels of stated expectancy were compared with a "no expectancy" control (which received acupuncture without stated expectancy). A "self-assessable" Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, established by Reynolds and Kobak (1995), was utilized at the beginning of and after 5 weeks (8 sessions of acupuncture) of this study in order to determine pre- and post-study levels of depression. The mixed-design ANOVA outcome showed that expectancy in combination with Hwa-Chim acupuncture did not produce significant results. Furthermore, a significant difference between pre and posttest scores across groups (using a paired-samples t test) pointed towards the possibility that other factor(s) in this study (i.e., Hwa-Chim acupuncture) may have a notably positive influence on depression levels. Participant feedback also supported the above conclusions.