Effectiveness of Distant/Remote Blessing Treatment on Cognitive-motor Function: A Randomized Double-blind Placebo-controlled Trial

Background: Biofield therapies can be administered in person (hands-on treatment) or remotely, and this study focuses on the latter. A literature review did not find any reports on the effectiveness of remote biofield energy /blessing therapy in enhancing cognition and motor function performance in adults.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of distant/remote blessing (biofield energy) therapy on the cognitive and motor functions in adults with self-reported neuropsychological impairments using NIH Toolbox.

Methods: The present study was a randomized, double-blind clinical trial involving 117 participants with self-reported neuropsychological impairments. These participants were stratified into three distinct groups: control, sham control, and blessing/biofield treatment as the intervention. At baseline (day 0), day 90, and day 180, NIH Toolbox was employed to evaluate all participants' cognitive and motor function scores.

Results: In the blessing treatment group, language function score ( <0.01), working memory ( <0.0001), and episodic memory ( <0.0001) scores exhibited statistically significant differences compared to both the naïve control and sham control groups. Moreover, in the blessing intervention group, a substantial improvement was observed in locomotion ( <0.0001), standing balance ( <0.01), dexterity ( <0.01), grip strength ( <0.05), and muscle endurance ( <0.05) compared to the naïve control and sham control groups. Importantly, no adverse effects were reported during the study period.

Conclusion: The study outcomes revealed that distant/remote blessing/biofield energy therapy is safe, non-invasive, and less expensive. It enhances cognitive-motor functions in adults with perceived neuropsychological impairments.

Clinical Trial Registration: CTRI/2022/07/043736.