A Control Study of Calligraphy Training Plus Drug Treatment in The Intervention of Anxiety Disorder Volume 3 - Issue 2

Henry S.R. Kao¹*, Xingping Dong², Jimin Jia², Jun Wang², Zhonglan Cui², Rongxing Zhang²

¹Department of Psychology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

²Binzhou People’s General Hospital, Binzhou, China

Received:June 25, 2021   Published: July 13, 2021

*Corresponding author: Henry SR Kao, Department of Psychology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

DOI: 10.32474/OAJCAM.2021.03.000159

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Abstract

Background: Chinese calligraphy handwriting (CCH) enhances one’s cognitive, emotional, and physiological functions. Its applications have shown effective improvements in psychological, psychosomatic, behavioral, and clinical disorders, including anxiety symptoms associated with neurosis, depression, schizophrenia, and cancers.

Objectives: We tested the effects of a combined CCH plus Venlafaxine training as a new treatment method, which involved the use of anti-anxiety drugs together with CCH training for a new system of behavioral intervention.

Methods: 60 patients meeting the criterion of CCMD-3 for anxiety disorder were assigned randomly to the Exp Group (N-31) or the Control Group (N-29) for an eight-week protocol. The Exp Group was given both Venlafaxine and the CCH training, whereas the Control Group received only Venlafaxine. Effects were evaluated with the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI) before and after 2, 4, 8 weeks of treatment, respectively.

Results: The Total Scores of HAMA, SAS, CGI in the Exp Group showed significant improvements after 4 and 8-weeks of the treatment (p<.05). All Pre-Post t-tests for the Exp Group in all three measures reached P<0.01 level, whereas those for the Control Group reached P<0.05 level of significance, both after the 8th week. postt-tests after the 4th week showed P<0.05 for the Exp Group, but not for the Control Group in any of the measures.

Conclusion: Treatment by CCH plus Venlafaxine resulted in better effects than using only Venlafaxine for anxiety disorders. The combined drug and CCH intervention offers effective clinical outcomes

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