PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH OUTCOMES FOLLOWING A SINGLE SESSION OF ISLAMIC THERAPEUTIC REIKI: A COMMUNITY-BASED PRE–POST STUDY

Abstract

Background: Reiki is a complementary therapy increasingly used to support physical and psychological well-being, yet evidence regarding culturally adapted Reiki interventions remains limited, particularly in Muslim-majority populations. This study examined immediate changes in physical and psychological health outcomes following a culturally adapted Islamic Therapeutic Reiki intervention delivered in routine community practice.

Methods: A prospective single-group pre–post study was conducted in community-based Reiki practice settings in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. A total of 1,500 participants who completed both pre- and post-intervention assessments following a single 40–60-minute Islamic Therapeutic Reiki session were included in the analyses. The intervention incorporated selected Qur'anic recitations within a standardized Reiki protocol. Physical symptoms were assessed using numerical rating scales, while emotional states were measured using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Paired-samples t-tests, effect sizes (Cohen's d), and Pearson correlation analyses were performed.

Results: Statistically significant improvements were observed across all assessed physical and psychological outcomes (all p < .001). The largest standardized improvements were found for anxiety (d = 1.01), tiredness (d = 1.00), pain (d = 0.90), and depression (d = 0.87). Positive affect increased, whereas negative affect decreased following the intervention. Correlation analyses indicated that reductions in physical symptoms were associated with concurrent improvements in psychological well-being, with the strongest association observed between anxiety and depression (r = .63, p < .001).

Conclusions: Participants reported immediate improvements in physical symptoms, psychological distress, and affective states following a single session of Islamic Therapeutic Reiki. Given the single-group pre–post design and the absence of a control group, these findings should be interpreted as preliminary within-person changes rather than evidence of treatment efficacy or causality. The study supports the feasibility of evaluating culturally adapted Reiki interventions in community settings and provides a foundation for future randomized controlled trials