Date of Conferral

2017

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Nina Nabors

Abstract

Decreasing the impact of stressors on the body remains an important area of study for the affected population. While there is evidence showing that cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), a psychotherapy approach, results in decreased stress, little was found about the effects of chiropractic treatment (CC) on stress. The purpose of this quantitative archival study was to determine whether the combination therapy of CC and CBT was more effective in decreasing stress than CBT independently. Cognitive neuropsychology served as the theoretical lens. Client data from a mental health and chiropractic care center on the West coast (N = 112) were divided into 2 treatment groups, CBT and CC and CBT alone. Pre and posttreatment data were collected on stress, anxiety, and nerve conduction. ANOVA test results indicated that there were no statistically significant differences in the mean change scores between the 2 groups in terms of individual participants' stress, anxiety, and nerve interference. Although there was no significant interaction effect, results showed that both the combination therapy and CBT alone led to a decrease in stress and anxiety and an increase in the nerve conduction of participant's posttreatment. While this archival study did not yield evidence of the benefits of CC for stress-related disorders, its results suggest that future researchers should pursue more direct efforts to evaluate the effects of combination therapies. Considering the high number of people who experience stress-related challenges, the incorporation of CC along with a psychological treatment might engender positive social change for individuals and healthcare practitioners through the potential reduction of stress.

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