Treatment Fidelity in Mind-Body Interventions.
Jo Lynne Robins, Nancy Jallo, Patricia A Kinser
PMID 30227765WHAT IT FOUND
Three women's trials tracked how consistently tai chi, guided imagery, or yoga were delivered using scripts, provider training, session logs, and deviation checks.
This is a consistency guide, not evidence that the interventions improve health.
Key findings
01The paper describes five fidelity components: treatment design, provider training, delivery, receipt, and enactment of skills.
02Fidelity monitoring found no significant deviations in the tai chi study and no noted deviations in the yoga study.
03In the guided imagery study, participants returned daily logs 100% at 4 weeks, 90% at 8 weeks, and 70% at 12 weeks.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
It reports fidelity methods and some adherence outcomes, not the primary trial results; the main findings were published elsewhere. The tai chi and yoga samples were small, with 63 and 27 women, and the yoga long-term follow-up included only 9 of 27 participants. Fidelity relied heavily on self-reported logs and paper diaries, with missing data that prevented meaningful analysis of daily or weekly practice time. The studies did not assess nonspecific effects such as researcher-participant relationship, warmth, empathy, or respect. In the guided imagery study, CD player problems and low batteries interfered with use, and the design did not require a minimum dose for analysis. The tai chi DVD included music and nature images that the authors noted could confound intervention effects.
Declared interests
The supplied text does not state funding sources or conflict-of-interest declarations.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that tai chi, guided imagery, or yoga improved cardiometabolic risk, pregnancy stress, or depression. The paper reports fidelity processes and adherence; the primary outcomes were published elsewhere and are not presented here.