How To Use the Biofield Science Evidence Map

This evidence map was developed to visually showcase research conducted on biofield therapies to date, offering an interactive platform for exploration and learning. Below are instructions to help you navigate.

Navigating the Evidence Map

• Scan and scroll the map for bubbles; each represents areas where research has been conducted. The number inside the bubble indicates the quantity of peer-reviewed publications. The color signifies the direction of results: positive, mixed, not-significant, or negative.
• Click on a bubble to reveal the titles of the corresponding articles. Select an article to view a curated abstract including the study's population, intervention, methods, and outcomes, along with a link to the full publication if you’d like to read further.
• From the abstract page, to see additional articles in the same category simply check out "Other reports in this category" on the right side of the page.

Please note that some articles may appear in multiple categories within the Evidence Map, as they may involve multiple populations or evaluate various outcomes/symptoms.

Using Filters to Identify Articles

• Above the map, you'll find both Basic Filters and Advanced Filters. These help you narrow down articles based on specific criteria.
• Use the search bar function to directly locate articles by using key terms to identify your desired content. The search function will scan both the filter terms and article summaries to pinpoint relevant articles.

By following these instructions, you'll be able to efficiently explore the Biofield Science Evidence Map and uncover valuable insights into biofield therapies.

Why Some Articles May Appear Multiple Times

In the evidence map, when a study compares different biofield therapies (such as Reiki vs. Therapeutic Touch) or when participants receive more than one type of therapy (such as combination of Reiki plus Therapeutic Touch vs. another therapy), the study is shown in multiple bubbles for each biofield therapy represented. This also applies to studies where participants receive different therapies or combinations of therapies at different times (crossover studies). As a result, some studies may appear more than once in the evidence map.

For example:

• In Seskevich et al. (2004), Healing Touch and Intercessory Prayer were tested in separate groups.
• In Krucoff et al. (2005), participants received a combination of Healing Touch and Intercessory Prayer.
• In Wirth et al. (1996), participants in a crossover study received multiple biofield therapies at different times, including Therapeutic Touch, Reiki, LeShan, and External Qigong.

Acknowledgments

The following people deserve credit and thanks for their diligent work in conducting the scoping review and creating this Evidence Map:

Overall Project Director
Meredith Sprengel, MS 

Scoping Review Subject Matter Expert
Cindy Crawford, BS

Scoping Review Manager
Lynn Teo, DAc, MS

Review Team
Samantha Allen, MS
Liscia Beenhakker, MS
Hannah Biddell, MS
Cara Dochat, PhD
Natalie Dyer, PhD
Noortje IJssennagger, PhD
Ryesa Mansour, BS
Patrick McConnell, PhD
Nida Paracha, MS
Anisha Saddy, MS
Ryan Sliwak, MS
Benjamin Smith, BA

The Biofield Science Evidence Map was built with evidencemap.com.