The impact of Reich’s vegetotherapy on emotional regulation and postural balance in military personnel: A non-pharmacological approach to combat stress

Abstract: Military operations subject soldiers to intense stress, which can adversely affect both their emotional regulation and physical balance. This study examines the effectiveness of Reich’s vegetotherapy (VGT), an alternative non-pharmacological intervention, in improving these critical areas among military personnel. A total of 29 soldiers, with an average age of 30, were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (EG; 15 soldiers) or a control group (CG; 14 soldiers). Over a period of 6 weeks, the EG participated in twice-weekly VGT sessions, while the CG received no intervention. The intervention group showed a significant reduction in anxiety levels, with scores improving from the beginning to the end of the test (p =.001) and a significant time × group interaction (p =.003). The EG experienced a greater improvement (-68%) compared to the CG (−9%) (p =.036). In the open-eyes postural balance test, the EG showed a significant improvement (p =.029), with a time × group interaction effect (p =.04), although no significant difference was found between the groups (p >.05). The EG improved more (−36%) compared to the CG (24%). In addition, anger levels significantly improved post-intervention (p =.001), with a significant time × group interaction (p =.001). These findings suggest that Reich’s VGT may serve as an effective method for mitigating stress-related impairments in military personnel. Further research with larger sample sizes is necessary to validate these results and explore its broader applications.

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