The Experience and Effects of Shiatsu: Findings from a Two Country Exploratory Study
To provide insight into client and practitioner perceptions of the effects of shiatsu, in the short and longer term, and positive and negative in nature.
A two-country, exploratory study was undertaken in the United Kingdom and Germany. In-depth interviews were undertaken with a purposive sample of 14 shiatsu practitioners and 15 clients. Client interviews focused on the experience of shiatsu and perceptions of its effects, both positive and negative. Practitioners were also asked about factors that enhanced or inhibited successful treatment. The taped and transcribed data were analyzed using grounded theory, assisted by NVivo (QSR, Markham, Ontario, Canada) software. To enhance generalizability, the findings from the alternative country data set were presented to a further set of practitioners in each country and as a whole to an international meeting of practitioners from seven European countries.
