Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of short-duration aromatherapy massage (AM) on state anxiety and state self-esteem. Six healthy graduate students completed a 5-min pre-rest and either an AM or rest intervention followed by a 15-min post-rest before going to a desk. They filled out self-report measures of state anxiety and state self-esteem at three points: after the pre-rest, after the intervention, and after moving to the desk. Each received six interventions: 20-min, 10-min, and 5-min AM and 20-min, 10-min, and 5-min rest. Sweet orange essential oil was used in all AM interventions. Both state anxiety (p=.007) and state self-esteem (p=.047) after moving to the desk differed significantly between AM and rest conditions. In the AM condition, state anxiety decreased significantly (p=.024) and state self-esteem increased significantly (p=.038). State anxiety, but not state self-esteem, differed significantly between AM and rest conditions in all three durations. In a correlation analysis, state self-esteem noticeably differed between AM and rest conditions only in the 20-min condition. Results suggest that state anxiety may be reduced by a 5-min AM but state self-esteem may require a lengthier intervention.
