Abstract
The purpose of this study was to describe the reactions of psychiatric in-patients to the massage provided by a nurse researcher in response to their demand, and to discuss the meaning of physical touch and interaction in psychiatric mental health nursing. Data were collected in a female acute psychiatric ward by way of participant observation. Details of patients' verbal and non-verbal reactions and the researcher's own responses were recorded and analyzed according to the idea of Casement's unconscious communication and Andieu's 'skin-ego' . Many patients responded favorably to the massage and showed various reactions. In most cases, the massage made them relax and they began to talk about themselves. But some patients did not show any expression verbally or physically, which made the researcher feel difficult to communicate with them. The physical touch seemed to remind the patients of their early life or traumatic experiences before hospitalization. The reactions to the massage gave an account of their histories.
