Effectiveness of Bach Flowers remedies in the spiritual welfare of university students: randomized double blind clinical trial

The Bach´s flowers remedies are considered a Complementary Integrative Practice (CIP) and its grounds has great spiritual nature, understanding that people have a soul that is your real and divine self, and through a harmonious relationship between soul and personality, the result is health. International scientific research has suggested that the strengthening of spiritual well-being can help significantly and positively on mental and physical health promotion. The Common Mental Disorders (CMD) refers to medical conditions involving non-psychotic psychiatric symptoms. The included symptoms are: anxiety and depressive symptoms, difficulty of concentrating, forgetfulness, insomnia, fatigue, irritability, feelings of worthlessness, somatic complaints, among others. The CMD has a big social impact and is highly prevalent among college students, ranging between 34.1% and 44.6%. This study aimed to assess the relationship between treatment with Bach´s flower remedies and spiritual well-being of people with CMD. This study presented a experimental double-blind clinical trial methodology. Participants were students of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Vale do Paraíba (UNIVAP) in the city of São José dos Campos-SP. Of the 411students who answered the questionnaires, 194 were eligible, and 70 began treatment. Participants were randomized into two groups, Interventional Group (IG) and Placebo Group (PG), for six months with visits every 30 days. Validated instruments were used for the assessment of CMD(SRQ-20) and for the spiritual well-being (EBE). In statistical analysis, were used the chi-square or Fisher's exact test, as needed, and logistic regression to study the association between the scale of EBE, the SRQ-20 and the use of Bach´s Flowers Remedies for each time evaluation (3 evaluations). For these statistical tests was adopted a significance level of 5% (p <0.05). In the intragroup evaluating of spiritual well-being, the results were higher and significant at IG in relation to PG, mainly from middle to end of treatment, although no statistical difference between groups was detected. In the intragroup evaluation of CMD, the results were higher in the IG than compared to the PG, from first to second evaluation, where the rate of reduction of CMD was 66.7% and 57.9%, respectively, although no statistical difference in this assessment and in the assessment between groups was detected. It is concluded that although these results require further corroboration of quantitative and qualitative data, even so, it indicates that the flower´s remedies may improve communication of the subject with himself, the consciousness and the individuation process, consequently improving the connection of the individual with the Transcendent. Are suggested further researches involving interventions with the CIP in the assessment of spiritual well-being and the CMD.