1. Labyrinth Walking & Quality of Life in High-Risk Substance Abusers: A Mixed Methods Study
Donna M. Zucker RN, PhD and Amy Sharma BA, RN, BS
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Findings
Power and sample size calculations were completed using a SAS program for SF-12 and Systolic Blood Pressure. The next study would need about complete subjects to get 80% power at 5% alpha error.
° The Relationship Scale has 6 items; two items each focus on competence, similarity and respect. Measures were taken post test only. Items were rated 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest) on a Likert scale. Results showed a strong relationship existed between the teacher and group of students. 
Methods*
IRB approval
Convenience sample n=14
A demographic instrument collected ethic/racial information and substance use history data
Complete The SF – 12 pre and post and the Relationship Questionnaire post
Begin a 1 ½ hour 6- week labyrinth walking program
BP will be measured pre and post week 1 and 6
Journals will be analyzed for content and themes
Background
The number of drug-involved offenders increased by 239 percent between 1980 and (U.S. D.O.J, 1999).
With average sentences of less than 18 months correctional facilities can impact rates of re-arrest by expanding substance abuse treatment services.
Efforts to offer “whole body” or cognitive and physical structured exercises can assist in decreasing impulse control, problems interpreting social cues and poor organization (Creedon, 2008)
Research Questions
1) What is the impact of whole body learning on offenders incarcerated for substance abuse related offenses?
2) What short term quality of life gains can be realized by this innovation?
Journal Themes
Positive Emotions/Thoughts: “I felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders”
Self-Improvement: “Thinking about things before reacting is a beautiful thing”
Positive Actions/Intentions: “It helped me focus on what matters to me and what I have to do to keep that in my life”
Reflective Thoughts/Self-Awareness: “I began to watch my thoughts become my actions”
Self-Esteem: “As I walked the labyrinth, I can forgive myself”
Aims
to determine the feasibility of a labyrinth walking curriculum in a correctional setting,
to determine any calculations of minimum benefit in blood pressure and quality of life (SF-12) (pre to post) that can be detected with power of .80 in a two-sided .05 test for samples of 10-60
to examine the influence of relationship-centered teaching on subject satisfaction.
Demographics
Age-34
Education-HS, GED
All but two single
Drug of choice –ETOH, Marijuana
Age of 1st use 12.5
Tobacco-1st use 16.5yrs
79% previous jail time for 3 yrs, 2 ½ times
50% sentence related to mental health or
substance abuse
Conclusion
Participants described feelings of calm, peace, and relaxation
Labyrinth program allowed participants some time and space for reflection
Journals provided a safe place for participants to express themselves anonymously
A trend in decreases in blood pressure was seen
A sample size of between 75 and 80 will be required in future studies for accurate statistical analysis.
Design
Descriptive design
A triangulation mixed methods design will be used, by which quantitative data will be converged with qualitative data
Systolic Blood Pressure
Sponsored by a Grant from the International
Nurses Society on Addictions
*SAS and SPSS v. 17 were used for analysis