The purpose of the research was to examine possible relationships between the body integration process called Rolfing and areas of psychological functioning.

Previous research had suggested that useful areas to explore would include:

a) change in the perception of self,

b) change toward responding to internal cues with an increase in spontaneity,

c) change in ability to develop self-actualized values,

d) increase in utilization of the present time mode,

e) increase in meaningful relationships with others, and

f) increase in ability to accept feelings of aggression.

Research Methods Used

Subjects were volunteers for the Rolf process of Structural Integration. Sixteen males and twenty-two females were randomly assigned to the experimental group while thirteen males and fifteen females were randomly placed in the control group. Subjects were college graduates from middle to upper-middle social and economic classes with the average age ranging from twenty-four to thirty-one.

Both the experimental and control subjects were given Shostrum’s Personal Orientation Inventory (P.O.I.). Following this, the experimental group was given ten sessions of the standard form of Rolling over an approximate period of fifteen weeks. No physical or therapeutic contact was made with the control subjects. After each of the experimental subjects had completed the Rolling process, all subjects were retested with P.O.I.

Statistical procedures used included: the analysis of co-variance, the Neyman-Johnson procedure for those subtests which did not meet the ANACOVA assumptions, the Hotelling’s T procedure, and the discriminate function procedure.

Results Obtained

Results of the study were as follows:

1. For the experimental subjects, there was significant increase in their scores in the area of self-regard, but no significant difference was found in test scores dealing with self-awareness self-acceptance.

2. For the experimental subjects, there was no significant difference in scores dealing with spontaneity.

3. There was no significant difference in scores relating to the development of utilization of self-actualizing values.

4. For the experimental subjects, there was significant increase in scores dealing with the ability to develop and maintain meaningful relationships.

5. For the experimental subjects, there was significant increase in scores dealing with the ability to develop and maintain meaningful relationships.

6. For the experimental subjects, there was significant increase in the scores relating to the ability to accept feelings of aggression.

It was concluded that the research demonstrated a definite and significant shift in some areas of psychological functioning of the experimental subjects due to the Rolf method of Structural Integration. Some specific clinical areas of psychological functioning may have been established as being changed by the Rolf method.

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