RANDOMIZED CLINICAL STUDY ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AURICULOTHERAPY AS A COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT TO COMBAT ANXIETY SYMPTOMS IN SELF-DECLARED LGBTQIA+ STUDENTS AT UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO AMAPÁ

Abstract

It is noticeable that belonging to the LGBTQIA+ population brings an intense psychic overload due to the lack of support, the stigma of society, family and friends and the shame for not following heteronormative standards, which makes these individuals prone to mental illness, affecting the performance of their activities per diem and quality of life. In this context, it is essential to discuss Integrative and Complementary Practices as a non-pharmacological treatment option that uses therapeutic resources based on knowledge of traditional or alternative medicine, aiming to prevent various diseases and act as a complement to the treatment of mental disorders such as anxiety. The research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Auriculotherapy as a complementary treatment in the fight against anxiety symptoms in self-declared LGBTQIA+ university students at the Federal University of Amapá. This is a Randomized Clinical Study. The sample consisted of 26 students with anxiety disorders divided into two groups (Intervention Group and Placebo Group), who underwent 5 sessions of Auriculotherapy. It is noteworthy that there was a predominance of bisexual, sedentary individuals, with poor sleep quality and who were unaware of the PICS. The results of the effectiveness of Auriculotherapy showed statistically discreet differences when comparing the groups referring to anxiety symptoms. There was a trend of reduction of mean scores with the use of Auriculotherapy from 30.69 ±15.16 (week 01) to 18.38 ±15.12 (week 05) in the placebo group and reduction of mean scores of 33.38 ±10.96 (week 01) to 12.92 ±6.58 (week 05) in the intervention group.

Keywords: Anxiety; Auriculotherapy; LGBTQIA+ population.