Subtle Energy Clearing Breath Technique As A Mind–Body Intervention For Physiological Stress In Mothers Of Children

Abstract

Mothers caring for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) frequently experience heightened physiological stress due to intensive caregiving responsibilities. In many developing countries, limited access to quality school education, inadequate early childhood education, insufficient special educational needs (SEN) services, poor education expenditure, and gaps in teacher training further increase caregiver burden and raise concerns about education dropouts and overall educational quality meeting the needs of sustainable Developmental Goal 3&4.  Addressing maternal stress is therefore essential for improving both caregiver well-being and child developmental outcomes. This study examined the effectiveness of the Subtle Energy Clearing Breath Technique (SEC-BT), a holistic mind–body practice integrating intentional breathing with energy awareness, on physiological stress markers among mothers of children with ASD. A quasi-experimental design was conducted with 120 mothers divided into three groups: Experimental (SEC-BT), Control Group 1 (CDC), and Control Group 2 (Pediatric Ward), with 40 participants per group. The experimental group received SEC-BT sessions for 30 minutes daily over four weeks, while controls received standard care and relaxation training. Analysis using paired t-tests and ANOVA showed significant reductions in systolic blood pressure (127.48 ± 7.25 to 118.55 ± 6.72 mmHg), diastolic pressure (82.10 ± 6.12 to 75.73 ± 5.98 mmHg), and heart rate (82.58 ± 4.43 to 76.43 ± 4.75 bpm) (p < 0.001) in the SEC-BT group, with no significant changes in controls. These results indicate that SEC-BT effectively reduces physiological stress and enhances autonomic regulation among mothers of children with ASD.