Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39510120›Full record

ReviewPsyCh journal2025

The technique of transforming symptom's symbol into emptiness: A mind-body therapy in the Chinese context.

Haiqun Niu, Yi Chen, Wen Zhou, Yanqiang Tao, Tianjun Liu

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in PsyCh journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Haiqun NiuSchool of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4575-2076
Yi ChenSchool of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China.
Wen ZhouYikong Skill Research Institute, Nanjing, China.
Yanqiang TaoFaculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0301-3985
Tianjun LiuSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6558-1971

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The technique of transforming symptom's symbol into emptiness (TSSE) is a new mind-body treatment method proposed by Tianjun Liu in 2008. It integrates Qigong and concrete object-image thinking rooted in traditional Chinese culture into modern psychotherapy and proposes that mental and physical problems can be alleviated or eliminated in the process of movement. Accordingly, the therapist needs to guide the client with various symptoms to psychological nothingness where the client cannot see or feel these symptoms, and the purpose of healing can be achieved through the experience of emptiness. TSSE is divided into static and dynamic operations and consists of 10 steps. The static operation includes trio relaxation exercises (the body, breath, and mind), identifying the target symptom, visualizing the target symptom as an object-image, visualizing a symbolic carrier, and filling out record sheet A. The dynamic operation includes trio relaxation exercises again, moving the symbolic object into the carrier, moving the carrier with the symbolic object into psychological nothingness, moving back and assessment, and filling out record sheet B. The effectiveness of TSSE can be evaluated by the therapist's judgment based on the client's performance and by the difference between the symptom impact scores recorded in sheets A and B. TSSE has been proven to be an effective psychosomatic treatment solution by some empirical studies conducted in China. Future research can combine other technologies, such as fMRI and fNIRS, to further explore the potential effective mechanisms of TSSE.

Indexed as

Mind-Body TherapiesRelaxation TherapyAdultChinaFemaleHumanspsychological nothingnessQigongTSSE

Identifiers

PMID39510120
PMCPMC11961237

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.