The Effects of Aromatherapy Fidget Cube on Stress Reduction: A Study of Blue Ternate Oil Diffused as an Additional Feature to Fidget Cube

Abstract

Fidget tools are invented not just for your hands to do repetitive movements but to relieve stress, anxiety, and depression and help people with ADHD. However, in recent studies, there have been some unfavorable results from these fidget tools. Thus, the study aims to provide a fidget cube with an additional feature: aromatherapy from the essential oil of Blue Ternate. Aromatherapy Fidget Cubes were made using these methods: Collecting fidget cubes and organic tissue absorbents. Blue Ternate is soaked in 95% ethanol for three days before being filtered and rotary evaporated to extract stress- relieving chemical properties: flavonoids. Aromatherapy Fidget Cubes were made by adding absorbent organic tissue to commercial fidget cubes to hold the essential oil. Five participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale before using a commercial fidget cube for four days to determine its efficacy— 15 minutes daily with five drops of aromatherapy. The Perceived Stress Scale and Carver Brief Cope Inventory were done. The testing was done again but using the Aromatherapy Fidget Cube. All respondents were interviewed after testing. The data was collected, examined, and analyzed. The five respondents who participated in this study show overall changes in their Perceived Stress Scale and Brief COPE Inventory. With the use of the Perceived Stress Scale, 1.) Aromatherapy Fidget Cube is a practical fidget tool for lowering stress as the respondents' mean decreased from 31 to 13. 8 with a significant difference of -17.2. The score goes from High Perceived Stress to Low Perceived Stress. 2) In comparison between Aromatherapy Fidget Cube and the commercially available fidget cube, the respondent's score after using the Aromatherapy Fidget Cube goes from the mean of 31 to 13.8. In contrast, the commercial fidget cube goes from the mean of 31 to 20.2. It is seen that Aromatherapy Fidget Cube perceived stress scores move from High Perceived Stress to Low Perceived Stress. In contrast, a commercial fidget cube only moves from High Perceived Stress to Moderate Stress Level. 3.) Despite Aromatherapy Fidget Cube being more expensive as it has added features, it is preferred compared with the commercial Fidget Cube. In conclusion, Aromatherapy Fidget Cube effectively relieves stress. Also, Aromatherapy Fidget Cube is more effective in reducing stress than the commercially available fidget cube using the Perceived Stress Scale and Brief Cope Inventory.