Expectancy effects on relaxation instructions: Physiological and self-report indices (original) (raw)
Related papers
The efficacy of relaxation training in treating anxiety
International Journal of Behavioral Consultation and Therapy, 2010
This paper provides a review of scientific literature about relaxation training and its effects on anxiety. Research investigating progressive relaxation, meditation, applied relaxation and autogenic training were considered. All these methods proved to be effective in reducing anxiety in all kind of samples, affected or not by physical or psychological disorders. This review supports the efficacy of relaxation training as a valid standalone or combined treatment for anxiety disorders or problems and suggests a wider use of these techniques in the clinical practice.
Objective vs subjective assessment of relaxation compliance among anxious individuals
Behaviour Research and Therapy, 1984
relaxation outcome research has lacked means to empirically determine how well Ss comply in home-practice assignments. This study reports on a relaxation assessment device (RAD) used by 21 adults who received 4 weeks of relaxation therapy for generalized anxiety. The RAD consists of a digital wristwatch, with a stopwatch function, surreptitiously placed within Ss' tape-players to monitor the amount of relaxation practice at home. Comparison of self-reported and RAD-determined practice found that Ss exaggerated their actual practice by an average overestimation of 126%. Only one-fourth of the Ss performed relaxation daily. Anxiety reductions were significantly correlated with RADdetermined but not with self-reported practice. Self-efficacy judgments significantly correlated with relaxation compliance only when percent overestimation in self-reports was controlled. The need for objective compliance measures in relaxation outcome studies was discussed.
Self-instructed relaxation: A therapeutic alternative
Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 1983
A self-instructed relaxation program was compared with therapistinstructed relaxation and waiting list controls. Self-report anxiety measures (IPA T and STAD and a psychophysiological stress profile (frontal EMG, GSR, heart rate, finger temperature monitored under relaxation and stressor conditions) were utilized pre-and posttreatment to determine efficacy. Self-monitored heart rate, respiration rate, and finger temperature were used to monitor home practice sessions. Subjects reported increased ability to relax and control stress," however, frontal EMG measured under stressor conditions was the only dependent measure to confirm this perception. No between-group differences on any other dependent measures were observed. Reliable changes on all self-monitored home practice measures were observed, suggesting that this procedure is a useful gauge of home practice.
International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health
Objectives: Anxiety is a negative emotion that acts as a mediator between stress stimuli and emotional (physiological) reaction patterns. The myofascial system is particularly sensitive to stress. The aim of this study was to determine which of the 2 popular methods used to reduce psychophysical tension, i.e., soft tissue manipulation and Jacobson's progressive relaxation, is more effective. Material and Methods: This study was conducted at Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sports in the sports psychology laboratory and the manual therapy room. After performing specialist consultations and interviews to exclude potential participants with contraindications to any of the interventions, the final sample included 90 people who were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment groups. In group I, soft tissue techniques were applied, including the techniques of post-isometric muscle relaxation, elements of myofascial relaxation of tissues, and elastic tissue deformation using the Swedish massage limited to the cervicothoracic complex. In group II, Jacobson's progressive relaxation was performed. The training consisted of tightening and relaxing specific muscle groups. The experiment was conducted under an ambulatory condition, consisting of a single physiotherapeutic session (group I) or a single progressive relaxation session using the Jacobson method (group II). The level of anxiety was assessed twice, i.e., immediately before and after the therapy. Results: According to a repeated-measures ANOVA, each therapeutic impact was effective in reducing the level of perceived anxiety. Furthermore, the level of perceived anxiety in group I decreased significantly more than that in group II. Conclusions: In conclusion, both the soft tissue manipulation and Jacobson's progressive relaxation techniques were efficient methods of minimizing the negative effects of stress.
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Research suggests that multiple forms of relaxation training (e.g., progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, breathing exercises, visualization, and autogenics) can help individuals reduce stress, enhance relaxation states, and improve overall well-being. We examined three different, commonly used approaches to stress relaxation—progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and guided imagery—and evaluated them in a head-to-head comparison against each other and a control condition. Sixty healthy undergraduate participants were randomized to one of the four conditions and completed 20 minutes of progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, or guided imagery training that was delivered by recorded audio instruction. Baseline and follow-up assessment of psychological relaxation states were completed. Physiological relaxation was also assessed continuously using measures of electrodermal activity and heart rate. Results showed that progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, an...
Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique on Anxiety among Chronically Mental Ill Patients
2015
Introduction: Anxiety is a normal response to human experience and survival. Not unlike the fight, flight, or hide response, humans need anxiety in order to act and to protect themselves from suffering. Because anxiety is normal, most people experience anxiety at some points in their life, however limited or mild. Sometimes anxiety is the result of an inner polarization. Sometimes anxiety is the result of unresolved trauma leaving the individual in a heightened physiological state of arousal in which certain experiences have the potential to reactivate the old trauma, as is often the case with Post-Traumatic Stress. Sometimes anxiety results from a lack of, or inexperience at, knowing how to self-sooth. And there are other psychological and emotional reasons for anxiety. Whatever the cause, anxiety can be reduced if not resolved completely with therapy. Objectives: To determine the pre test and post test level of anxiety among chronically mental ill patients in experimental and control group. To determine the effectiveness of Progressive Muscle Technique on anxiety among chronically mental ill patients. To associate the post level of anxiety with the selected demographic variables of chronically mental ill patients in the experimental group. Methodology: Quasi Experimental approach was used in this study. Non equivalent control group pre test and post test design was used for this study. Chronically mentally ill patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected as samples. The total sample size was 60, 30 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group. Purposive sampling technique was used for this study. Hamiliton Anxiety scale was used to see the level of anxiety. Result: Experimental group the mean post test anxiety score of 20.3. The obtained' value 11.22 statistically significant at 0.05. This indicates that the mean difference of 6.1 is a true difference. The mean post test anxiety score 4.83 of the experimental group was lesser than mean post test anxiety score 10.9 of the control group. The obtained 't'value 8.07 was statistically significant at 0.05 level.
Providing emotional stability through relaxation training
Eastern Mediterranean health journal = La revue de santé de la Méditerranée orientale = al-Majallah al-ṣiḥḥīyah li-sharq al-mutawassiṭ
To determine the effects of integrative relaxation training (IRT) on emotional stability, we exposed 32 patients diagnosed with anxiety disorder to a pre-test (16PF) and to 12 sessions of group psychoeducation training. Patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups (study 17 and control 15 patients). The study group received 12 weekly group sessions of IRT. Level of anxiety was evaluated in a post-test using a questionnaire and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Emotional stability and level of anxiety were significantly reduced in the study group: there was a marked increase in scores for emotionally s and venturesome and a decrease in scores for apprehensive and tense. The STAI score was statistically significantly lower in the study group.
The Effect of Progressive Muscle Relaxation Therapy on Anxiety in Hypertension Patients
JURNAL INFO KESEHATAN
Anxiety is a condition in which an individual experiences a concern about something that is not certain to happen, even some people experiencing anxiety but do not understand the specific cause of the anxiety source they feel. Anxiety problems, which are common in people, can be treated non-pharmacologically with deep muscle relaxation techniques, which do not require guided imagination or cause side effects in patients undergoing progressive muscle relaxation therapy. The objective of this study is to identify how progressive muscle relaxation techniques affected the anxiety levels of hypertension patients at the Kedaung Wetan Public Health Center. The study was conducted to determine if there was a difference in the level of anxiety experienced by hypertensive patients before and after receiving progressive muscle relaxation therapy. The design in this study employed a quasi-experimental pre-post-test with a control group with a progressive muscle relaxation therapy intervention. ...