A School-Based Progressive Muscle Relaxation Program for Female Adolescents: Development and the Effectiveness on Physiological and Psychological Evidence

Abstract

(1) Background: A variety of stressors may be potentially harmful to adolescents’ health and well-being. Relaxation techniques have been recognized as a valid method for stress release, but the challenge is to apply them practically in schools to produce the desired effects. (2) Methods: This feasibility study used the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and hair cortisol concentration (HCC) to test the effects of an abbreviated progressive muscle relaxation (APMR) program on female adolescents. The participants were recruited from a high school and assigned by class cluster to either the experimental group (EG, n = 40) or the control group (CG, n = 35). Both received 4 weeks of stress-related lessons. The EG received 60 additional sessions of APMR over 12 weeks. (3) Results: The program dropout rate of the participants was 1.3%. The EG’s program adhesion rate was 99.1%, and nearly half felt satisfied with the program. After adjusting for the BMI and the pretest in the ANCOVA, it was found that the CG had a greater change in HCC between the pre- and post-tests than the EG, while the PSS did not change significantly in either group. (4) Conclusion: APMR is a valid practice for physiological homeostasis of HCC for female adolescents, but it has no significant effect on perceived stress.

Multiple intelligences theory and expressive therapies: New counselling options for secondary school students who experience anxiety

“…The progressive muscle relaxation (PMR or JPMR) technique was created in the 1920s by American physician Edmund Jacobson based on the theory that physical relaxation that includes deliberately tightening and relaxing your muscles, one by one, can promote mental relaxation (Joy et al, 2014). Secondary school students showed decreased levels in social anxiety (Joy et al, 2014), and a school-based progressive muscle relaxation program has proven useful for maintaining a stable physiological and psychological state in female adolescents (Tsai et al, 2021). Clients with a history of childhood abuse or trauma, who dissociate (e.g., feel disconnected as if they are not in their bodies), are advised to practice trauma-informed PMR only with the help of a mental health professional, because it can remind them of the trauma they have experienced.…”

Teacher-Preparation Programs and Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices: Getting Students to CHILL

“…PMR, in this way, helps reduce feelings of stress and fear, and, as a result, the tension subsides. In studies conducted specifically with adolescents, PMR was found to be effective in reducing stress (Damodaran & Paul, 2015;Manjushambika, 2017) and maintaining a steady psychological state (Tsai et al, 2021). PMR then becomes an important step in helping adolescents self-regulate.…”

Effect of Progressive Muscle Relaxation on Fatigue and Sleep Quality in Children Undergoing Hemodialysis

“…Moreover, relieve insomnia, reduce symptoms of certain types of chronic pain, enhance the ability to cope and improve quality of life. It is based upon the simple practice of tensing one muscle group at a time followed by a relaxation phase with the release of the tension (Tsai et al, 2021).…”