The role of relaxation in biofeedback training: A critical review of the literature.

Tarler-Benlolo, Linda

doi:10.1037/0033-2909.85.4.727

Cited by 59 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 89 publications

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“…These results are somewhat consistent with past findings in that biofeedback and cognitive relaxation techniques (such as BRT) have-been consistent in decreasing self-reported anxiety and other stress-related mood states (Tarler-Benlolo, 1978). Past studies are inconsistent, however, in reporting the comparative effectiveness between biofeedback and relaxation techniques.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

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Effects of Biofeedback-Aided Relaxation on the Psychological Stress Symptoms of College Students

Fehring¹

1983

Nursing Research

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Stress and the management of stress are very much an integral part of health and well-being today. In recent years, many papers, books, and journals have been written on the subject and multiple approaches have been advocated to manage it. This recent interest in stress stems not only from the apparent pace and change of a modern life-style but also from various studies supporting the age-old theory that life's stresses can lead to many health problems. The stress-disease theory-particularly relevant in today's society-attributes the majority of its disease patterns not to germs, inadequate sanitation, or poor living conditions but rather to the stress and pace of a modern technological society (Sutterley, 1979).Stress can be defined in terms of environmental situations that disrupt a person's preferred style of living, resulting in a state of hyperpsychophysiological arousal (Benson, 1975(Benson, , 1977. It is believed that stress becomes maladaptive when this state of hyperarousal continues too long, occurs too frequently, deteriorates physical and mental performance, or results in a stress-related health problem (Budzynski, 1978). Maladaptive stress has been implicated as a contributing cause to many of today's health problems including heart disease, hypertension, and cancer.College students experience an exceptional amount of stress (Marx, 1974;Garrity, 1977). FehringThey have to deal not only with the social transition from high school to university, but also with personal concerns of self-review, identity, sexual attitudes, and philosophical and social values.Likewise, long study hours, deadlines, examinations, noisy dorms, lack of sleep, and poor eating habits all contribute to a student's stressful life.There are now indications that many of the major stress disorders (such as coronary heart disease) begin at a young age (Friedman & Roseman, 1974). Therefore, it seems reasonable to conclude that if college students could learn to manage stress in a healthy way, perhaps they could prevent stress-related disorders. Relaxation and biofeedback techniques are purported to be effective in helping people to manage stress and to reduce stress-related symptoms. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to compare the effectiveness of a simple relaxation technique (Benson's relaxation technique) with the same relaxation technique augmented with biofeedback on the psychological stress symptoms of college students.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…Many studies have investigated the effects of various relaxation techniques (Tarler-Benlolo, 1978). However, only a few have investigated the effects of Benson's relaxation technique.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Biofeedback-Aided Relaxation on the Psychological Stress Symptoms of College Students

Fehring¹

1983

Nursing Research

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“…It may well be that the patients in the present study had learned to relax sufficiently on their own without the added benefits of the electromyographic biofeedback. The crucial element in producing reductions in blood pressure in many relaxation and biofeedback studies has been claimed to be the daily home practice by patients (3,17). This home practice plus the addition of blood pressure information may have been enough to lower blood pressure in both groups of patients, with the addition of electromyographic biofeedback being unnecessary.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Home Relaxation Techniques for Essential Hypertension

Goldstein¹,

Shapiro²,

Thananopavaran³

1984

Psychosomatic Medicine

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A 10-week relaxation treatment focused on home practice and self-monitoring of blood pressure for the purpose of lowering blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension. Comparisons were made among relaxation (n = 13), relaxation in combination with electromyographic biofeedback (n = 14), and a control condition in which patients simply monitored their blood pressure (n = 14). These three groups of patients, all of which received antihypertensive medication, were compared with a fourth group that practiced relaxation without drug therapy (n = 17). Relaxation and relaxation/biofeedback were equally effective in reducing blood pressure recorded at home in the morning and evening and produced greater decreases than in the control group. Relaxation without drugs, although somewhat more effective than self-monitoring, did not reduce blood pressure as much as the two conditions in which medication was combined with relaxation. Although reductions over the course of treatment were noted in blood pressure recorded in the laboratory, the four treatment conditions did not differ significantly from one another.

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“…Reviews of the EMG biofeedback literature have also found an equivocal pattern of findings (Alexander & Smith, 1979;Tarler-Benlolo, 1978;Gatchel, 1979). Some biofeedback studies find a strong relationship between reductions in muscle tension and reduction in anxiety or fear, whereas other studies find no relationship between muscle tension and emotional states.…”

Section: Psychiatric Populationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Psychobiology of Emotions

Thompson

1988

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The role of relaxation in biofeedback training: A critical review of the literature.

Cited by 59 publications

References 89 publications

Effects of Biofeedback-Aided Relaxation on the Psychological Stress Symptoms of College Students

Effects of Biofeedback-Aided Relaxation on the Psychological Stress Symptoms of College Students

Home Relaxation Techniques for Essential Hypertension

The Psychobiology of Emotions

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