The use of relaxation training to enhance functional outcomes in adults with traumatic head injuries

Impaired anxiety management and poor emotional control have a negative effect on the adaptive functioning of persons with head injuries who are in the postacute stages of recovery. This paper outlines a relaxation training program administered individually to 4 adults with severe head injuries. Each subject was in the postacute phase of recovery and had reported stress to be a persistent problem in daily living. The relaxation training protocol combined biofeedback, imagery, autogenic training, and deep breathing. Significant improvement in function, measured by scores on a scale of illness-related dysfunction, support the potential benefits of stress management training as part of functional training programs for persons with traumatic head injuries.