Evaluation of two relaxation training programs under medication and no-medication conditions

This study evaluated two taped relaxation training programs with 39 psychiatric inpatients, half of whom received minor tranquilizers in conjunction with relaxation training. It appeared that the procedurally enhanced relaxation program was able to produce slightly more therapeutic effects than the standard training program. Significant differences were found between the medicated and the unmedicated groups by multivariate analysis of variance on multiple measures, including heart rate and frontalis EMG. Procedural clarity in relaxation treatment research and the importance of considering contextual factors in the treatment setting are stressed.