Relaxation training affects success and activation on a teaching test

Area of Science:

• Psychophysiology
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Performance anxiety and physiological stress can negatively impact teaching effectiveness.
• Relaxation techniques are explored as interventions to mitigate stress and enhance performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of audiocassette-relaxation training (ART) on teaching test success.
• To examine how the timing of ART (night before vs. immediately before) affects physiological responses.
• To explore the influence of personality types (A-B, extrovert-introvert) on ART effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• Participants: Female and male instructor candidates.
• Intervention: 18-minute audiocassette-relaxation training (ARTnt - night before, ARTimm - immediately before).
• Measurements: Teaching test success, upper trapezius muscle electrical activity (EMG), heart rate (HR), and blood pressure (BP) before, during, and after the test and critique.

Main Results:

• ART significantly improved teaching test success in both males and females.
• ARTimm reduced male EMG during the test, while ARTnt increased it compared to controls.
• Both ARTnt and ARTimm reduced female HR, and ARTimm lowered systolic BP in both sexes.
• Personality type influenced ART outcomes, with Type A individuals benefiting more than Type B.

Conclusions:

• Audiocassette-relaxation training is an effective method for enhancing teaching performance and managing physiological stress.
• The timing of relaxation training and individual personality traits are critical factors modulating its effects.
• Further research can optimize relaxation interventions for specific populations and performance contexts.