Stress management training for the elderly: a psychoeducational approach

A procedure is described for teaching elderly persons the use of relaxation as a coping skill. The procedure, called Stress Management Training, seeks to provide the client with: 1) a cognitive understanding of stress and relaxation, 2) the ability to relax by controlling muscle tension and sympathetic-nervous-system activity, and 3) the ability to extend the relaxation skill to real-life stress situations. A case report demonstrates the process, which is an educational model rather than a medical model. The role of the psychotherapist as an educator and the potential usefulness of the social learning theory as a basis for conceptualizing mental health problems are discussed.