Comparative effect of progressive relaxation technique and Benson's technique on anxiety and fatigue in cancer...

Anxiety and fatigue is a common symptom that is seen in cancer survivors, who have recently been diagnosed as well as those who are undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy as they are emotionally distressed. Progressive relaxation technique and Benson's relaxation is seen to be efficacious in lowering anxiety and fatigue in cancer survivors as individual treatment. To compare the depiction of progressive relaxation technique and Benson's technique on anxiety using Hamilton anxiety scale (HAM-A), blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR), and fatigue using cancer fatigue scale (CFS).

A randomized clinical trial (chit method) was carried out on 42 subjects with cancer related anxiety and fatigue. Subjects were randomly allotted to Group A and Group B. Group A was administered Progressive relaxation technique. Group B was administered Benson's technique. Primary outcome measures used were Hamilton Anxiety Scale and Cancer fatigue scale, secondary outcome measures were HR and BP. Outcomes were evaluated at baseline, immediate and after 5 days of the treatment.

The results were analyzed using independent t test for comparing the 2 groups. On comparing group, A and B for baseline to immediate and baseline to after 5 days, using HAM-A, BP, HR, CFS, no statistical significance was found. Whereas within group analysis (within group A and B) showed significant reduction in anxiety and fatigue in cancer survivors, with a P value significant at <0.05 as seen from baseline to immediate and baseline to 5 days, with 0.7 effect size.

The study concludes that both Progressive relaxation technique and Benson's technique are equally effective in reducing anxiety and PRT lowers fatigue more effectively than Benson's technique in cancer survivors.