School of Psychology

Investigator - Geraldine O'Brien

Supervisor - Professor Peter Drummond

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Introduction and Aim: Relaxation Therapy has been consistently associated with the alleviation of anxiety.  However, differential response patterns have been demonstrated, with a given relaxation technique proving to be effective for some individuals and not so for others.  The present study aimed to ascertain the relative efficacy of two relaxation techniques within a student population (N= 30).  The first of these techniques, guided imagery, has long been recognised as an effective means of inducing relaxation and alleviating anxiety symptoms.  The second technique, RESPeRATE (a biofeedback device) has, to date, been marketed as an adjunctive treatment for hypertension.  The utilisation of RESPeRATE in the current context represented an exploratory investigation of the device’s potential as a treatment for anxiety.
Procedure:  In a repeated-measures design, each participant was tested individually during two sessions.  Self-reported levels of relaxation were measured pre- and post-test, as were levels of state (i.e., somatic and cognitive) anxiety.  A behavioural measure of relaxation was attained during the testing period. Physiological indices of relaxation/anxiety (i.e., heart rate, heart rate variability, respiration rate and cutaneous blood flow through the forehead) were gathered continuously throughout baseline and intervention periods.
Results:  Subjective ratings and physiological indices of anxiety/relaxation indicated that participants were more relaxed and less anxious after the administration of both relaxation treatments. Self-reported relaxation was greater for guided imagery than for RESPeRATE whereas physiological measures (respiration rate and standard deviation of heart rate interval – a measure of heart rate variability) were greater in the RESPeRATE condition. In addition, the frequency of slow waves of blood flow through the forehead entrained with respiration rate in the RESPeRATE condition.
Discussion and Conclusion:  Both techniques were able to induce relaxation and alleviate anxiety.  Guided imagery appeared to be more effective for self-report measures whereas RESPeRATE was more effective in terms of physiological indices of relaxation. Analytic outcomes with regard RESPeRATE’s potential as a treatment for anxiety were promising, and further evaluation in a clinical setting is warranted.