A Comparison of Relaxation Methods for Reducing Stress in Nursing Personnel

The efficacy of a work-based stress reduction training program for nursing personnel was assessed. Nurses received training in EMG biofeedback, progressive muscle relaxation, or self-relaxation, via daily 1-h sessions conducted during their customary working hours for two consecutive work weeks. Progressive muscle relaxation training produced significant within-session decreases in muscle activity levels, whereas biofeedback training produced significant increases in hand temperature, signifying lower autonomic arousal. All three groups reported improvements on measures of trait anxiety after training. At a three-month follow-up, the biofeedback group reported increases in the amount of work energy and perceived effectiveness of the coping skills when used at work. The muscle-relaxation group reported increases in the ability to cope with stress, and both trained groups reported coping with stress more frequently than did the control group. The control group reported a significant increase in job dissatisfaction compared to the trained groups. The results offer some support that biofeedback and muscle relaxation may be useful methods for reducing arousal levels and improving coping skills of workers.