Impact of Autogenic Relaxation Therapy on Psychological Parameters and Salivary Cortisol Levels Among Mothers of Special Children.

Background: Mothers of children with intellectual disabilities face greater challenges and stress compared to mothers of children without disabilities. Autogenic relaxation therapy is a powerful technique for reducing stress and anxiety. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of Autogenic Relaxation Therapy (ART) on psychological parameters and salivary cortisol among mothers of special children. Methodology: A prospective quasi-experimental study design was adopted, with 200 mothers assigned to either an experimental (n = 100) or control group (n = 100) by using non probability convenience sampling technique. The experimental group received Autogenic Relaxation Therapy twice a week for 8 weeks while the control group was not given any intervention during the time of data collection and they will be provided with intervention only after the data collection period. Psychological parameters such as stress, anxiety and depression were assessed using standardized scales such as becks depression inventory, becks anxiety inventory and berry and jones parental stress scales and salivary cortisol levels were estimated using the ECLIA method. Results: Significant reductions in stress (21.5%), anxiety (30.39%) and depression (27.68%) were observed in the experimental group. Salivary cortisol levels decreased by 41% in the experimental group, while increasing by 3.8% in the control group. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that the intervention was effective in significantly reducing psychological distress among parents of intellectually disabled children. Participants in the experimental group showed marked reductions in stress, anxiety and depression levels, along with a substantial decrease in salivary cortisol, a biological marker of stress.