Stress Reduction for Professionals Working with Aggressive Adolescents

The study described here investigated the effectiveness of relaxation training and systematic desensitization when used as stress reduction techniques with professional and paraprofessional persons working with severely behaviorally disordered adolescents. The 14 professionals and paraprofessionals in the sample were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. The experimental group was instructed in relaxation training and systematic desensitization, while the control group participated in restraint training and other aggression management activities. There appeared to be a significant reduction in stress among those in the experimental group.