PROGRESSIVE RELAXATION TRAINING - MUSCLE-CONTRACTION BEFORE RELAXATION

Only minimal research has been conducted to determine if muscle contraction before relaxation is more effective than Edmund Jacobson's technique of using no muscle contraction relaxation. It is this question that the present investigation addressed with an analogue population consisting of three subject groups: muscle contraction relaxation (MC); relaxation without muscle contraction (WMC); and self-induced relaxation control (C). Subjects participated in a single session of progressive relaxation. Subjects had no previous relaxation training and had moderate trait anxiety scores. A significant main effect for group resulted for the electromyographic (EMG) measures. The mean EMG measures identified the WMC group as most relaxed (i.e. experiencing the least amount of muscle tension), followed by the C group, then the MC group. © 1991 Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy. All right reserved.