BRT and PMR-Miller
Description
Data for "Effectiveness of Behavioral Relaxation Training compared to Progressive Muscle Relaxation. A randomized controlled trail." Behavioral Relaxation Training (BRT) according to Poppen is a relaxation method based on applied behavior analysis. It involves training the participant in relaxed body postures. The participant receives feedback on these body postures and learns to adopt these positions over several sessions to quickly induce a state of relaxation. With the Behavioral Relaxation Scale (BRS), BRT also provides an objective measurement method through which the state of relaxation can be reliably assessed. Unfortunately, there are not many studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of BRT. In addition, there are few comparative studies between BRT and other, more common relaxation techniques. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is one of the most widely used relaxation programs. Unlike BRT, PMR does not involve systematic feedback from the trainer. On the other hand, it can be used more easily in group settings. In the present study, 20 subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups. After initial assessments, the participants took part either in BRT or PMR. BRS was taken at every session. BRT proved to be superior to PMR both in the treatment phase and in a subsequent follow-up phase. The subjective feeling of relaxation with the participants improved more in the BRT than in PMR group, too.
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Twenty adults with normal learning capabilities took part. Other characteristics were not relevant for participation. People from the circle of acquaintances of the first author were contacted and recruited. Eight participants were male and twelve female. The age range was from 18 to 79 years. The mean age of the sample was 30.9 years. No other personal data was collected. The division into experimental and control group (N=10 per group) was randomized. Informed consent was obtained prior to data collection. Participation in the study was voluntary. All data collected was anonymized. Dependent variables were the subjective and objective status of relaxation. Subjective relaxation was measured using the self-rating scale included in the Behavioral Relaxation Scale (BRS). Scores can range from 1-7 with lower scores indicating greater relaxation. After each observation with the BRS, the participants rated their own state of relaxation by indicating a number. This was recorded on the BRS-form. Relaxed postures were measured using the main part of the BRS (see Lundervold et al., 2020, p. 80-84 and p. 243 for detailed descriptions of the relaxed and unrelaxed postures as well as on how to use the BRS). In this study the upright version of the Behavioral Relaxation Scale (see appendix) was used to assess the ten behaviors defined by Poppen (1988, p. 30-34)