The use of behavioral therapies, such as relaxation therapy, is well documented in the literature as an intervention which may control some of the symptoms and symptom distress associated with the use of chemotherapy within the experience of cancer. However, over 50% of individuals with cancer are also treated with radiation therapy, either alone or in combination with chemotherapy. Individuals being treated with radiation therapy experience symptoms and related distress similar to those associated with chemotherapy as well as a loss of personal control. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of relaxation therapy on symptom distress and personal control as perceived by adults receiving abdominal/pelvic external radiation treatment for a diagnosis of cancer. A quasiexperimental design, the nonequivalent control-group, was used to achieve the purpose of this study. It was hypothesized that the daily use of relaxation therapy by individuals receiving radiation therapy would decrease the amount of symptom distress and increase the amount of personal control perceived. The sample consisted of twenty eight individuals, fourteen in the control group and fourteen in the intervention group. Data were gathered by interview, two sets of questionnaires, and written diaries. The interview was done before the participants began their radiation treatment. The questionnaires were also completed at this time and then again three weeks after the treatment began. A diary was kept by those in the intervention group who were also taught a specific relaxation technique and asked to record the number of times they used the technique and any comments. To answer the two hypotheses, summary statistics were used. The results indicated that individuals who used relaxation therapy perceived a decreased amount of symptom distress than those in the control group. The Mann-Whitney U Test indicated that this difference was at the .05 level of significance. On this basis the first hypothesis was accepted. The results also indicated that there was no significant difference between the groups in the amount of perceived personal control. On this basis, the second hypothesis was not accepted. A recommendation based on this research study was for nurses to become knowledgeable in the use of relaxation techniques. Further research to better understand the cancer experience in relation to personal control was also recommended to enable nurses to provide appropriate and effective care to these individuals. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Nursing, School of / Graduate

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The primary purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an imagery/relaxation program on athletes with a surgical knee injury. More specifically the study examined changes in state and trait anxiety, locus of control, and attitude/opinion as a result of the imagery/relaxation program. A qualitative design was used to allow for an in-depth examination into each participant's behavior. Since a qualitative design was utilized, the procedures were slightly different for each participant.The following is a general outline for the procedures used. One week prior to surgery the participant was taught progressive relaxation. One week post-surgery the participant was administered the STAI, LCRS, and ERAIQ. The participant was also given a different imagery/relaxation script each week to rehearse beginning one week post-surgery to 11 weeks post-surgery. The participant also completed journal worksheets weekly. At each session the researcher asked interview questions. Twelve weeks post-surgery the participant was given the STAI, LCRS, ERAIQ, and exit questionnaire. Due to the lack of adherence to the program there were no conclusive results. / School of Physical Education

The present study investigated the influence of a brief, intensive biofeedback-assisted imagery training regimen on psychological, physiological and neuroendocrinological measures of pain and stress in injury related chronic pain patients. The subjects were 36 patients (myelography examcandidates) who were assigned to the imagery or wait-list control group by order of referral presentation and to formulate equivalent groups.

This study compared the clinical effectiveness of cognitively oriented stress-coping training with and without biofeedback training to biofeedback training only in the treatment of myofascial pain dysfunction (MPDS). These groups were also compared to a fourth treatment consisting of pseudo-biofeedback plus stress-coping training. Subjects were 32 adults suffering from MPDS who had failed to previously profit from other treatments. Subjects averaged 33.5 years of age and 58.7 months of myofascial pain. Treatement consisted of 10 individual sessions over a five-week period. Stress-coping training was designed to teach subjects to monitor their congitive responses to stress-eliciting situations and to learn cognitive coping skills. Biofeedback training was designed to provide relaxation skills that would enable subjects to reduce masseter muscle tension (EMG). Subjects receiving pseudo-biofeedback training did not receive veridical feedback training.