Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1993.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1987.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1978.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1974.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1993.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Minnesota, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 100-107). Also available on the World Wide Web as a PDF file.

Male (8) and female (22) Essential Hypertensives (130/85 mm Hg or above) were randomized into a nonspecific treatment or an experimental treatment utilizing eight relaxation strategies. Both groups had eight training sessions which consisted of baseline blood pressures (BP), 15 minute relaxation tapes, and post-relaxation BP's. Subjects were instructed to use their tapes three times between sessions. Five BP readings were taken at the one and two month follow-ups. It was hypothesized that the experimentals would have greater within and across session decreases in BP, and that the differences would be maintained during a no treatment follow-up. Eleven experimentals and 8 controls were on medication. Mean medication compliance percentages were 99.9 and 99.6 while mean relaxation compliance percentages were 95.2 and 115.2 for experimentals and controls respectively. Efficacy was checked at each training session on a seven-point scale and group means were 6.5 and 5.4 for experimentals verses controls. Within session decreases in BP were compared with t tests and no significant differences (p < .05) were present for the eight training sessions with systolic (SBP) or diastolic (DBP). Across session changes were compared with ANCOVA and no significant differences (p < .05) were present for the eight training or two follow-up sessions for SBP or DBP. In summary, the experimentals showed within and across session decreases in BP consistent with prior research, but the effect was not significantly better than "sitting quietly". It was concluded that nonspecific treatments must be included in BP research on effectiveness of treatments. A final conclusion was that both groups did show clinically useful decreases in BP which were maintained at follow-up and the effectiveness of noninvasive treatments for Essential Hypertension was demonstrated.

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

The purpose of this study was to examine whether or not self-monitoring of stressors and physiological response to stressors enhances the effectiveness of a stress management technique, specifically relaxation training. The primary hypothesis which stated that the RSMS group would experience a greater reduction in depression (on the Beck Depression Inventory), and enhancement in self-efficacy (on the General Self-efficacy Scale) than all other groups, was not supported.

Whether an individual's state of mind can influence the body's immune system has been studied for several decades. Historical notions of a homeostatic, self-contained, and self-monitored system have been discarded. Studies have explored conditioning effects and cognitive behavioral methods to affect the immune response. This study is based on the assumption that relaxation imagery can be used as an endogenous means to produce specific physiological change in the immune function. Subjects were instructed to make a directional change in the absolute number of peripheral lymphocytes using relaxation imagery.