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Effects of education and relaxation training with essential hypertension patients
Author(s) -
Lagrone Randy,
Jeffrey Timothy B.,
Ferguson Clifford L.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(198803)44:2<271::aid-jclp2270440230>3.0.co;2-q
Subject(s) - blood pressure , relaxation (psychology) , essential hypertension , psychology , relaxation therapy , physical therapy , diastole , medicine , significant difference , cardiology
Thirty subjects with essential hypertension were assigned randomly to either a no treatment control, education, or education with relaxation training group. Independent blood pressure recordings were collected by medical staff at pretest, posttest, and 8‐week follow‐up. Results suggest a significant interaction between treatment and time for the dependent physiological measure, systolic blood pressure. During the pretest to follow‐up period, the control group averaged a 5.9 mm. Hg. increase, the education with relaxation group an 8.8 mm. Hg. decrease, and the education group a 14.9 mm. Hg. decrease in systolic blood pressure. There was no significant difference in group means for diastolic blood pressure within groups over time. As measured at follow‐up, education appeared more effective in reducing systolic blood pressure than education with relaxation training. More than one‐third of subjects associated unpleasant side effects with their antihypertensive medication. Almost all treatment subjects rated the education and relaxation as helpful for understanding and managing their hypertension.