Publication Date

6-1976

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Richard Miller, Clinton Layne, David Shiek

Degree Program

Department of Psychology

Degree Type

Master of Arts

Abstract

Students at Western Kentucky University were asked to participate in a three week relaxation training program. The program focused upon relaxation as a coping skill and employed the Lazarus series of relaxation tapes, bio-feedback mediated relaxation training, and presentation of a relevant hierarchy in the form of an abbreviated systematic desensitization procedure. Subjects were measured prior to and following the relaxation program. It was hypothesized that subjects undergoing such a training procedure would experience gains as demonstrated by a measure of self-actualization when compared to individuals receiving no such treatment. A multivariate discriminant analysis indicated that the training program had an effect upon the global index of psychological functioning. Four out of the twelve scales on this index were found to be significant; those being Inner-Directed, Synergy, Acceptance of Aggression, and Capacity for Intimate Contact. Potential relationships of these subscales to the relaxation process were discussed and suggestions were offered for additional research.

Disciplines

Applied Behavior Analysis | Health Psychology | Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

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