| Author: | Ma, Hau-yam |
| Title: | Efficacy of different relaxation training on emotional stress reduction for diabetic outpatients |
| Degree: | M.Sc. |
| Year: | 2002 |
| Subject: | Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations Diabetes -- Psychological aspects Stress management Relaxation |
| Department: | School of Nursing |
| Pages: | x, 127 leaves : col. ill. ; 30 cm |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Diabetes mellitus is a physical illness related to stress which can create worries and anxiety in patients that last for a lifetime. Literature on diabetes revealed that emotional stress bears tremendous impact towards poor diabetic management which affect the physical and emotional well-being of diabetic patients. Although emotional stress was a long-standing concern of diabetic patients, most diabetic education programs implemented were not directly addressed to this problem. However, there is enough evidence showing that relaxation therapy is most effective when directed to the reduction of emotional stress. A review of the literature in health and behavioural science showed that there are different relaxation methods that could help to reduce emotional stress and enhancement of psychological well-being. Such findings encourage health professionals to investigate the effectiveness of relaxation therapy as an intervention to reduce the emotional stress of diabetic patients. The present study was to evaluate the effects of different relaxation training on the reduction of emotional stress for diabetic patients in an out patient setting. Seventy-six volunteer diabetic out patients were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: Stretch Release Relaxation group, Cognitive Relaxation group and Test Control group. Emotional stress was measured physiologically in terms of blood pressure and heart rate; and psychologically in terms of anxiety, depression, general psychological well-being and subjective tension level by using the Chinese State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Chinese Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Chinese General Health Questionnaire - 12 and Subjective Unit of Tension Scale. Pre and post assessments were conducted among the three groups. For the experimental groups, the relaxation treatment session was conducted once per week for four sessions. The Test Control group received no relaxation treatment. Kruskal-Wallis Test was used to test for any significant difference in all dependent variables both at the pre-treatment and post-treatment occasions among the three groups. Wilcoxon signed ranks Test was used to test for any significant difference at the pre-treatment versus post-treatment occasion of all dependent variables for each individual group. Results revealed that diabetic patients in both Stretch Release and Cognitive Relaxation group obtained significant reductions in most dependent variables at the post-treatment occasion and in the pre-post treatment occasion when compared with the Test Control group. Subjects in Test Control group showed no significant difference in all dependent variables both at the post-treatment occasion and in the pre-post treatment comparison. The findings in this study support previous studies that both stretch release and cognitive relaxation were effective methods in the reduction of physiological and psychological stress level. They also reveal that stretch release is a more powerful relaxation technique when compared with cognitive relaxation method. This new information is worth for further examination in order to test for the most effective relaxation. In addition, more lengthy relaxation practice sessions are recommended to examine the sustainability of the relaxation treatments. The present study developed a practical training relaxation program targeted specifically for the reduction of emotional stress for diabetic outpatients. Frontline nurses can be trained in these relaxation methods and relaxation training can be added into their diabetic health programs to provide better care for their patients. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| b16378325.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 4.61 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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