Relaxation Training Effects on Reaction/Response Time, Frontalis EMG, and Behavioral Measures of Relaxation With Hyperactive Males
The purposes of this study were to determine if three medically diagnosed hyperactive males could be taught to relax using a modified version of Behavioral Relaxation Training (BRT), as confirmed by frontalis electromyographic (EMG) data and by Poppen’s Behavioral Relaxation Scale (BRS), and to determine if a relaxed state is more optimal for performing attention-demanding motor tasks. After obtaining baseline data for relaxation and reaction/response time variables, subjects received six to eight sessions of BRT, followed by posttesting and a 1-month follow-up. Results indicated large reductions in BRS scores, EMG reductions in two of the three subjects, and reductions in reaction/response time. The results supported the use of relaxation training for facilitating information processing.