The Effects of Progressive Muscular Relaxation on Subjectively Reported Disturbance Due to Hospital Noise

Abstract

Hospital noise has repeatedly been demonstrated to exceed levels recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency. Hospital noise from staff and machinery has been implicated in the etiologies of many behavioral disorders such as sleep deprivation, sensory overload, and altered comfort levels. Relaxation techniques have been shown to be effective in decreasing the aversiveness of many situations. This study tested the effects of progressive muscular relaxation (PMR) on subjectively reported disturbance due to hospital noise. In addition, noise sensitivity as a personality attribute was correlated with disturbance due to hospital noise and efficacy of PMR. A sample of 100 acutely ill hospitalized patients were randomly assigned to an experimental group or control group. The experimental group was instructed in the Bernstein-Borkovec technique of PMR; the control group received a short visit. Results revealed that the experimental groups had a significantly lower amount of disturbance due to hospital noise after being instructed in the use of PMR than prior to the intervention. Control group subjects demonstrated no such change. Noise sensitivity was found to be unrelated to either disturbance due to hospital noise or efficacy of PMR in decreasing disturbance due to hospital noise.

Index Terms:

• progressive muscular relaxation
• hospital noise