Evaluation of Progressive Muscle Relaxation with Conduct-Problem, Learning-Disabled Children

Abstract

Four learning-disabled, conduct-problem children were trained in the use of progressive muscle relaxation to determine the effect of subsequent relaxation practice on behavior in the classroom. After three initial sessions of relaxation training, the children performed in 21 daily classroom periods. Each period was 12 minutes in length. Prior to each classroom period, the children engaged in one of two activities with the relaxation trainer for 15 minutes, i.e., either practice at relaxation with the trainer or card-playing. Measures of disruption, on-task, academic rate, and academic accuracy were gathered in the classroom. In addition, a relaxation checklist was employed to determine the extent to which the child was relaxed in the relaxation practice sessions. The results gave no evidence of differential effects as a consequence of the relaxation procedures or any of the classroom measures. These results suggest that the overzealous use of progressive relaxation training as a setting event or as a non-specific treatment procedure with school children may be unwarranted at this time.