A Comparison of EMG Feedback and Progressive Muscle Relaxation Training in Anxiety Neurosis

¹ Professor of Psychiatry (Psychology), Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa College of Medicine, 500 Newton Road, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, U.S.A.
² Research Associate in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa College of Medicine, 500 Newton Road, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, U.S.A.
³ Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry (Neurobiology), Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa College of Medicine, 500 Newton Road, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, U.S.A.

Two similar groups of adult psychiatric patients carrying the diagnosis of anxiety neurosis were compared in their response to different methods of training in deep muscle relaxation. One group received EMG feedback and the other a modification of the Jacobson Progressive Relaxation method. The frontalis muscle was chosen as the target for feedback training and for the measurement of tension reduction in both groups, for the reason that this muscle has been shown to reflect the general muscle tension level in anxious patients. Training was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions, and objective muscle tension levels were obtained. Overall changes in the status of the anxiety symptoms, as determined by global ratings from patients and from primary therapists, were also compared in the two groups at the end of training. The results of the study indicated that both EMG feedback and the progressive muscle relaxation training produced significant reductions in frontalis tension levels. However, EMG feedback was found to be generally superior in producing larger reductions in muscle activity, with a concomitant relief in anxiety symptoms, for a greater number of the patients.

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