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THE EFFECTS OF RELAXATION WITH ANDWITHOUT IMAGERY IN REDUCING ANXIETY AND ITCHY SKIN IN PATIENTS WITH ECZEMA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 1999

David J. de L. Horne
Affiliation:
University of Melbourne, Australia
Mandy Taylor
Affiliation:
University of Tasmania, Australia
George Varigos
Affiliation:
Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia

Abstract

Eczema is a skin condition with a multifaceted aetiology that includes both psychological and physiological components. A number of studies have indicated that cognitive-behavioural techniques (e.g. relaxation) are effective in the treatment of atopic eczema. However, it remains unclear from the literature whether different relaxation techniques have comparable treatment effects. The current study compared the efficacy of a single relaxation session with an imagery component with that of a comparable relaxation session without the imagery component. Eczema patients (n=9) who participated in relaxation with imagery reported significantly greater reductions in state anxiety and subjective ratings of itchiness and significantly greater increases in mental relaxation levels than eczema patients (n=9) who participated in relaxation without the imagery component. No group differences were found on changes in state anger. These results suggest that relaxation with an imagery component may be more effective than relaxation without an imagery component in lowering state anxiety levels and itchy sensations of atopic eczema patients.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1999 British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies

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