Arakawa, S. (1997). Relaxation to reduce nausea, vomiting, and anxiety induced by chemotherapy in Japanese patients. Cancer Nursing, 20, 342-349.
To evaluate the use of progressive muscle relaxation training in the management of nausea, vomiting, and anxiety induced by chemotherapy
The experimental group received training that consisted of tensing and releasing 16 muscle groups and breathing deeply for a total of 25 minutes. Each subject was provided with an audiotape and instructed to practice independently twice daily before meals or two hours afterward. The investigator met with the control group for 15 minutes per day to discuss concerns.
This study was conducted at a 415-bed, hospital-based cancer center in Japan.
The study was a randomized pretest, post-test control group design with repeated measures.
The Rhodes Index of Nausea and Vomiting-Form 2 (Japanese version) and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were used. Reliability and validity were described in depth.
Progressive muscle relaxation may contribute to a reduction in delayed nausea and vomiting. This study did confirm the usefulness of progressive muscle relaxation in decreasing the incidence of vomiting. Progressive muscle relaxation decreased subjective feelings of anxiety.