In a recent study conducted by Wen-Chun Chen and colleagues, the efficacy of progressive muscle relaxation training in reducing anxiety among patients with acute schizophrenia was investigated.

Prior research has suggested that progressive muscle relaxation training holds promise in mitigating the psychological impacts of anxiety. Moreover, it has shown effectiveness in addressing distress symptoms associated with schizophrenia.

The study, designed as an experimental randomized controlled trial with repeated measures, involved acute psychiatric inpatients in Taiwan. Eighteen patients were block-randomized and assigned to either an experimental group receiving progressive muscle relaxation training or a control group receiving a placebo intervention. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) was utilized to assess anxiety levels at three points: pre-intervention, on day 11 of the intervention, and one week post-intervention. Additionally, changes in finger temperature were monitored throughout the experiment.

Following the progressive muscle relaxation training intervention, the experimental group exhibited significantly greater improvement in anxiety levels compared to the control group (p < 0.0001). This difference persisted at the follow-up assessment (p = 0.0446), with the mean BAI score decreasing from 16.4 pre-test to -5.8 post-test. Notably, after adjusting for changes in patient finger temperature, it was found that the average body temperature increased significantly in the group receiving progressive muscle relaxation training.

The findings of this study provide evidence that progressive muscle relaxation training can effectively alleviate anxiety symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. These results underscore the potential of this intervention as a complementary approach in the management of acute schizophrenia.

Reference: Chen, W. C., Chu, H., Lu, R. B., Chou, Y. H., Chen, C. H., Chang, Y. C., & Chou, K. R. (2009). Efficacy of progressive muscle relaxation training in reducing anxiety in patients with acute schizophrenia. Journal of clinical Nursing, 18(15), 2187-2196.