The effects of a relaxation intervention on nurses' psychological and physiological stress indicators: A pilot study

Abstract

The present pilot study was designed to examine the feasibility and the effects of a psychomotor relaxation program on nurses’ psychological (burnout symptoms, affective states) and physiological stress indicators (salivary cortisol). Fifteen nurses engaged in an 8-week psychomotor relaxation program (two 20-min sessions per week) and 15 maintained their usual activities. The current study showed that the psychomotor relaxation program was feasible and well tolerated by the participants. Compared to the control group, the relaxation group showed a decrease in their levels of emotional exhaustion, depression and salivary cortisol. In the fifteenth session, salivary cortisol concentrations significantly decreased from pre-session to post-session. These results provide preliminary evidence that relaxation interventions are effective strategies for reducing the usual stress experienced by nurses, and demonstrate that a psychomotor relaxation program might be an important occu- pational stress-management tool for healthcare professionals.