Mindfulness and biofeedback are two techniques that have been gaining popularity in recent years as effective tools for improving well-being and performance. Specifically, mindfulness is a practice of being present and fully engaged in the present moment through breathing exercises, meditation, and other relaxation techniques. In contrast,…

The successful application of a viable anxiety-reducing and/or performance-enhancing intervention would lead to higher nursing student retention and improved patient care. Test anxiety in undergraduate nursing students has been linked to decreased student performance, increased exam failure, and decreased graduation rates. Biofeedback training and…

An increasing number of children experience chronic health issues that affect their academic and behavioral functioning, as well as psychological well-being. At the same time, psychological stress can exacerbate the chronic illness. The first line of treatment most often is medical (e.g., pharmacology, surgery, radiation). Even when the medical…

Graduate and undergraduate students showed a reduction in anxiety during a 16-week course designed to include information on the causes and effects of stress as well as practical techniques for stress management. A follow-up study showed that the students were still successfully using the stress management techniques a year later. (RM)

Chronic tension and vascular headache patients, initially treated with relaxation and biofeedback, were followed-up on an annual basis at two-, three-, and four-years posttreatment. Tension headache patients generally showed good maintenance of initial headache reduction at Year Four. Vascular patients showed a nonsignificant trend for gradual…

Data from portable heart-rate monitors and work diaries were used to relate Mintzberg's "nature of managerial work" to physiological stress in small number of working principals over three complete work days. Principals found to be working under extreme stress for long hours, and certain activities were more stressful than others.…

Project Stress Control was developed for the Fulton County (Georgia) school system in 1984 and was implemented at an elementary school. The program was very successful in reducing suspension rates and office referrals for disruptive behavior and in increasing academic performance and parent participation. This curriculum is an outgrowth of the…

Included in this volume are papers on stress management in athletics; eight of the ten papers are followed with a "Coach's Reaction": (1) "Competitive Athletic Stress Factors in Athletes and Coaches" (Walter Kroll); (2) "Mental Preparation for Peak Performance in Swimmers" (Eugene F. Gauron)--Coach's Reaction by Suzi…

This document synthesizes research findings to formulate a theory to guide relaxation training in educational settings, particularly rural schools. Young people experience many intense life events that require coping skills or relaxation. Family-related stress factors include instability in the home, lack of a support system, conflicting values,…

Several counseling methods have attempted to help individuals change their behavior patterns. Techniques that teach control of the internal functions of the mind, body, and emotions are designed to allow the individual to reach his/her potential. Alpha training is one such method that is concerned with a brain wave pattern yielding an alert,…

The effectiveness of biofeedback and relaxation training in reducing occupational stress was examined in a study of 50 individuals employed in various occupations in Iran. The study sample consisted of 15 workers (5 females, 10 males); 15 managers (5 females, 10 males); 9 guardians (3 females, 6 males); 5 dentists (2 females, 3 males); and 6…

Since the identification of stress and the relationship of individual stress responses to physical and mental health, medical and behavioral professionals have been training individuals in coping strategies. To investigate the possibility of teaching cognitive coping skills to a nonclinical population in an academic setting, 41 college students…