Combined Relaxation and Cognitive Restructuring Skills in the Control of Borderline Essential Hypertension

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential usefulness of combined relaxation and cognitive restructuring in the control of non-medicated, borderline essential hypertensives. Few studies in the literature (Chesney & Black, 1986; Seer & Raeburn, 1980) have targeted the borderline hypertensive population, and most are confounded by the concurrent use of anti-hypertensive medication. In the present study, 16 individuals, diagnosed by their physicians as borderline essential hypertensives, served as subjects. A randomized two-group, pretest, posttest design was used. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups: relaxation and cognitive skills training or attention control group. All subjects participated in a four-week baseline measurement of blood pressure and were administered the State-Trait Personality Inventory (STPI) (Speilberger, 1980) at pre- and posttreatment. Eight subjects received six 90-minute sessions of relaxation and cognitive skills training, and eight served as controls. All subjects participated in a posttreatment and one month follow-up assignments.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Date dc:date

10000-01-01

Author dc:creator

• Bush, MaryAnn Flynn

• Psychology, Clinical

Identifier

(UMI)AAI8823092

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/69185