The relative effects of progressive relaxation and EMG biofeedback training on the disruptive behavior, academic achievement, and locus of control of hyperactive children

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of relaxation training on the academic achievement, locus of control, and disruptive behavior scores of hyperactive children. Its purpose was to determine whether group-administered progressive relaxation training would improve those scores as effectively as individually- conducted EMG biofeedback training. The sample consisted of U3 hyperactive suburban elementary school students, 23 males and 20 females. Treatment was provided in eight 25 minute sessions, scheduled at weekly intervals. Progressive relaxation training (PR) was administered through a series of eight cassette tapes designed to teach relaxation techniques. EMG training (BF) integrated the eight tapes with frontalis biofeedback. The control group listened to taped narrations of children's stories. Post-treatment data on academic achievement, locus of control, and disruptive behavior were collected one week following treatment. Initially, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) results indicated no significant differences between the PR, BF, and control groups. However, a univariate _F test and discriminant analysis disclosed that locus of control scores for the PR group were significantly more internal than either the BF or control groups. Also, differences between the experimental and control groups on measures of academic achievement and disruptive behavior, while not statistically significant, were all in the expected direction. Thus, while this study did not produce conclusive evidence that group relaxation training is an effective method for treating the hyperactive student, the findings appear sufficiently positive to warrant further research.Education, College o