Progressive muscle relaxation for patients with chronic schizophrenia: A randomized controlled study

PURPOSE: To evaluate progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) as an intervention for anxiety, psychotic symptoms, and quality of life (QOL) in patients with chronic schizophrenia.

DESIGN AND METHODS: Eighty patients were recruited from a Taiwanese psychiatry ward. The intervention group received group PMR; control group received treatment-as-usual.

RESULTS: The results indicated that PMR might have a short-term effect on reducing anxiety, improving psychotic syndromes, and QOL among patients with chronic schizophrenia; however, the effectiveness at the 3-month follow-up was not evident.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Both the psychiatric patients and the health institutions may be able to list PMR as a clinical routine care, and then become a mental health practice strategy for mental patients to improve the quality of mental care.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Our studies suggest that prevention of severe mental illness among patients with schizophrenia requires PMR interventions. PMR had an immediate effect, and it is possible that a shorter intervention period using this approach would also be successful.