Autogenic Therapy Research Articles

AB0396 Patients with rheumatoid arthritis – general psychological characteristics

ObjectivesTo assess psychological characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods30 patients were included (3 male, 27 female, mean age 56.8 years) with proven diagnosis of RA (according to the 1987...

Latent change classes in dichotomous data

Changes in dichotomous data caused by treatments can be analyzed by means of the so-called linear logistic model with relaxed assumptions (LLRA). The LLRA does not require observable criteria representing a single underlying latent trait, but it postulates the generalizability of the treatment effects over criteria and subjects. To test this latter crucial assumption, the mixture LLRA was proposed that allows directly unobservable types of subjects to have different treatment effects. As the earlier methods for estimating the parameters of the mixture LLRA have specific drawbacks, a further method based on the conditional maximum likelihood principle will be presented here. In contrast to the earlier conditional methods, it uses all of the dichotomous change data while having fewer parameters. Further, its goodness-of-fit tests become more sensitive to a falsely specified number of change-types even though the treatment effects are biased. For typically occurring small to moderate sample sizes, however, parametric bootstrapping of the distributions of the fit statistics is recommended for performing hypotheses tests. Finally, three applications of the new method to empirical data are described: first, about the effect of the so-called Trager psychophysical integration, second, about the effect of autogenic therapy on patients with psychosomatic symptoms, and, third, about the effect of religious education on the attitude towards sects.

Autogenic therapy: a lesser known treatment

Dorothy Crowther introduces autogenic therapy, one of the lesser known complementary therapies, which involves simple mental exercises which help individuals take control of their lives.

Autogenic training: a self‐hypnosis technique to achieve physiological change in a stress management programme

AbstractAutogenic therapy was taught to a group of teachers attending a stress management course as a means to their achieving physiological change in the form of reduced pulse rates. Autogenic exercises enabled all the teachers to reduce their pulse rates with significant consistency during a 14‐week period (P < 0.0001). There were no differences between females and males in the magnitude of changed pulse rates. The teachers' successes in using autogenic therapy were not influenced by behaviour characteristics such as A‐type behaviours, speed and impatience, job involvement or hard driving as revealed by the Jenkins Activity Survey or by behaviours identified by a schedule that measured self‐perceptions of life‐management skills. Copyright © 1996 British Society of Experimental and Clinical Hypnosis

Improvement of respiratory function in chronic asthmatic patients with autogenic therapy

Stress, unpleasant emotions and autonomic imbalance may play a main role in precipitating asthmatic attacks. In this study two homogeneous groups of asthmatic patients ( N=24) are treated over an eight-month period. The experimental group was treated with autogenic therapy and the control group with supportive group psychotherapy. Respiratory function parameters measured were Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in the first sec (FEV1), Forced Expiratory Flow between 25% and 75% of the FVC (FEF25–75%), and Mesoexpiratory Flow (MEF50%). The group under Autogenic Therapy obtained a relevant clinical improvement (> 15% of pretreatment values) in respiratory function. No significant changes were observed in the control group. These results suggest that autogenic therapy could be an effective adjunctive treatment in bronchial asthma.

Autogenic Training and Future Oriented Hypnotic Imagery in the Treatment of Tension Headache: Outcome and Process

The aim of the present study was (a) to investigate the relative efficacy of autogenic training and future oriented hypnotic imagery in the treatment of tension headache and (b) to explore the extent to which therapy factors such as relaxation, imagery skills, and hypnotizability mediate therapy outcome. Patients were randomly assigned to the 2 therapy conditions and therapists. 55 patients (28 in the autogenic therapy condition and 27 in the future oriented hypnotic imagery condition) completed the 4 therapy sessions and 2 assessment sessions. No significant main effect or interaction effects for treatment condition or therapist was revealed. A significant effect for time in analyzing scores for headache pain, pain medication usage, depression, and state anxiety was found. In the self-hypnosis condition, pain reduction proved to be associated with depth of relaxation during home practice (as assessed with diaries) and capacity to involve in imagery (as assessed with the Dutch version [van der Velden & Spinhoven, 1984] of the Creative Imagination Scale [Barber & Wilson, 1978/79; Wilson & Barber, 1978]). After statistically controlling for relaxation and imagery, hypnotizability scores (as assessed with the Dutch version [Oyen & Spinhoven, 1983] of the Stanford Hypnotic Clinical Scale [Morgan & J.R. Hilgard, 1975, 1978/79]) were significantly correlated with ratings of pain reduction. Results are discussed in the context of the neo-dissociation and social-cognitive model of hypnoanalgesia. The clinical relevance and the methodological shortcomings of the present study are also critically assessed.

A new model of integrating Occidental and Oriental approaches.

In the Western countries, dynamically oriented psychoanalysis, behaviour modification based on learning principles and existential, humanistic psychology have been widely used as treatment modalities for neuroses and psychosomatic disorders. Autogenic therapy for relaxation and self-control has been utilized. In the Orient, Yoga, Zen, Acupuncture and Fasting Therapy have been applied to various neuroses and psychosomatic conditions. These unique Oriental approaches, in general, induce an altered state of consciousness in the subjects, and the characterized by the heightening of self-normalization and the restoration of homeostasis. Morita therapy aims at accepting reality as it is and at promoting constructive ego function, and is effective for suitable cases. The above-mentioned Western approaches, which are rather psychosomatic, and the Oriental approaches, which are rather somatopsychic, are considered to be complementary within the framework of a holistic and integrative therapeutic model.

Space motion sickness

Space motion sickness, presumably triggered by sudden entry into a weightless environment, occurred with unexpected frequency and severity among astronauts who flew the Skylab missions. Recovery from symptoms was complete within 3–5 days, and as revealed by the Skylab M131 Human Vestibular Function Experiment, all crewmembers were immune to experimentally induced motion sickness after mission day 8. This syndrome has been recognized as a possible threat to the early mission well-being and operational efficiency of at least some individuals who will fly space missions in the future. The causes of space motion sickness are not clearly understood, nor have satisfactory methods been identified to date for its prediction, prevention and treatment. In order to minimize the potential impact of this syndrome on Space Shuttle crew operations the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has organized a broad program of inter-disciplinary research involving a large number of scientists in the United States. Current research on the etiology of space motion sickness is based to a large extent on the so called sensory conflict theory. Investigations of the behavioral and neurophysiological consequences of intralabyrinthine, as well as intermodality sensory conflict are being performed. The work in this area is being influenced by the presumed alterations that occur in otolith behavior in weightlessness. In addition to sensory conflict, the possible relationship between observed cephalad shifts of body fluids in weightlessness and space motion sickness is being investigated. Research to date has failed to support the fluid shift theory. Research underway to identify reliable test methods for the prediction of susceptibility to space motion sickness on an individual basis includes attempts to (a) correlate susceptibility in different provocative environments; (b) correlate susceptibility with vestibular and non-vestibular response parameters, the latter including behavioral, hemodynamic and biochemical factors and (c) correlate susceptibility with rate of acquisition and length of retention of sensory adaptation. Controlled studies are also being performed during parabolic flight as a means of attempting to validate predictive tests for susceptibility to this syndrome. Research to develop new or improved countermeasures for space motion sickness is underway in two primary areas. One of these involves anti-motion sickness drugs. Significant achievements have been realized with regard to the identification of new highly efficacious drug combinations, dose levels and routes of administration. Although pronounced individual variations must be accounted for in selecting the optimum drug and dose level, combinations of promethazine plus ephedrine or scopolamine plus dexidrine are presently the drugs of choice. Work is also underway to identify side effects associated with anti-motion sickness drug use and to identify new drugs which may selectively modify activity in central neural pathways involved in motion sickness. In addition to research on drugs, efforts are being made to develop practical vestibular training methods. Variables which influence rate of acquisition of adaptation, length of retention of adaptation and transfer of protective adaptation to new environments are being evaluated. Also, included in this area is the use of biofeedback and autogenic therapy to train individuals to regulate autonomic responses associated with motion sickness. While valuable new knowledge is expected to evolve from these combined research programs, it is concluded that the final validation of predictive tests and countermeasures will require a series of controlled space flight experiments.

Reduction of test anxiety via autogenic therapy.

To evaluate the role of active and passive instructions to Ss given abbreviated training with Schultz and Luthe's six exercises, 18 Ss completed the test anxiety questionnaire and the Wonderlic Personnel Test. Analyses of repeated (two) measures showed treatment decreased test anxiety scores somewhat more for active Ss; 78% of Ss reported high relaxation was achieved and improved performance.

Autogenic Therapy.

Autogenic Therapy.

Autogenic Therapy. Vol. I. Autogenic Methods

Autogenic Therapy. Vol. I. Autogenic Methods

Autogenic Therapy.

Autogenic Therapy.