University of Cincinnati Research Examines Why Some People Are Afraid To Relax
Although many people look forward to getting away on vacation or just putting their feet up at home, there are others who can get as anxious about taking time to relax as they would if they were delivering a national address.
Christina Luberto, a doctoral student in the University of Cincinnatis Department of Psychology, has now developed a questionnaire, the Relaxation Sensitivity Index (RSI), to examine the phenomenon. Preliminary findings on the RSI will be presented on
Nov.17, at the 46th annual convention of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) in National Harbor, Md.
Relaxation-induced anxiety, or the paradoxical increase in anxiety as a result of relaxation, is a relatively common occurrence, explains Luberto. We wanted to develop a test to examine why certain individuals fear relaxation events or sensations associated with taking a time-out just to relax.
The RSI is a 21-item questionnaire that explores fears related to relaxation anxiety in three key categories:
Physical Issues
It scares me when my breathing becomes deeper; I hate getting massages because of the feeling it creates when my muscles relax
Cognitive Issues
I dont like to relax because I dont like it when my thoughts slow down; I dont like to relax because it makes me feel out of control
Social Issues
I worry that when I let my body relax, Ill look unattractive; I worry that if I relax, other people will think Im lazy
Participants rate how much each statement applies to them on a scale of 0 to 5. Three-hundred undergraduate college students participated in the study. They were, on average, 21 years old, female and Caucasian.
Luberto says that exploring the idea of relaxation sensitivity was based on a related concept of anxiety sensitivity, which is the fear of arousal. Early results from the RSI study found that people who are high in relaxation sensitivity are also high in anxiety sensitivity. This suggests that for some people, any deviation from normal functioning, whether it is arousal or relaxation, is stressful, says Luberto. Results also suggested that the RSI is a valid and reliable measure of relaxation-related fears and is able to identify which individuals have experienced increased anxiety when relaxing in the past.
Luberto states that additional research needs to be conducted to examine the effectiveness of the RSI in more diverse populations (including beyond college age), as well as among individuals with psychiatric disorders. Ultimately, the RSI could be used to identify patients who would not respond to being treated through relaxation therapies, which is a common component of treatment for anxiety disorders.
The study was supported by the UC Department of Psychologys Frakes Foundation Endowment Fund and William Seeman Psychology Fund.
The ABCT is a multidisciplinary organization committed to the advancement of scientific approaches to the understanding and improvement of human functioning through the investigation and application of behavioral, cognitive and other evidence-based principles to the assessment, prevention, treatment of human problems and enhancement of health and well-being.
The
is recognized nationally for the quality of its undergraduate major and the excellence of its graduate training programs in clinical and experimental psychology.
Tags
Related Stories
UC President Neville Pinto shares 2024 State of the University...
April 16, 2024
University of Cincinnati President Neville G. Pinto shared his 2024 Sate of the University address with the campus community on April 15.
Engineering student works to create safer ground transportation
April 15, 2024
Ground transportation has a substantial impact on the daily lives of humans. Sai Bonthu, a doctoral candidate of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Cincinnati, is working to develop a product that has the potential to accurately reduce traffic accidents. Currently, he is working on a grant with the Ohio Department of Transportation and was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by the College of Engineering and Applied Science.
UC selects dean to lead renowned performing and media arts...
April 11, 2024
Peter Jutras, PhD, professor of piano and piano pedagogy and director of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music (HHSOM) at the University of Georgia, has been named dean of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, effective Aug. 1, 2024, pending approval of the UC Board of Trustees.