Anxiety change produced by self-induced muscle tension and by relaxation with respiration feedback

The effect of self-induced muscle tension, and relaxation aided by auditory feedback of breath sounds, was studied using the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List (MAACL) and four treatment groups. Group I held their masseter muscles tense; Group II relaxed their masseter muscles; Group III relaxed in general, with respiration feedback; Group IV relaxed in general, but listened only to amplifier background “hum.” Treatment effects interacted with the anxiety scale of the MAACL, but not with the depression or the hostility scale. Masseter tension increased low initial anxiety, but high initial anxiety was decreased. Respiration feedback decreased anxiety at all but the lowest levels and may be an effective adjunct to desensitization therapy.