A FAIR COMPARISON OF PROGRESSIVE AND IMAGINAL RELAXATION

Progressive and imaginal relaxation-training procedures are difficult to compare because the latter takes many forms. In this study, an imag inal procedure was used that closely followed progressive operations e xcept that muscle tension was imagined rather than experienced. The de pendent variable was the total score on the Relaxation Inventory. Coll ege students were placed in groups (ns = 50) high and low on suggestib ility based on scores on the Creative Imagination Scale, assigned in e qual numbers to the imaginal and progressive relaxation conditions and given four sessions of relaxation training. The pre- and posttrials e ffects were significant within each of the four training sessions. The re were no significant differences in reports of relaxation by the pro gressive and imaginal treatments. The expected cumulative effect of re laxation training across the four sessions was not found; in fact, the imaginal condition showed a significant decrease. The only significan t suggestibility effect was an interaction between suggestibility and trials in which highly suggestible subjects reported less presession r elaxation. These results are consistent with reports of no differences between progressive and imaginal relaxation training.