title: Psychological and physiological response of students to different types of stress management programs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To design, implement, and examine the psychoneuroendocrine responses of three different types of stress management programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomly assigned. A pre/post experimental design comparing variables between three different programs and a control group. The first program included training in deep breathing, relaxation response, meditation, and guided imagery techniques (RRGI). The second program included training in cognitive behavioral techniques (CB). The third program included both RRGI and CB (RRGICB).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted at Buenos Aires University.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (N  = 52) were undergraduate students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anxiety, anger, hopelessness, neuroticism, respiration rate, and salivary cortisol levels were assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to investigate differences in pre and post variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects in the RRGI group showed significantly lower levels of anxiety (p < .011), anger (p < .012), neuroticism (p < .01), respiratory rate (p < .002), hopelessness (p < .01), and salivary cortisol (p < .002) after the treatment. Subjects in the CB group showed significantly lower levels of anxiety (p < .018), anger (p < .037), and neuroticism (p < .03) after the treatment. Subjects in the RRGICB group showed significantly lower levels of anxiety (p < .001), anger (p < .001), neuroticism (p < .008), hopelessness (p < .01), respiratory rate (p < .001), and salivary cortisol (p < .002) after the treatment. Subjects in the control group showed only one variable modification, a significant increase in cortisol levels (p < .004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of deep breathing, relaxation response, meditation, and guided imagery techniques with CB seems to be effective at helping people to deal with stress.
authors: Cátedra de Química Analítica Instrumental, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina. siglesia@ffyb.uba.ar
authors: Silvia L
authors: SL
authors: Iglesias
authors: Sergio
authors: S
authors: Azzara
authors: Juan Carlos
authors: JC
authors: Argibay
authors: María Lores
authors: ML
authors: Arnaiz
authors: María
authors: M
authors: de Valle Carpineta
authors: Hugo
authors: H
authors: Granchetti
authors: Eduardo
authors: E
authors: Lagomarsino
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000786:Anger; D001007:Anxiety; D001118:Argentina; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis; D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy; D008297:Male; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D011594:Psychometrics; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone