title: The effect of brief functional relaxation on college students' needle anxiety during injected vaccinations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the effect of brief functional relaxation (FR) training on needle anxiety (NA) during vaccinations.
  
  
  METHODS
  From October 2010 through May 2012, 48 undergraduates were recruited through the psychology research participant pool.
  
  
  METHODS
  Students (N = 48) were randomly assigned to a 15-minute brief FR session delivered via MP3 player or a standard care condition (15 minutes of sitting quietly) prior to receiving injections at the immunization clinic. Measures were completed before (T1) and after (T2) the assigned condition, assessing expected NA, state anxiety, blood pressure, and heart rate; and after the injection (T3), self-reported NA during the injection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Unexpectedly, the groups did not differ at T2. However, during the injection, brief FR participants indicated lower self-reported NA (T3) than standard care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Brief FR is a simple, inexpensive technique that may reduce NA in college health settings and help decrease delays in treatment seeking.
authors: a Health Psychology Program , University of North Carolina at Charlotte , Charlotte , North Carolina.
authors: Linda G
authors: LG
authors: McWhorter
authors: Virginia
authors: V
authors: Gil-Rivas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015982:Bias; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D057566:Self Report; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control; D013333:Student Health Services; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000523:psychology*