抄録
A lot of researches have reported that relaxation training, for example progressive relaxation, autogenic training and others can decrease fear-and anxiety-responses. Wolpe proposed reciprocal inhibition as a method of reducing fear or anxiety, whose mechanism may be based on the fact that relaxation is antagonistic to fear or anxiety. Though relaxation training is employed in researches and therapeutic situations, most of theoretical problems remained unsolved. The present authors have examined three of unsolved problems about relaxation training. First, general anxiety may be reduced by relaxation as reciprocal inhibition, which is proposed by Wolpe, but specific anxiety observed in phobic patients would be reduced by counterconditioning technique that intends to destroy the bond between fear responses and its objects. Secondly, relaxation training without mental volitional strategies as image, expectancy, autosuggestion, passive concentration, would produce less effect on anxiety reduction. Such factors and strategies are indispensable for effective relaxation training. Finally, new relaxation method, which is most effective and easily mastered was proposed and developed by Harano. This method consists of repetitions of gradual muscle tension in the whole body and their momentary reduction. These contrast between tension and relaxation will enable subjects to have clear feelings of their muscles and lead to deep relaxation.
