Programmed relaxation and reciprocal inhibition with psychotic children

This exploratory project illustrates, in contrast to earlier opinions, that psychotic children can be taught muscular relaxation through carefully structured training in physical relaxation. The learned relaxation behavior was apparently antagonistic to and effected a significant decrement in the generalized response of high anxiety which had previously led to aggressive outbursts. As a result of the exploratory project it was hypothesized that although systematic desensitization may be necessary for modifying specific patterns such as phobias, the generalized excitement response of psychotic and other severely disturbed children may be effectively and parsimoniously modified simply through general training in muscular relaxation.