The effects of EMG-assisted relaxation training with hyperkinetic children: a behavioral alternative

Abstract

Six developmentally hyperkinetic children, ages 6 to 9, participated in either an A-B-A-B-A or an A-B-A-BC-A research design to evaluate the effect of EMG-assisted relaxation training in the acquisition of self regulatory skills to decrease hyperkinetic behavior. Descriptive verbal feedback regarding subject performance was provided during the BC phase in addition to the continuous rate-proportional auditory feedback normally available. Posttraining psychological assessment yielded significant gains for the experimental group on various visual motor tasks at the .05 level. All six subjects significantly decreased EMG activity across the 15 sessions. In a follow-up, five of the six maintained such activity at or below levels reached at the conclusion of the study. Five out of six made significant behavioral improvements at home during training and were maintaining these at the follow up. One out of four made significant improvements in school behavior during training, with five out of six exhibiting such improvements at the follow-up during the next school year. Auditory feedback was effective at the .05 level; the benefit of the verbal feedback, however, was not demonstrated. Two subjects were maintained on stimulant medication, one with a slight dose reduction during training. According to the observations of their parents and teachers, four subjects for whom medication had been recommended prior to the training were subsequently judged not to need it at the time of the follow-up.