Effects of app-based relaxation techniques on perceived momentary relaxation: Observational data analysis in people with cancer

• Published in: Journal of psychosomatic research 2024-09, Vol.184, p.111864, Article 111864
• Main Authors: Schläpfer, Sonja, Astakhov, George, Pawel, Samuel, Eicher, Manuela, Kowatsch, Tobias, Held, Leonhard, Witt, Claudia M., Barth, Jürgen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Digital health; Female; Humans; Male; Meditation - methods; Middle Aged; Mind-body; Mindfulness - methods; Mobile Applications; Momentary relaxation; Neoplasms - psychology; Neoplasms - therapy; Oncology; Relaxation; Relaxation techniques; Relaxation Therapy - methods; Self-care
• ISSN: 0022-3999; 1879-1360; 1879-1360
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2024.111864

To examine the effects of six relaxation techniques on perceived momentary relaxation and a possible association of relaxation effects with time and practice experience in people with cancer. We used data from participants with cancer in a larger study practicing app-based relaxation techniques over 10 weeks, assessed momentary relaxation before and after every third relaxation practice, and analyzed momentary relaxation changes with a linear mixed-effects model. The sample included 611 before-after observations from 91 participants (70 females (76.9%)) with a mean age of 55.43 years (SD 10.88). We found moderate evidence for variations in momentary relaxation changes across different techniques (P = .026), with short meditation, mindfulness meditation, guided imagery, and progressive muscle relaxation more frequently observed and leading to more relaxation than body scan and walking meditation. Furthermore, we found moderate evidence for increasing momentary relaxation changes over time (P = .046), but no evidence for an association between momentary relaxation and the number of previous observations (proxy for practice experience; P = .47). We compared six app-based relaxation techniques in a real-life setting of people with cancer. The observed variations in perceived momentary relaxation appear to correspond with the popularity of the techniques used: The most popular relaxation techniques were the most effective and the least popular were the least effective. The effects increased over time, likely caused by dropout of individuals who gained no immediate benefit. Our findings open an interesting avenue for future research to better understand which relaxation techniques work best for whom in which situations. DRKS00027546; https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00027546 •Relaxation techniques can reduce cancer-related distress in the long term.•It is unclear if relaxation techniques give immediate benefit to people with cancer.•We show that different relaxation techniques have different immediate effects.•Popular relaxation techniques relax people with cancer, unpopular techniques do not.•Relaxation apps should offer a variety of relaxation techniques to choose from.