Using relaxation techniques and positive self-esteem to improve academic achievement of college students.

This study examined whether after 20 sessions over 10 weeks of Jacobson's muscle relaxation accompanied by encouragement of positive self-esteem academic examination scores of 22 undergraduate college students would improve by comparison with those of a control group of 30 students. The relaxation group had significantly higher examination grades than the control group, but there was no significant mean difference between the groups on the Cattell and Scheier Anxiety Scale or a two-item measure of self-esteem.