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Completed

NCT Number: NCT06661239

Effect of the Benson Relaxation Technique on Clinical Outcomes of Oncology Patients Admitted to Intensive Care Units

The benson Relaxation Technique (BRT), developed by Dr. Herbert Benson, is a method aimed at reducing stress and anxiety through a series of simple steps designed to elicit the "Relaxation Response." This response is a physiological state that counteracts the harmful effects of stress, characterized by decreased heart rate, lower metabolism, and reduced breathing rate

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Key information

Conditions

Oncology Patients Relaxation Program

Age range

18 year–60 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Faculty of Nursing

Damanhūr, Egypt

About this study

The benson relaxation consisted of the following steps: (1) Sitting or lying down quietly in a comfortable position; (2) Closing eyes; (3) Deeply relaxing all muscles, beginning at the feet and progressing up to the face. Keeping them relaxed; (4) Breathing through the nose. Becoming aware of breathing. Focus on a word, phrase, a short prayer, or only breathing. (6) Continuing for 15 minutes. When finished, sit quietly for several minutes, at first with eyes closed and later with eyes opened. Do not stand up for a few minutes.

According to the agreement, the patients in both groups were required to perform the Benson relaxation technique regularly twice daily (morning and evening) for three days in a row. Each session lasted 15 minutes

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Adult patients aged 18-60 years
  • diagnosed with cancer
  • alert and able to communicate.

Exclusion criteria

  • Patients who refused to participate in the study
  • Patients with cognitive impairment
  • Patient who unable to communicate

Treatment and study plan

Benson Relaxation

Behavioral

The benson relaxation consisted of the following steps: (1) Sitting or lying down quietly in a comfortable position; (2) Closing eyes; (3) Deeply relaxing all muscles, beginning at the feet and progressing up to the face. Keeping them relaxed; (4) Breathing through the nose. (5) Maintaining a passive attitude and permitting relaxation to occur at its own pace; (6) Continuing for 15 minutes. When finished, sit quietly for several minutes, at first with eyes closed and later with eyes opened. Do not stand up for a few minutes.

According to the agreement, the patients in both groups were required to perform the Benson relaxation technique regularly twice daily (morning and evening) for seven days in a row. Each session lasted 15 minutes

Routine care in unit

Behavioral

The routine care include in the unit will be delivered to control group

Primary outcomes

  1. Heart rate

    Time frame: daily for three days

    measure heart rate per min

  2. Blood pressure

    Time frame: daily for three days

    measure blood pressure in mmHg

  3. Respiratory rate

    Time frame: daily for three days

    measure respiratory rate per min

  4. The Rhodes Index of Nausea, Vomiting, and Retching

    Time frame: daily for three days

    It is a self-report tool designed to assess the severity and impact of nausea, vomiting, and retching on patients' 5-point categorical scales, the interval of each category was (maximum possible score/4-1 ) with the score being zero in the "none" category. For example, if the maximum possible score was 32, then, none: 0, mild: 1-8, moderate: 9-16, severe: 17-24, great: 24-32.

  5. The Numeric Pain Rating Scale

    Time frame: daily for three days

    The patient is asked to make three pain ratings, corresponding to current, best and worst pain experienced over the past 24 hours. scale is the most widely used single-dimension assessment scale.The total score is divided into 4 main categories: zero, which indicates no pain; 1-3 grades, which indicates mild pain; 4-6 grades, which indicate moderate pain; and 7-10 grades, which indicate severe pain

  6. Insomnia Severity Index Scale

    Time frame: daily for three days

    The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) is a widely used self-report questionnaire designed to assess the severity of insomnia. It consists of seven questions, each rated on a scale that reflects the severity of sleep problems experienced over the last two weeks. The total score is calculated by summing the responses to all seven items, with potential scores ranging from 0 to 28.

    Total Score Calculation 0-7: No clinically significant insomnia 8-14: Subthreshold insomnia 15-21: Clinical insomnia (moderate severity) 22-28: Clinical insomnia (severe)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Icu length

    Time frame: an average three months

    How long patient stay in ICU

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Damanhour University

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Oct 28, 2024
Registry last updated
Aug 6, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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