Intervention: Relaxation CD
As with the acupressure treatments, those in the relaxation
CD condition experienced the intervention laying face up
on a massage table, fully clothed with shoes removed. Participants
lay quietly for 5 min, after which the PSM-9 was
administered. The relaxation CD was then played, which
was an adaptation of a commercially available relaxation
CD (‘‘Total Relaxation’’, Empowered Within, Salem, OR)
adjusted to match the acupressure treatments in length.
The CD had soothing background sounds (i.e., beach sounds,
crickets) and instructed participants to relax both mind
and body. As with acupressure treatments, a research assistant
remained in the room (behind a curtain) to monitor
data collection and match researcher presence in the acupressure
interventions. After the intervention, participants
completed the PSM-9 and rested for 5 min.