Abstract:
This research investigated the impact of stress management and relaxation
techniques on psoriasis. It had a dual purpose to see if stress management and relaxation
techniques, as an adjunct to traditional medical treatment, would improve the skin
condition of psoriasis. In addition it attempted to provide psoriasis patients with a sense
of control over their illness by educating them about the connection between mind and
body through learning stress management and relaxation techniques.
The former purpose was addressed quantitatively, while the latter was addressed
qualitatively. Using an experimental design, the quantitative study tested the efficacy of
stress management and relaxation techniques on 38 dermatological patients from St.
John's, Newfoundland. The study which lasted ten weeks, suggested a weak relationship
between psoriasis and stress. These relationships were not statistically significant.
The qualitative data were gathered through unstructured interviews and
descriptive/interpretative analysis was used to evaluate them. Patients in the
experimental group believed in the mind body connection as it related to their illness and
stress. The findings also showed that the patients believed that the stress reduction and
relaxation techniques improved their quality of life, their level of psoriasis, and their
ability to live with the condition.
Based on the contradictory nature of the findings, further research is needed. It is
posited that replication of this study would be vastly improved by increasing the sample
size to increase the possibility of significant findings. As wel~ increasing the length of
time for the experiment would control for the possibility of a lag effect. Finally, the study looked at linear relationships between stress and psoriasis. Further study should ascertain
whether the relationship might be nonlinear
