IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i5p4344-d1083578.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Autogenic Training in Mental Disorders: What Can We Expect?

Author

Listed:
  • Dagmar Breznoscakova

    (Department of Social and Behavioural Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Safarik University, Trieda SNP 1, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia
    Center for Mental Functions, Crystal Comfort, LLC, M. R. Stefanika 2427, 093 01 Vranov nad Toplou, Slovakia)

  • Milana Kovanicova

    (2nd Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Louis Pasteur, Rastislavova 43, 041 90 Kosice, Slovakia)

  • Eva Sedlakova

    (Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Safarik University, Trieda SNP 1, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia)

  • Maria Pallayova

    (Department of Human Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Safarik University, Trieda SNP 1, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia)

Abstract

Autogenic training (AT) is a well-established self-induced relaxation technique based on autosuggestion. From the past two decades, an increasing number of AT studies strongly suggests the practical usefulness of psychophysiological relaxation in the area of medicine. Despite this interest, to date, limited critical clinical reflection on the application and effects of AT in mental disorders exists. The present paper reviews psychophysiological, psychopathological, and clinical aspects of AT in persons with mental disorders with emphasis on implications for future research and practice. Based on a formal literature search, 29 reported studies (7 meta-analyses/systematic reviews) were identified that examined the effects and impact of AT on mental disorders. The main psychophysiological effects of AT include autonomic cardiorespiratory changes paralleled by central nervous system activity modifications and psychological outputs. Studies demonstrate consistent efficacy of AT in reducing anxiety and medium range positive effects for mild-to-moderate depression. The impact on bipolar disorders, psychotic disorders, and acute stress disorder remains unexplored. As an add-on intervention psychotherapy technique with beneficial outcome on psychophysiological functioning, AT represents a promising avenue towards expanding research findings of brain–body links beyond the current limits of the prevention and clinical management of number of mental disorders.

Suggested Citation

  • Dagmar Breznoscakova & Milana Kovanicova & Eva Sedlakova & Maria Pallayova, 2023. "Autogenic Training in Mental Disorders: What Can We Expect?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-15, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4344-:d:1083578
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/4344/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/4344/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kinga Rucka & Monika Talarowska, 2022. "The Impact of One-Time Relaxation Training on Attention Efficiency Measured by Continuous Performance Test in Depressive Disorders," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-10, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.

      Corrections

      All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4344-:d:1083578. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

      If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

      If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

      If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

      For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

      Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

      IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.