Multiple strategies for relaxation techniques to manage attrition or dropout in reducing Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) symptoms: A case study of Indonesian Homemaker

DOI

10.2991/iciap-18.2019.25How to use a DOI?

Keywords

anxiety symptom, attrition, dropout, multiple strategy intervention, relaxation

Abstract

Similar to other anxiety disorders, reducing the intensity and the emersion of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms of the client is somewhat necessary before managing the primary resource of the disorder. However, an undeniable circumstance is that the client experienced a stuck point where they felt that the intervention was too difficult to implement or irrelevant to their current problem. This condition usually leads to attrition/dropout that interfere with the progress of therapy sessions. Such a typical situation frequently occurred in Indonesian clients in the public medical service, and specifically in a client in a community health center, who was an Indonesia homemaker. There was a common misconception from the client that any treatment should lead to instant remedy, and could be implemented efficiently in her current routine. Moreover, the client’s involvement in therapy was usually based on her enthusiasm, comfort, and feelings of ease, and behavioral changes were observed in every session. One of the reasonable solutions to this problem is to encourage the client to use multiple strategies that share the main principles of intervention, in this case, using various relaxation techniques to reduce anxiety symptoms. With alternative resources, the clients could choose the method that fits best in their particular routine without diminishing its impact on the client’s symptoms. This research aimed to illustrate the dynamic process of GAD-symptoms intervention in a patient of the community medical service in Indonesia (Puskesmas), using two types of relaxation techniques, progressive relaxation, and deep-breathing orientation. The subject of this study was an outpatient fulltime homemaker from a middle class family who received a diagnosis of GAD from a psychologist and never sought professional treatment for her disorder. She held a common misconception about psychotherapy based on the interview prior therapy. Using the case study method, one participant was involved in this research. The subjective experience of the client and her behaviors related to anxiety here described and analyzed in chronological order based on the days within therapy sessions (the approximate duration of each session was 2 hours). The data was collected over 3 months of therapy sessions by using interview and observation as primary instruments. The result showed that the client felt more enthusiastic and helped with the alternative solution provided. She could choose the most comfortable technique that felt more compatible with her current routines, such as deep-breathing orientation when she had a tight schedule and progressive relaxation in opposite situations. She also felt more enthusiastic when she could share and teach her peers about the implemented relaxation techniques in her routine because of the simplicity and ease. There was also consistent reduction of the symptoms reported compared with the baseline and after the intervention using either progressive relaxation or deep-breathing orientation based on the client’s daily self-monitoring and researcher observation in the face-to-face sessions. These results provide a single clue that leads to the evidence of multiple relaxation strategies to overcome dropout/attrition in GAD clients. Furthermore, there was a slight contribution to provide the practical framework for research and intervention when managing an Indonesian client experiencing GAD and a stuck point during the intervention.

Copyright

© 2019, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press.

Open Access

This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Faiz Agung Baskoro
AU  - Lathifah Hanum
PY  - 2019/08
DA  - 2019/08
TI  - Multiple strategies for relaxation techniques to manage attrition or dropout in reducing Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) symptoms: A case study of Indonesian Homemaker
BT  - Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Intervention and Applied Psychology (ICIAP 2018)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 295
EP  - 307
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/iciap-18.2019.25
DO  - 10.2991/iciap-18.2019.25
ID  - Baskoro2019/08
ER  -