The Effect of Benson’s Relaxation Technique on Pain Intensity, Belief, Perception, and Acceptance in adult Hemophilia Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: Most hemophilia patients experience pain in their lives. Some complementary interventions might affect pain belief. This study aimed to determine the effect of Benson’s relaxation technique on pain intensity, pain belief and perception, and pain acceptance in hemophilia patients. METHODS: In this clinical trial study, 80 hemophilia patients were divided into an intervention (relaxation technique) and a control (routine care) group based on block randomization. This study was conducted in the hemophilia center of Shahid Dastgheib hospital affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences from October to December 2018. The intervention group listened to a voice containing relaxation technique twice a day for eight weeks. Numeric rating scale, pain belief and perception inventory, and chronic pain acceptance questionnaires were completed at the beginning and eight weeks after the intervention. Data were analyzed by SPSS 21 using independent t-test, Paired-t-test, Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U test, and ANCOVA. P-value <0.05 was considered as significant. RESULTS: After the intervention, the mean scores of pain intensity, pain belief and perception inventory, and pain acceptance in the intervention group were 4.26±2.17, -13.35±1.50, and 67.24±9.49 and in the control groups were 5.85±2.61, -2±1.70, and 56.57±11.04, respectively. After the intervention, a difference was found between the groups regarding the mean score of pain intensity (P=0.007), pain belief and perception inventory (P<0.001) and its subscales (P<0.05) as well as total pain acceptance (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: This study showed relaxation technique can be applied to reduce these patients’ pain intensity, improve their pain belief and perception, and enhance their pain acceptance. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: IRCT20180311039037N1.