A group of 39 elderly subjects whose mean age was 76 years were taught a
standard mnemonic technique to improve face and name recall. About half of
the subjects (the experimental group) received relaxation training before
learning the mnemonic, and the remainder (the control group) were taught a
nonspecific method to improve attitudes. Final performance on name and face
recall improved significantly more in the experimental group, and this
improvement was significantly correlated with decreased state anxiety
scores. These results indicate that relaxation training may enhance the
ability of elderly individuals to benefit from memory and similar training
programs.Abstract Teaser