Background and Aim: End-stage renal disease is a major health challenge worldwide. Patients with this disease need hemodialysis frequently. The disease and hemodialysis both negatively affect patients’ self-efficacy. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Benson’s relaxation technique on self-efficacy among patients receiving hemodialysis.

Material and Methods: This clinical trial included 60 patients who had been on hemodialysis in Imam Reza Hospital in Kermanshah. Initially, patients’ self-efficacy was evaluated by a General Self-Efficacy Scale. Then, patients were randomly allocated to either the control or the treatment groups. Patients in the treatment group were trained to perform the Benson’s relaxation technique on a daily basis for 60 consecutive days at their homes. Patients in the control group received no relaxation intervention. Immediately after the study, the same scale was used for reevaluating patients’ self-efficacy. We analyzed the data by independent t-test.

Results: 44% of the patients were male and 56% were female with a mean age of 45.31 ± 14.70 years. There was a significant difference between the mean values of self-efficacy before and after the intervention.

Conclusion: Benson’s relaxation technique had positive effects on self-efficacy among patients on hemodialysis. Therefore, it can be used for improving patients’ self-efficacy in hemodialysis units.

Keywords: Hemodialysis, Self-efficacy, Benson muscle relaxation.

Received: Feb 17, 2015      Accepted: Jan 04, 2016