“Assess the Effectiveness of Benson’s Relaxation Therapy on Stress Among Female Laborers in Selected Industries of Silvassa, Dadra & Nagar Haveli”

Background of the study: Stress is a natural response to daily challenges, and while small amounts can be manageable, excessive stress harms health. Men and women differ in their cognitive function, tolerance, and emotional reactions to stress. Research by Dr. Judith Mohring suggests women often face more workload despite similar pressures. Relaxation techniques, like Benson’s relaxation therapy, effectively induce a calming “relaxation response.” Aim: The study was aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Benson’s relaxation therapy in alleviating stress among female laborers. Method: A pre-experimental one-group pre-test design was conducted with a conveniently selected sample of 60 female laborers to assess the effectiveness of Benson’s relaxation therapy for stress. Stress levels were measured using a predesigned and pre-validated self-structured questionnaire based on a 5-point Likert scale, focusing on factors causing stress. The questionnaire was administered during both the pre-test and post-test phases of the intervention, alongside a demographic tool. Data analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential statistics with SPSS version 21.0. Results: Data analysis using mean, SD, paired t-tests, and chi-square tests revealed significant stress reduction among female laborers after Benson’s relaxation therapy (t = 17.12, p < 0.001). Pre-intervention stress levels were categorized as surviving (53.3%), struggling (45%), and crisis (1.7%), which improved to thriving (68.3%) and surviving (31.7%) post-intervention. The significant reduction in stress levels confirmed the research hypothesis (H1), which proposed that Benson’s relaxation therapy would effectively reduce stress, and it was accepted at a 0.05 level of significance. Additionally, stress reduction was significantly associated with the residential area (H2 accepted, p < 0.05), while no significant association was found with other demographic variables, supporting the null hypothesis for those factors. Interpretation and conclusion: The results show that Benson’s relaxation therapy to be effective methods to reduce stress of female laborers. The study concluded that Benson’s relaxation therapy was effective in reducing the level of stress.