Effectiveness of the Relax-ATM intervention in reducing anxiety and stress and improving readiness for chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a common treatment for cancer, but it often leads to significant side effects, including psychological distress such as anxiety and stress, which may reduce patients’ readiness for treatment. Non-pharmacological interventions, including relaxation techniques, have shown promise in managing these effects. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Relax-ATM intervention package—a combination of Benson relaxation, aromatherapy, and foot massage—in reducing anxiety and stress and enhancing chemotherapy readiness. A quasi-experimental design was used involving 60 breast cancer patients undergoing at least their second chemotherapy cycle at a referral hospital in Aceh Province, Indonesia, between September and October 2024. Participants were divided equally into intervention and control groups. The intervention group received the Relax-ATM package, while the control group received standard care. Results indicated significant reductions in anxiety (mean score: 8.83 ± 2.33 vs. 11.10 ± 3.26, p = 0.003) and stress (14.70 ± 2.17 vs. 18.67 ± 5.29, p = 0.001), as well as significant improvements in physical (8.03 ± 0.62 vs. 7.40 ± 1.01, p = 0.005) and psychological (8.00 ± 0.83 vs. 7.40 ± 1.00, p = 0.014) readiness for chemotherapy in the intervention group. These findings suggest that the Relax-ATM intervention is an effective non-pharmacological approach to improve emotional well-being and treatment preparedness in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.