Written by Helen Cooke and the CAM-Cancer Consortium.
Updated August 24, 2011

Autogenic therapy

Abstract and key points

  • Autogenic therapy refers to a particular technique of mental exercises involving relaxation and autosuggestion, which aims to teach individuals to switch off the fight/fligh/fight stress response at will.
  • Based on one clinical trial and two pilot studies, it is not possible to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of autogenic therapy for people with cancer.
  • Autogenic therapy has a good safety record.

Autogenic therapy refers to a particular technique of mental exercises involving relaxation and autosuggestion, which aims to teach individuals to switch off the fight/flight/fight stress response at will.

Reduced state anxiety, pain, depressed mood symptoms, improved sleep parameters and generic quality of life have been reported in patients who participated in autogenic therapy following cancer treatment. Due to the low number of published trials (one clinical trial and two pilot studies), it is, however, not possible to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of autogenic therapy for people with cancer.

It is not possible to test the efficacy of autogenic training, due to the difficulty in creating appropriate and credible placebo conditions.

Autogenic therapy has a good safety record.

Citation

Helen Cooke, CAM-Cancer Consortium. Autogenic therapy [online document]. http://www.cam-cancer.org/CAM-Summaries/Mind-body-interventions/Autogenic-therapy. August 24, 2011.

Document history

Summary first published in August 2011, authored by Helen Cooke.

References

  1. Ernst E, Kanji N. Autogenic training for stress and anxiety: A systematic review. Complementary therapies in Medicine. 2000; 8(2): 106-110.
  2. Payne, R and Donaghy, M. 2010. Fourth Edition. Payne’s Handbook of Relaxation Techniques: a practical guide for the health care professional. London: Churchill Livingstone, Elsevier.
  3. Hudacek KD. A review of the effects of hypnosis on the immune system in breast cancer patients: a brief communication. Int J Clin Exp Hypn 2007; 55(4):411-
  4. British Autogenic Society website. www. autogenic-therapy.org.uk [accessed 02.03.10].
  5. Hidderley M and Holt M. A pilot randomized trial assessing the effects of autogenic training in early stage cancer patients in relation to psychological status and immune system responses. European Journal of Oncology Nursing. 2004; 8(1): 61-5.
  6. Kanji N. Management of pain through autogenic training. Complementary Therapies in Nursing & Midwifery. 2000; 6(3): 143-8.
  7. Gansler T, Kaw C, Crammer C, Smith T. A population-based study of prevalence of complementary methods use by cancer survivors: a report from the American Cancer Society's studies of cancer survivors. Cancer.2008:113(5);1048-57.
  8. Simeit R, Deck R and Conta-Marx B. Sleep management training for cancer patients with insomnia. Supportive care in Cancer. 2004; (3): 176-83.
  9. Wright S, Courtney, U, Crowther, D A quantitative and qualitative pilot study for the perceived benefits of autogenic training for a group of people with cancer. European Journal of Cancer Care. 2002 11:122-130.
  10. Ernst E, Pittler M, Wider B and Boddy K. Oxford Handbook of Complementary Medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.
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