A Quasi-Experimental One Group Pre-Post Test Design in Air Traffic Controller in Indonesia: Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Abstract

Objectives: The effectiveness of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) in assessing the general health of air traffic controllers (ATC) is still insufficient, specifically when examining the psychological conditions of workers who use questionnaire instruments. Therefore, this research aimed to evaluate the use of PMR program in ATC by developing a model using biomarkers (saliva) tested on the cocorometer stress diagnostic tool and validity, including observing related determinants in the work environment. Methods: A quasi-experimental method was used, focusing on one group pre-post-test design for 92 respondents across six research areas in Indonesia. All respondents had received training in PMR methods conducted by psychologists. Subsequently, ongoing assistance was provided in implementing relaxation by a trained reminder team for eight weeks to maintain the precision and effectiveness of the intervention. Further analysis was conducted using the Wilcoxon signed rank test to evaluate the success of the intervention. Results: The implementation of PMR program in ATC reduced the incidence of stress levels after the observation. Statistically, the feeling of fatigue was a significant variable that decreased in mean value after the implementation of the relaxation program on the data review. The main benefit of PMR program in improving psychological health conditions (stress) was found in Surabaya branch ATC. Conclusions: The relaxation program was proven to reduce stress levels in ATC, showing an improvement in conditions before and after the implementation of PMR. Key words: Air traffic controller, Cocorometer, Flight navigation, Progressive muscle relaxation, Stress