The relaxation zone: Initial analysis of stress management services for university students.

We evaluated the Relaxation Zone (RZ), a room with "relaxation stations" designed to reduce stress in college students. Participants ( = 994) were enrolled during the 2019 calendar year. Most participants were female (62.8%), freshmen (59.3%), and African American (44.9%). Students visiting the RZ completed a brief pretest and posttest that measured self-reported stress. Paired sample -tests across class groups (e.g., freshman, sophomore) revealed a significant reduction in stress from pretest ( = 6.0) to posttest ( = 4.5), with medium to large effect sizes (Cohen's ranging from 0.53 to 0.88) during their first visit. For students having at least two visits ( = 348), an exploratory dose-response analysis demonstrated that an optimal dose of self-guided relaxation ranged from two to eight visits. These findings provide initial evidence that programs like the RZ can reduce student stress within a few visits.