In this study, the Donovan (1980) Relaxation with Guided Imagery (RGI) script was tested to investigate its effects on reducing state anxiety, as measured by the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), on 33 graduate nursing students. The RGI script was administrated three times, at two week intervals between sessions, in a one-group pretest/post-test pre-experimental design. Findings revealed state anxiety levels were reduced in each of the three administrations at the .001 level of confidence; that anxiety reduction was short-term, returning to previous levels in two weeks; and that trait anxiety levels were unchanged. Future research is needed to clarify the relationship between variables.
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