A systematic review including 13 studies was abstracted in DARE. Self-management programmes were associated with a statistically significant decrease of 5 mmHg in systolic blood-pressure (ES -0.39, 95% CI: -0.51 to -0.28) and 4.3 mmHg in diastolic blood-pressure (ES -0.51, 95% CI: -0.73 to -0.30). The ES for the 7 studies that focused primarily on relaxation response or anxiety management was not significantly different from that of the remaining 6 studies.
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by a possibility of publication bias.