Budzynski Behavioural: Biofeedback

Background: Biofeedback is a means for gaining control of our body processes to increase relaxation, relieve pain and develop healthier and more comfy life patterns. Biofeedback gives us information about ourselves by the means of external instruments, for example thermometers. It helps us to familiarise ourselves with our body processes and so can help us to learn to control them to relieve stress. Utilises operant conditioning strategies and concepts

First, electrodes are attached to your skin. They then send information to a monitoring box which translates measurements onto a computer screen. After that, the therapists leads you to do mental exercises- through trial and error you learn to identify the mental activities that will bring about physical changes (i.e. reduction of physical stress symptoms).

Aim: To see if biofeedback was effective in reducing tension headaches or whether it is due to the placebo effect.

Methodology: Experimental method with participants trained in a lab. Data was collected using muscle tension measurements with an electromyography. Psychometric tests for depression. Questionnaires on headaches. Independent measures with participants randomly assigned to 3 groups.

Procedure: 18 participants replied to a newspaper advert, 2 males and 16 females. Screened by telephone and then had psychological and medical examinations to ensure there were no other reasons for their headaches. Group A: Real biofeedback training with relaxation Group B: Biofeedback training but false feedback Group C: Used as a control group All groups kept a diary of their headaches for 2 weeks.

Results: After 3 months, group A’s muscle tension was significantly lower than the other two groups. Reported headaches in group A fell significantly compared to their baseline measurements, this did not happen in the other two groups.

Conclusions: Biofeedback is an effective way to reduce stress levels by reducing tension. By giving visible or audible feedback on the state of the body it is assumed that we would be more likely to repeat the method of reducing stress. These headaches are thought to be caused by sustained contraction of the scalp and neck muscles. Which is associated with stress, therefore by relaxing the muscles (reducing the stress response), the headaches should be reduced. Biofeedback is not a treatment. Rather, biofeedback training is an educational process for learning specialised mind/body skills. Learning to recognise physiological responses and alter them is not unlike learning how to play the piano or tennis - it requires practice. Through practice, we become familiar with our own unique psychophysiological patterns and responses to stress, and learn to control them rather than having them control us.

Evaluation

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