Biofeedback training: Offerings,plans, and some attitudes in graduate schools and internships

Graduate schools and APA-approved internships in North America were surveyed to determine the type and extent of biofeedback training, additional biofeedback training planned, requirements considered to be a minimum necessary before beginning clinical practice of biofeedback, when biofeedback is considered an appropriate application, and whether biofeedback is considered a passing fad in clinical practice. Questionnaires were returned by 56% of the graduate schools and 54% of the internships, and revealed training in 58% and 67% respectively. Training in biofeedback procedures appears to be growing, and most graduate schools and internships think that biofeedback is not a passing fad in clinical practice. Training emphases vary considerably across graduate schools and internships, with some schools and internships excluding theory and/or practice and/or research from their instruction. The results are discussed in relation to the question of determining which procedures to include in future instruction.     

Biofeedback,relaxation training,and music: Homeostasis for coping with stress

This study compared the efficacy of five relaxation training procedures, four of which employed EMG auditory feedback: (1) biofeedback only (BF), (2) autogenic training phrases (ATP), (3) music (MU), (4) autogenic training phrases and music (ATP & MU), and (5) a control group, in developing self-regulation of a cultivated low arousal state as a countermeasure to tensed muscular reaction to stressful imagery. Twenty subjects established a pre- and posttraining frontalis region EMG biofeedback baseline measurement. Sixteen subjects were assigned at random to the 25-minute taped relaxation training procedure. After eight training sessions (4 weeks), MU and ATP & MU groups achieved highly significant differences when compared with the control group. The ATP & MU group attained the lowest postbaseline arousal level measured by the EMG. EMG as a physiological measure for transfer of training functioned well in detecting the psychophysiological affect of stressful imagery.This report is based on a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts in Psychology degree by the author. The author extends his gratitude to Dr. Theodore Steiner, Dr. Paul Eskildsen, and Dr. Frank Hovell, who served on the committee, and to Rosemary Kolentus, for her help with this article.     

Biofeedback in psychomotor training. Electrophysiological bases

Comparison of influence of usual musical practice and the same trainings but using biofeedback on electrophysiological and psychological markers of optimal psychomotor functioning in 39 students-musicians revealed that the obvious musical practice caused psychomotor pressure in most students (with initially low individual alpha peak frequency), whereas similar practice combined with an individualized session of alpha-EEG/EMG biofeedback was accompanied by increase of alpha-activity in all examinees and a decrease (reduction) of integrated EMG that indicated reaching of optimal psychomotor functioning. It appears that the psychomotor learning ability depends on the baseline individual alpha-activity. Individual alpha peak frequency was associated with fluency and efficiency of psychomotor performance, individual alpha band width--with plasticity and creativity, individual amount of alpha suppression in response to opening eyes--with the level of selfactualization. These alpha activity EEG indices correlated with efficiency of the biofeedback training.     

Biofeedback training and human functional state control

Biofeedback (BFB) training paradigm has outstanding place among various approaches to non-phrarmacological human functional state correction. Being an universal way for voluntary self-regulation of physiological functions, it is characterized by efficacy, accessibility and absence of side effects. However, the lack of fundamental knowledge about the BFB mechanisms leads to existence of numerous difficulties and problems that seriously limit the BFB possibilities. Most difficulties seem to concern the problem of adequate choice of BFB type or parameter being voluntary controlled via feedback signals. Some ways to solve this problem are drown on the base of general systems theory. It is shown that BFB procedures could be especially effective in conditions of close interaction between the BFB mechanisms and the central regulatory mechanisms. Such interaction could be reacheb by utilization of certain characteristics of brain electrical activity reflected in the electroencephalogram (EEG). The most perspective seems to be the utilization of discrete narrow band EEG spectral components, individual resonance EEG oscillators or some correlates of human EEG amplitude modulation processes.     

Disciplinary attitudes and cigarette smoking: a comparison of two schools.

Two British boarding schools for boys with different disciplinary policies in respect of cigarette smoking were identified. Questionnaires were sent to the young "old boys" of each school to determine their present smoking habit and most were returned (school A 81%, school B 83%). Significantly more responders smoked who had been to the less strict school (school A 39%, school B 30%, p less than 0.05). These figures probably underestimate the smoking prevalence in the two complete groups. The results suggest that measures that reduce the exposure of an uncommitted adolescent to peer group smoking decrease the chances of tobacco dependence in adulthood.     

Biofeedback training in frontalis muscle relaxation and enhancement of belief in personal control

The hypothesis that biofeedback training in frontalis muscle relaxation increases beliefs in internal (personal) locus of control was tested. Subjects were divided into two groups (internals and externals) based on Mirels' (1970) factor analyzedpersonal control subscale of Rotter's (1966) I-E Scale. Internal and external subjects were assigned randomly to one of three conditions: biofeedback (BF), false feedback (FF), or no feedback (NF). All subjects were measured on frontalis electromyographic (EMG) activity. Training consisted of three sessions spaced 1 week apart. Each session was comprised of a 5-minute baseline (nonfeedback) trial followed by a 20-minute experimental session. After each experimental session, subjects completed a questionnaire which assessed the extent to which they attributed their EMG performance to personal and environmental sources. After three sessions, subjects were posttested on the I-E Scale. Results indicated that subjects receiving BF reduced their EMG activity more than did subjects in either the FF or NF conditions, and this effect was maintained across all three sessions. Subjects who received BF shifted toward internal personal locus of control from pre- to posttesting, whereas no such change was found for either FF or NF subjects. Also, the relationship between BF training and change in personal locus of control was mediated by subjects attributing their EMG reduction more to personal effort than to properties of the task. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of contingent feedback as a determinant of cognitions of control.     

Biofeedback instruments for the management of anxiety and for relaxation training

An EEG alpha biofeedback system and a portable GSR monitor/feedback box are described. The rationale for the use of these instruments in the management of anxiety and for relaxation training, respectively, is also described, as well as the training techniques presently in use at St. Bartholomew's Hospital.     

Biofeedback,self-control,and self-management

A common goal of biofeedback is self-control of physiologic responses. The conceptions and paradigms of the literature on self-control of motoric and cognitive responses were surveyed to provide a basis for the self-control of physiologic responses. An operational definition of self-control was advanced, and self-control was placed in the framework of a general self-management strategy which included discrimination and maintenance components.     

Strength in diversity: a cross-disciplinary approach to graduate training in chemical biology

Chemical biology graduate programs that are jointly organized by chemistry and life science departments can offer a stimulating 'bicultural' training environment for students from diverse backgrounds. However, communication, flexibility and responsiveness are crucial for effectively structuring such programs.     

Strength in diversity: a cross-disciplinary approach to graduate training in chemical biology

Chemical biology graduate programs that are jointly organized by chemistry and life science departments can offer a stimulating 'bicultural' training environment for students from diverse backgrounds. However, communication, flexibility and responsiveness are crucial for effectively structuring such programs.