Combining biofeedback with stress management: a systematic review
Biofeedback – using real-time physiological data to guide relaxation or regulation – is often combined with other stress management approaches, but the evidence for this combination is scattered. This systematic review brings it together, examining both the physiological and psychological effects of biofeedback-augmented stress management. Useful for clinicians and researchers considering biofeedback as a complement to psychological intervention.
Abstract
Current mental healthcare systems experience difficulties meeting the challenges of a growing population with elevated stress symptoms. Outpatient stress management interventions have already proven to be effective in routine care and recent technological advances now allow to expand such interventions, for example by adding a physiological component like biofeedback. Adding biofeedback to stress management interventions appears promising, but there is a lack of insight into the general conceptualization and evaluation of the resulting interventions, both in relation to psychological and physiological stress indicators.
A comprehensive literature search was performed to investigate stress management interventions with a biofeedback component. This systematic review provides an overview of these interventions and explores to what extent they can improve both physiological and psychological indicators of stress.
Fourteen RCTs were included. A large diversity was observed in intervention design and effectiveness.
Nevertheless, there is preliminary evidence that the use of biofeedback can improve both physiological and psychological indicators of stress. Biofeedback could provide an accessible and low-cost addition to stress interventions. Further research into the effectiveness of different components of biofeedback interventions is needed.
Keywords: biofeedback, stress management, systematic review, physiological effects, psychological effects
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Reference
De Witte, N. A. J., Buyck, I., & Van Daele, T. (2019). Combining biofeedback with stress management interventions: a systematic review of physiological and psychological effects. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 44, 71–82. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-018-09427-7