Stress has long been reported to play a prominent role in the onset and course of diabetes mellitus. The present study first reviews the literature addressing the impact of stress on this disease, the physiological mechanisms and pathways the stress response might utilize, and psychotherapeutic tacts taken to date to ameliorate this response. A stress management package was then assembled, comprised of relaxation training, hypnosis, stress inoculation training, and imagery induction.

The aim of the thesis " A Physiotherapist's View of Overactive Bladder function in Multiple Sclerosis Patients" and the influence of physiotherapy on the symptoms of the overactive bladder. This thesis deals with exert influence on symptoms of an overactive bladder by physiotherapy. Therapy is based on the fact that guarding reflexes that maintains continence at the level of spine and subcortical (micturition centre in pons) are activated by the contraction of the pelvic floor muscles. Physiotherapy contains pelvic floor muscle training with biofeedback, behavioral training and training of stabilizing function of pelvic floor muscles. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of five track athletes (three men and two women, aged 18-33 yrs) during a season-long PST-Biofeedback training program designed to help them learn how to self-regulate physiologically, psychologically, and emotionally. Three key psychological skills were emphasized: focus (Janelle, 2002; Nideffer & Sagal, 2006), arousal control through biofeedback training (e.g., Bar-Eli, Dreshman, Blumenstein, & Weinstein, 2002), and debriefing (Hogg, 2002; McArdle, Martin, Lennon, & Moore, 2010). The program, which consisted of one-on-one initial and final semi-structured interviews with PST-biofeedback sessions in between, was individualized to meet each athlete’s needs and progress during the study. Results indicated that the athletes found the program helpful; they perceived an improvement in their ability to focus, debrief, and control arousal in the lab; and, to varying degrees, they transferred those skills into training and competition. The athletes also perceived an improvement in their sport performances.

It is understood that in order for athletes to perform to their potential consistently they must learn to optimally self-regulate their psychological and physiological states. Yet, the process by which this is accomplished is not well understood. The purpose of this doctoral dissertation was to explore the concept of self-regulation in the Olympic athlete population through the use of biofeedback and neurofeedback. To address this purpose, two studies were conducted. Study One (Article 1) used a quantitative methodology to explore the relationship between Olympic athletes’ overall self-regulation ability and world ranking. Fifteen Olympic level athletes underwent a 9-stage psychophysiological stress assessment to determine each athlete’s ability to return to baseline after a stress load was applied. Findings revealed that there was a significant correlation between the athletes’ overall self-regulation ability and their ranking at the world level, meaning the better the overall self-regulation ability of the athlete the better the world ranking. Study Two (Articles 2 and 3) employed a qualitative methodology and explored what and how five Olympic level athletes learned from participating in a 20 session biofeedback and neurofeedback training intervention. Data was collected from post-intervention interviews with the athletes. In Study Two, Olympic athletes perceived that the biofeedback and neurofeedback training intervention assisted them in learning to improve self-awareness and self-regulation of their physical and mental states enabling them to feel more in control during sport performances. Engaging in active learning exercises, receiving real-time formative feedback, and utilization of the intervention exercises in training and competition environments were how athletes perceived they learned to self-regulate. Together, the findings from the two studies highlight the relevance and intricacies of self-regulation in high performance sport. Overall, the present dissertation makes a contribution to the sport psychology literature particularly with regard to our understanding of the use of biofeedback and neurofeedback for enhancing self-regulation with Olympic athletes. Thus, learning to improve self-regulation skills using biofeedback and neurofeedback training should be an integral part of a comprehensive and holistic approach used by sport psychology practitioners in assisting athletes to perform to their potential.

This two-part study investigates the effectiveness of neurofeedback training for reducing behavioral problems commonly observed in abused/neglected children, and compares its efficacy to other treatment interventions with this population. Neuro-developmental sequelae of early relationship trauma are explored as an etiological framework for understanding disturbed affect-regulation, which appears central to the behavioral and emotional difficulties commonly experienced by this pediatric population. It is suggested that neurofeedback teaches children to self-regulate brain rhythmicity mechanisms, which in turn affects global improvements in behavior and mood. The pilot study utilizes records of 20 children removed from their biological homes by Child Protective Services. Children were assessed prior to treatment using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA), and again after 30 sessions of individualized, qEEG-guided neurofeedback training. A t-test analysis of pre- and post-scores was computed, and indicated significant improvements following treatment. A meta-analysis of existing literature on treatment interventions with abused/neglected children provides individual and aggregate effect sizes for 33 outcome studies with this clinical population, and contextualizes the results of the present pilot study within other empirically validated treatment modalities. Establishment of an overall effect size for treatment for this pediatric population provides a needed method of comparing research results across studies when control groups may not be ethical or feasible.

Biofeedback equipment is intended to train conscious regulation of normally sub-conscious processes like autonomic nervous system activities. The manufacturers claim that measurements made with the equipment are accurate enough for research purposes, but these claims have not been vigorously tested. The subconscious processes recorded with biofeedback equipment are often disturbed by stress, and the aim of this study was to determine if the markers of stress could be accurately determined with biofeedback equipment. The physiological processes that were screened were:<ul><li> Time and frequency domain heart rate variability (HRV) determined from blood-volume-pulse (BVP) </li><li> Time and frequency domain HRV determined from electrocardiogram (ECG) </li><li> The amplitude of the BVP</li><li> Electromyographic (EMG) activity</li><li> The pulse transit time</li><li> Respiration rate and depth</li><li> Skin conductivity</li><li> Fingertip temperature</li><li> Quantitative electroencephalographic (QEEG) activity</li></ul> The accuracy of the HRV measurements were tested by comparing them to readings made simultaneously with a gold-standard device (Actiheart), and the main findings were:<ul><li> The hardware capabilities of the two systems are comparable when it comes to registering heartbeats and calculating heart rate</li><li> The frequency domain biofeedback HRV variables had relatively good correlations to the Actiheart results, but improvements are necessary</li><li> Frequency domain HRV variables differ when calculated with fast Fourier transform or with autoregression</li><li> The BVP signal is prone to movement artifact and other forms of interference</li></ul> The HRV measurements of both the biofeedback and Actiheart device were correlated to psychometric evaluations of anxiety and burnout, two conditions closely related to the concept of stress. The main findings were:<ul><li> Worry and anxiety can have a cardiac accelerating effect, largely mediated by vagal withdrawal </li><li> A decrease in resting autonomic variability associated with anxiety</li><li> Significant autonomic nervous system inflexibility occurs in the face of a cognitive stressor with increased anxiety</li><li> An increase in vagal and a decrease in sympathetic cardiac control correlated with increased levels of vital exhaustion</li><li> HRV assessment with specialized software such as Polar Precision Performance Software and the advanced HRV Analysis 1.1 software for windows (Biomedical Signal Analysis Group) were superior to assessments by means of the Biograph Infinity program</li></ul> Next it was investigated whether any association existed between levels of anxiety, burnout and that of Biograph-derived physiological indicators such as BVP amplitude, BVP HRV, ECG HRV, pulse transit time, EMG, fingertip temperature, respiration rate and amplitude, skin conductivity and QEEG levels. The overriding observations with increases in the levels of stress-related emotional conditions such as anxiety were that of a decrease in variability in almost all physiological functions assessed by Biograph. In conclusion, relatively good associations were found between certain, but not all, Biofeedback monitor results and that of other assessments of stress. The potential exists to develop a program which would accurately reflect stress levels. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH) / Unrestricted

iGrooving is a generative music mobile application specifically designed for runners. The application’s foundation is a step-counter that is programmed using the iPhone’s built-in accelerometer. The runner’s steps generate the tempo of the performance by mapping each step to trigger a kick-drum sound file. Additionally, different sound files are triggered at specific step counts to generate the musical performance, allowing the runner a level of compositional autonomy. The sonic elements are chosen to promote a meditative aspect of running. iGrooving is conceived as a biofeedback-stimulated musical instrument and an environment for creating generative music processes with everyday technologies, inspiring us to rethink our everyday notions of musical performance as a shared experience. Isolation, dynamic changes, and music generation are detailed to show how iGrooving facilitates novel methods for music composition, performance and audience participation.

This project analyzed professionals' opinions about biofeedback and neurofeedback.

Student musicians were recruited to participate in an experimental repeated measures research design study to identify effects of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback training and emotional self-regulation techniques, as recommended by HeartMath® Institute, on music performance anxiety (MPA) and music performance. Fourteen students were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group following a 5 minute unaccompanied baseline performance. Treatment group participants received 4-5 HRV training sessions of 30-50 minutes each. Training included bibliotherapy, using the computerized Freeze-Framer® 2.0 interactive training software, instruction in the Freeze-Frame® and Quick Coherence® techniques of emotional regulation, and also use of an emWave® portable heart rate variability training device for home training. Measures included the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Performance Anxiety Inventory (PAI), Flow State Scale (FSS), average heart rate (HR), and heart rate variability (HRV). Quade's rank transformed ANCOVA was used to evaluate treatment and no-treatment group comparisons. Combined MPA scores showed statistical significance at p=.05 level with large effect size of eta2=.320. Individual measurements of trait anxiety showed a small effect size of eta2=.001. State anxiety measurement showed statistical significance at the p=.10 level with a large effect size eta2=.291. FSS showed no statistical or effect size difference. PAI showed no statistical significance and a large effect size eta2=.149. HR showed no statistical significance and a large effect size eta2=.143. HRV showed statistical significance at p=.000 level and a large effect size eta2=.698. This study demonstrated practical/clinical significance of a relatively quick and inexpensive biofeedback training that had large effect at decreasing mental, emotional, and physiological symptoms of MPA for university students.

After an initial four week baseline period, during which headache activity and medication consumption were monitored, 28 migraineurs were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: (a) the biofeedback temperature warming group, (b) the visual imagery group, (c) the combined treatment group, or (d) the comparison group. All four groups continued to monitor their headache activity and medication consumption during the eight week treatment period and the eight week follow-up period. A two way analysis of variance computed on groups over time indicated a significant decrease in headache activity and medication consumption. During the follow-up period (a) the combined treatment group had significantly fewer headaches than the biofeedback group or the comparison group and (b) the visual imagery group and the combined treatment group had significantly fewer headache hours than the biofeedback group or the comparison group. These results do not appear to be attributable to differences between groups on the amount of time spent in home practice or subjective ratings of relaxation. There was no consistent relationship between increases in finger temperature and headache activity improvement. Decreases in powerful other scores, as measured by the Health Attribution Test, and increases in subjective ratings of internal control were consistent with a reduction in headache activity and medication consumption.