Coping With Stress- Biofeedback Flashcards
What is biofeedback
Records the bodies responses to stress and shows it as visual data to individual.
Counteracting the body’s biological responses to stress, to control stress levels.
Learning to control ANS/involuntary body activities.
How does it work-
What does it measure and how do they prevent it.
Pp is attached to a monitor which gives visual feedback on changes in pp biology brought about by stress.
Eg changes in breathing rate, HR, muscle tension.
When the pp sees the biofeedback on the monitor they are taught techniques to reduce the biological response eg relaxation methods to reduce muscular tension or breathing techniques to reduce breathing rate and HR.
Person learns how to control and regulate symptoms of stress in the following 4 steps
1- electro codes are attached to your skin.
2-They then send information to a monitoring box which gives pp visual feedback.
3-Person is taught relaxation techniques reducing the activity of the SNS and activate the parasympathetic NS, slowing heart rate and makes them feel relaxed. This means that adrenaline and noradrenaline are no longer produced, this results in reduced heart rate, blood pressure and all other symptoms associated with stress
4-Relaxation acts like reward and encourages person to repeat this (operant conditioning- positive reinforcement)
-Person learns to use it in irl.
real-life situations
Biofeedback research support
Budzynski
Used biofeedback to treat tension headaches.
18 participants into 3 groups of six.
Group A- biofeedback sessions,
Group B- taught relaxation techniques
Group C- control group
Findings- Group A reported a significant decrease in headaches; this shows biofeedback is effective.
Evaluation of biofeedback
✅non invasive so no side effects
✅good as a long term treatment
✅can be used to reduce pain
❌expensive as requires specialist equipment and trained specialist. And more time consuming than drugs
