The spring 2022 issue of Biofeedback magazine featured a special issue on evidence-based practice. This summer issue continues the emphasis of that spring issue, featuring book chapters from the upcoming fourth edition of the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB) book, Evidence-Based Practice in Biofeedback and Neurofeedback (Khazan, Shaffer, Moss, Lyle, & Rosenthal, in press). Each of these articles applied the AAPB/International Society for Neuroregulation & Research efficacy standards to an application area for biofeedback and neurofeedback. Complete details of the efficacy standards are available in LaVaque et al.The Special Issue
The purpose of this article is to review the evidence for the efficacy of treating major depressive disorder with neurofeedback using an electroencephalogram (EEG) and/or functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), as well as with biofeedback using electromyography (EMG) and heart rate variability (HRV). We summarized 33 peer-reviewed manuscripts reporting on the efficacy of one or more of these protocols, organized by randomized control trials (RCTs), quasi-experimental designs, and case studies of various designs. We evaluated these manuscripts by mapping them onto the “Template for Developing Guidelines for the Evaluation of Clinical Efficacy of Psychophysiological Interventions” (LaVaque et al., 2002). In summary, at least two RCTs have shown that both neurofeedback and biofeedback are superior to bona fide treatments in treating participants diagnosed with major depressive disorder. As such, both neurofeedback and biofeedback meet the LaVaque and colleagues' criteria for Level 5 – Efficacious and Specific. The details for efficacy are discussed within the context of the protocols, participant characteristics, and study design.
As defined by the International League Against Epilepsy, epilepsy is a “disorder of the brain characterized by an enduring predisposition to generate epileptic seizures and by the neurobiologic, cognitive, psychological, and social consequences of this condition” (Fisher et al., 2014, p. 476). An estimated 50–65 million people worldwide have epilepsy, making it one of the most common neurological diseases globally (World Health Organization [WHO], 2022). The estimated proportion of the general population with active epilepsy (i.e., continuing seizures or continuing need for treatment to suppress seizures) at any given time is between 4 and 10 per 1,000 people
Principles and Practice of Stress Management (4th Edition), edited by Paul Lehrer and Robert Woolfolk, is truly a unique book. While most books on stress management review general principles without providing theoretical foundations or addressing the underlying research literature, this volume takes an empirical perspective, focusing on what has been proven to work, and clearly presenting the theoretical foundations for each principle. This book also presents the “how” of each principle, addressing best practices in conducting stress management interventions in each area. Each chapter is written by an expert in the field with significant experience in using the specific