Biofeedback Volume 52: Issue 1

This study used stress profiles to assess whether a biofeedback-assisted stress management program that previously documented decreased anxiety, stress symptoms, medication use, and increased well-being also had physiological effects. Psychophysiological stress profiles are used in quantifying an individual’s responses under stress and during recovery from stressors by looking at their degree of response, pattern of response, and degree of recovery. A stress profile measuring surface electromyography (sEMG), heart rate, and skin temperature was performed on 141 adults before and after their participation in a group relaxation and stress management program. After 10 sessions of skills training, the only significant change in physical parameters was warmer hand temperatures in both males and females. Temperature was also the only modality that was included as biofeedback training within the program. Trait anxiety (STAI) was significantly positively correlated with females’ sEMG before and after the program. Females had significantly colder hands, higher heart rate, and a pattern of higher sEMG than males did throughout all profiles. The responses and recovery from different stressors showed some significant male-female differences. Future psychophysiological and psychological studies should further investigate male-female differences.

Slow-paced muscle contraction (SPC) is an easily learned method for increasing heart rate variability (HRV). SPC provides an alternative to slow-paced breathing (SPB) in clinical and optimal performance applications. SPB can be challenging (e.g., chronic pain), anatomically impossible (e.g., phrenic nerve damage), or medically contraindicated (e.g., diabetes and kidney disease). SPC may be especially helpful for clients who breathe dysfunctionally or who cannot slow their breathing to the resonance frequency (RF) range. The RF is an individual’s unique stimulation rate that maximally increases HRV. Wrist-core-ankle SPC increases several HRV metrics more than only contracting the wrists and ankles. Preliminary evidence suggests that combining wrist-ankle SPC with SPB may increase HRV more than either method alone.

When threats are perceived, our thoughts and body respond almost immediately with defense reactions that may negatively affect us and others we know. Described are approaches that can interrupt negative stress responses and allow us to become calmer and less reactive by utilizing a set of somatic and breathing practices that assist in raising self-awareness as well as moderating the triggers and interrupting the cascades of stress reactions. Each of the specific practices can be introduced quickly, even in situations in which mental health first aid is indicated. For example, the practices introduce the S.O.S 1™ technique, an adapted Nyingma stress reduction exercise, and several breathing exercises, such as box breathing, sniff and sniff breathing, humming, and toning. The various practices are aimed at reducing or stopping over-reactive thoughts and body responses as well as increasing a sense of safety and control that allows you to think more clearly about difficult situations.

As the representative of AAPB, I attended the annual meeting of council representatives to the Federation of Associations in Brain and Behavioral Sciences (FABBS), December 4, 2023, in Washington, DC. AAPB is a member organization of FABBS, and AAPB pays a fee of $15 for each self-identified researcher in AAPB for this affiliation. FABBS functions as the eyes and ears in Washington of the behavioral and brain science community and serves as an intermediary between the societies and various federal agencies. There were a number of items presented at the meeting that would be of interest to researchers in AAPB.

SPECIAL ISSUE: Male-Female Differences in Psychophysiological Stress Profiles Before and After a Group Relaxation/Biofeedback Stress Management Program

SPECIAL ISSUE: Slow-Paced Contraction: An Evidence-Based Method for Increasing Heart Rate Variability

WHAT ABOUT THIS?: Quick Somatic Rescue Techniques when Stressed

REPORT: Some Opportunities and Complications in Relating to Federal Agencies: A Report on the 2023 Council of Representatives Meeting of the Federation of Associations in Brain and Behavioral Sciences

REPORT: Report from FABBS Meeting

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT: Establishing a University-Based Biofeedback Clinic for Practice, Education, and Research

SPECIAL ISSUE: The Impact of a Romantic Partner on Patient Experience of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback

SPECIAL ISSUE: Pain—There Is Hope

ABSTRACTS: Abstracts of Papers Presented at the 54th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback