Innovations in Biofeedback and Its Use in Mental Health

Summary

This study investigates the use of new technologies in "biofeedback gaming" and their potential for use as a treatment for stress and anxiety. Biofeedback training is typically accomplished through devices that measure heartrate variability (HRV), galvanic skin response (GSR), or electroencephalogram (EEG). Typically, the use of this equipment requires a practitioner with specialized training in reading and interpreting HRV, GSR, and/or EEG. However, recent advances in technology have made biofeedback devices more readily available to the general public, and some commercial devices are now being sold. This study investigates the utility of these commercial devices with a mild clinical population. In this study, participants use two tools for biofeedback training, one is called "The Pip," described in Group C, below, and another is a computer game called Nevermind, described in Groups A and B, below. These are compared against a control group (group D), which is standard relaxation training without biofeedback.

Conditions

• Anxiety
• Biofeedback, Psychology

Interventions

DEVICE

Biofeedback plus gaming (Nevermind)

Participants will receive relaxation training from a trained therapist while receiving biofeedback through the game Nevermind. Participants receive two 30-minute sessions per week, for 4 weeks, for a total of 8 sessions.

DEVICE

Biofeedback only (The Pip)

Participants receive relaxation training from a trained therapist with biofeedack through The Pip device. The Pip connects with 4 apps, The Loom, Relax \& Race, PipStressTracker, and Clarity. All 4 will be used in this study. Participants receive 2 30-minute sessions per week, for 4 weeks, for a total of 8 sessions.

BEHAVIORAL

Relaxation training

Standard relaxation training protocol often used in clinical care. Participants receive 2 30-minute sessions per week, for 4 weeks, for a total of 8 sessions.

BEHAVIORAL

Gaming only

Intervention is identical to the "Biofeedback plus gaming (Nevermind)" intervention, but in this case participants play Nevermind without any biofeedback. Thus, they receive 2 30-minute sessions of relaxation training per week, for 4 weeks, totaling 8 sessions. During relaxation training, they will play the Nevermind game, but without attaching to any biofeedback devices.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• East Tennessee State University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• IRB Chairperson · East Tennessee State University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2017-07-15

Primary Completion

2019-07-15

Completion

2019-07-15