Binaural Beat Technology and Rhythmical Photic Stimulation

Summary

Background Many nurses must shoulder heavy workloads and often develop depressive emotions due to work stress. Previous studies pointed out that binaural beat technology (BBT) and rhythmical photic stimulation can effectively improve negative emotions but there are very few related empirical studies.

Objectives This study examined the effectiveness of BBT combined with rhythmical photic stimulation in improving depressive symptoms in nurses.

Methods This is a randomized controlled trial and nurses in central Taiwan were recruited as participants. These participants were randomized into three groups: BBT combined with rhythmical photic stimulation group, BBT group, and relaxing music group. The intervention period was 2 weeks, with 30 minutes per session. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), vitality and mental health scale (VT\&MH from SF-36), and heart rate variability (HRV) were used as parameters for pre- and posttest evaluation in this study. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to test if there are significant differences in various parameters in the three groups before and after intervention. The Krusal-Wallis test was used to test for significant differences in parameter changes between the three groups.

Conditions

• Depression

Interventions

OTHER

Sound and light therapy (BBT and FL group)

During intervention, the participants close their eyes and wear an eye mask and stereo earphones. They then listen to 30 minutes of 10 Hz BBT music (intercalated with relaxing music) through their mobile phone. The intervention music was first embedded in the participant's mobile phone and the BBT music application was purchased from the mobile phone app (Brainwave Studio software, Dalcoms Inc). When listening to music, 10 Hz light stimulation was added to the BBT and FL group (using a mobile phone). Table 1 shows the intervention status. The rhythmical photic stimulation program was a commercially available mobile phone app (Strobe Therapy software released by FuwhatSoft).

OTHER

Sound therapy group (BBT)

Participants in the sound therapy group (BBT) listened to 30 minutes of 10 Hz BBT music (intercalated with relaxing music) through their mobile phones. Except for rhythmical photic stimulation, the other steps were the same as the BBT and FL group.

OTHER

Relaxing music group

Participants listened to 30 minutes of relaxing music (the same as that of the experimental groups) through their mobile phone. Except for rhythmical photic stimulation and 10 Hz BBT, the other steps were the same as the experimental groups.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Cheng Kung University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

25 Years

Max Age

55 Years

Sex

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2021-09-01

Primary Completion

2022-09-30

Completion

2022-10-30

Countries

• Taiwan

Study Locations