Abstract
Fifteen years of research in the self-regulatory treatment of hypertension by the author is summarized. A model relating expectations, task performance, home practice, and biochemical variables to the thermal biofeedback treatment of hypertension is presented.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agras, W. S., Horne, M., & Taylor, C. B. (1982). Expectation and the blood-pressure-lowering effects of relaxation.Psychosomatic Medicine, 44, 389–395.
Agras, W. S., Southam, M. A., & Taylor, C. B. (1983). Long-term persistence of relaxation-induced blood pressure lowering during the working day.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51, 792–794.
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change.Psychological Review, 84, 191–215.
Benson, H. (1975).The relaxation response. NY: William Morrow.
Benson, H., Shapiro, D., Tursky, B., & Schwartz, G. E. (1971). Decreased systolic blood pressure through operant conditioning techniques in patients with essential hypertension.Science, 173, 740–742.
Blanchard, E. B., Andrasik, F., Appelbaum, K. A., Evans, D. D., Jurish, S., E., Teders, S. J., Rodichok, L. D., & Barron, K. D. (1985). The efficacy and cost-effectiveness of minimal-therapist-contact, non-drug treatments of chronic migraine and tension headache.Headache, 25, 214–220.
Blanchard, E. B., Haynes, M. R., Kallman, M. D., & Harkey, L. (1976). A comparison of direct blood pressure feedback and electromyographic feedback on the blood pressure of normotensives.Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 1, 445–451.
Blanchard, E. G., Martin, J. E., & Dubbert, P. M. (1988).Non-drug treatments for essential hypertension. Elmsford, NY: Pergamon Press.
Blanchard, E. B., McCaffrey, R. J., Musso, A., Gerardi, M. A., & McCoy, G. C. (1987). A controlled comparison of thermal biofeedback and relaxation training in the treatment of essential hypertension: III. Psychological changes accompanying treatment.Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 12, 227–240.
Blanchard, E. B., McCoy, G. C., Berger, M., Musso, A., Pallmeyer, T. P., Gerardi, R., Gerardi, M. A., & Pangburn, L. (1989). A controlled comparison of thermal biofeedback and relaxation training in the treatment of essential hypertension: IV. Prediction of short-term clinical outcome.Behavior Therapy, 20, 405–415.
Blanchard, E. B., McCoy, G. C., McCaffrey, R. J., Berger, M., Musso, A. J., Wittrock, D. A., Gerardi, M. A., Halpern, M., & Pangburn, L. (1987). Evaluation of a minimal-therapist-contact thermal biofeedback treatment program for essential hypertension.Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 12, 93–103.
Blanchard, E. B., McCoy, G. C., McCaffrey, R. J., Musso, A., Wittrock, D. A., Berger, M., Gerardi, M. A., Pangburn, L., Khramelashvili, V. V., Aivasyan, T. A., & Salenko, B. B. (1988). The USSR-USA collaborative cross-cultural comparison of autogenic training and thermal biofeedback in the treatment of mild hypertension.Health Psychology, 7, 19–33.
Blanchard, E. B., McCoy, G. C., McCaffrey, R. J., Wittrock, D. A., Musso, A., Berger, A., Aivasyan, T. A., Khramelashvili, V. V., & Salenko, B. B. (1988). The effects of thermal biofeedback and autogenic training on cardiovascular reactivity: The joint USSR-USA behavioral hypertension treatment project.Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 13, 25–38.
Blanchard, E. B., McCoy, G. C., Musso, A., Gerardi, M. A., Pallmeyer, T. P., Gerardi, R. J., Cotch, P. A., Siracusa, K., & Andrasik, F. (1986). A controlled comparison of thermal biofeedback and relaxation training in the treatment of essential hypertension: I. Short-term and long-term outcome.Behavior Therapy, 17, 563–579.
Blanchard, E. B., McCoy, G. C., Wittrock, D. A., Musso, A., Gerardi, R., & Pangburn, L. (1988). A controlled comparison of thermal biofeedback and relaxation training in the treatment of essential hypertension: II. Effects on cardiovascular reactivity.Health Psychology, 7, 19–33.
Blanchard, E. B., Miller, S. T., Abel, G. G., Haynes, M. R., & Wicker, R. (1979). Evaluation of biofeedback in the treatment of borderline essential hypertension.Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 12, 99–109.
Blanchard, E. B., Murphy, W. D., Haynes, M. R., & Abel, G. G. (1979, December).Controlled comparison of four kinds of relaxation training in the treatment of hypertension. Paper presented at the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, 13th annual convention, San Francisco, CA.
Blanchard, E. B., & Young, L. D. (1974). Clinical applications of biofeedback training: A review of evidence.Archives of General Psychiatry, 30, 573–589.
Blanchard, E. B., Young, L. D., & Haynes, M. R. (1975). A simple feedback system for the treatment of elevated blood pressure.Behavior Therapy, 6, 241–245.
Blanchard, E. B., Young, L. D., Haynes, M. R., & Kallman, M. D. (1974). A simple feedback system for self-control of blood pressure.Perceptual and Motor Skills, 39, 891–898.
Brauer, A. B., Horlick, L., Nelson, E., Farquhar, J. W., & Agras, W. S. (1979). Relaxation therapy for essential hypertension: A Veterans Administration outpatient study.Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 2, 21–29.
Cottier, C., Shapiro, K., & Julius, S. (1984). Treatment of mild hypertension with progressive muscle relaxation.Archives of Internal Medicine, 144, 1954–1958.
Elder, S. T., & Eustis, N. K. (1975). Instrumental blood pressure conditioning in out-patient hypertensives.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 13, 185–188.
Elder, S. T., Ruiz, Z. B., Deabler, H. L., & Dillenkoffer, R. L. (1973). Instrumental conditioning of diastolic blood pressure in essential hypertensive patients.Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 6, 377–382.
Fahrion, S., Norris, P., Green, A., Green, E., & Snarr, C. (1986). Biobehavioral treatment of essential hypertension: A group outcome study.Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 11, 257–278.
Glasgow, M. S., Engel, B. T., & D'Lugoff, B. C. (1989). Control study of a standardized behavioral stepped treatment for hypertension.Psychosomatic Medicine, 51, 10–26.
Glasgow, M. S., Gaarder, K. R., & Engel, B. T. (1982). Behavioral treatment of high blood pressure II. Acute and sustained effects of relaxation and systolic blood pressure biofeedback.Psychosomatic Medicine, 44, 155–170.
Goldstein, I. B., Shapiro, D., Thananopavaren, C., & Sambhi, M. P. (1982). Comparison of drug and behavioral treatments of essential hypertension.Health Psychology, 1, 7–26.
Hoelscher, T. J., Lichstein, K. L., Fischer, S., & Hegarty, T. B. (1987). Relaxation treatment of hypertension: Do home relaxation tapes enhance treatment?Behavior Therapy, 18, 33–37.
Jurish, S. E., Blanchard, E. B., Andrasik, F., Teders, S. J., Neff, D. F., & Arena, J. G. (1983). Home- versus clinic-based treatment of vascular headache.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51, 743–751.
Lee, D. D., DeQuattro, V., Allen, J., Kimura, S., Aleman, E., Konugres, G., & Davison, G. (1988). Behavioral vs. B-blocker therapy in patients with primary hypertension: Effects on blood pressure, left ventricular function and mass, and the pressor surge of social stress anger.American Heart Journal, 116, 647–644.
Libo, L. M., & Arnold, G. E. (1983). Does training to criterion influence improvement? A follow-up study of EMG and thermal biofeedback.Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 6, 397–404.
Libo, L. N., & Arnold, G. E. (1983). Relaxation practice after biofeedback therapy: A long-term follow-up study of utilization effectiveness.Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 8, 217–227.
McCoy, G. C., Blanchard, E. B., Wittrock, D. A., Morrison, S., Pangburn, L., Siracusa, K., & Pallmeyer, T. P. (1988). Biochemical changes associated with thermal biofeedback treatment of hypertension.Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 13 139–150.
McCoy, G. C., Fein, S., Blanchard, E. B., Wittrock, D. A., McCaffrey, R. J., & Pangburn, L. (1988). End organ changes associated with the self-regulation treatment of mild essential hypertension.Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 13 39–46.
McCoy, G. C., Pangburn, L., Jacobsen, N. A., Blanchard, E. B., Prins, A., Wittrock, D. A., & Berger, M. (1989). Biochemical changes associated with two treatments of hypertension: Thermal biofeedback and autogenic training. Proceedings of the 20th annual meeting, Association of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. Wheat Ridge, CO: Association of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, pp. 133–136.
McGrady, A. V., & Higgins, J. T. (1989). Prediction of response to biofeedback-assisted relaxation in hypertensives: Development of a Hypertensive Predictor Profile (HYPP).Psychosomatic Medicine, 11, ?
McGrady, A., Utz, S. W., Woerner, M., Bernal, G. A. A., & Higgins, J. T. (1986). Predictors of success in hypertensives treated with biofeedback-assisted relaxation.Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 11 95–103.
Miller, N. E. (1975). Clinical applications of biofeedback: Voluntary control of heart rate, rhythm, and blood pressure. In H. I. Russek (Ed.),New horizons in cardiovascular practice (pp. 245–246). Baltimore: University Park Press.
Miller, N. E. (1972). Postscript. In D. Singh & C. T. Morgan (Eds.),Current Status of Physiological Psychology: Readings. Moneterey, CA: Brooks-Cole.
Patel, C. H. (1973). Yoga and biofeedback in the management of hypertension.Lancet, ii 1053–1055.
Patel, C. H. (1975). Twelve-month follow-up of yoga and biofeedback in the management of hypertension.Lancet, 1 62–67.
Patel, C. H., & North, W. R. S. (1975). Randomized controlled trial of yoga and biofeedback in management of hypertension.Lancet, 2 93–99.
Schlundt, D. G., & Langford, H. G. (1985). Dietary approaches to the treatment of hypertension.Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 7 19–24.
Schwartz, G. E., & Shapiro, D. (1973). Biofeedback and essential hypertension: Current findings and theoretical concerns. In L. Birk (Ed.),Biofeedback: Behavioral medicine. NY: Grune & Stratton.
Shapiro, D., Tursky, B., & Schwartz, G. E. (1970). Control of blood pressure in man by operant conditioning.Circulation Research, 26 (Suppl. 1), 27–32.
Shapiro, D., Tursky, B., Gershon, E., & Stern, M. (1969). Effects of feedback and reinforcement on control of human systolic blood pressure.Science, 163 588–590.
Shaw, E. R., & Blanchard, E. B. (1983). The effects of instructional set on the outcome of a stress management program.Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 8 555–565.
Shellenberger, R., & Green, J. A. (1986).From the ghost in the box to successful biofeedback training. Greeley, CO. Health Psychology Publication.
Silver, B. V., & Blanchard, E. B. (1978). Biofeedback and relaxation training in the treatment of psychophysiological disorders: Or, are the machines really necessary?Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 1 217–239.
Stone, R. A., & DeLeo, J. (1976). Psychotherapeutic control of hypertension.New England Journal of Medicine, 294 80–84.
Surwit, R. S., Shapiro, D., & Good, I. M. (1978). Comparison of cardiovascular biofeedback, neuromuscular biofeedback and meditation in the treatment of borderline essential hypertension.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 46 252–263.
Taylor, C. B., Farquhar, J. W., Nelson, E., & Agras, W. S. (1977). Relaxation therapy and high blood pressure.Archives of General Psychiatry, 34 339–343.
Wittrock, D. A., Blanchard, E. B., & McCoy, G. C. (1988). Three studies in the relation of process to outcome in the treatment of essential hypertension with relaxation and thermal biofeedback.Behavior Research and Therapy, 26 53–66.
Wittrock, D. A., Blanchard, E. B., McCoy, G. C., McCaffrey, R. J., & Khramelashvili, V. V. (1988). Stress management procedures in the treatment of essential hypertension: Relationship of patient expectancies to treatment outcome. Proceedings of the 19th annual meeting, Biofeed-back Society of America (pp. 224–227). Wheat Ridge, CO: Biofeedback Society of America.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Essentially, all of the research reported herein was supported by various grants from NHLBI: HL-14906, HL-18814, HL-27622, and HL-31189.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Blanchard, E.B. Biofeedback treatments of essential hypertension. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation 15, 209–228 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01011106
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01011106