Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Biofeedback training versus simple instructions to reduce heart rate reactivity to a psychological stressor

  • Published:
Journal of Behavioral Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The effectiveness of cardiac education and visual biofeedback of heart rate as a training procedure to teach people to control their heart rate to a psychological stressor was investigated with 36 students, half of whom acted as control subjects. Training took 5 weeks and consisted of 30-min per week of awareness training, plus exercises to increase and decrease heart rate under rest and stressful conditions, with monetary rewards for success. Effects were tested by pre-post test comparisons between the control and the experimental groups, and results indicated that the group which received training significantly lowered its heart rate reactivity even though not specifically instructed to do so. However, when instructed to control heart rate reactivity for a monetary reward, the control group also succeeded at this task, raising several issues regarding the efficacy of reactivity training.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bradley, B., W., and McCanne, T. R. (1981). Autonomic responses to stress: The effects of progressive relaxation, the relaxation response, and expectancy of relief.Biofeedback Self-Regul. 6: 235–251.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, D. S., Ross, R. S., and Brady, J. V. (1984).Biofeedback heart rate training during exercise.Biofeedback Self-Regul. 2: 107–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jorgensen, R. S., Nash, J. K., Lasser, N. L., Hymowitz, N., and Langer, A. W. (1988). Heart rate acceleration and its relationship to total serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure reactivity in men with mild hypertension.Psychophysiology 25: 39–44.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leon, G. R., Finn, S. E., Murray, D., and Bailey, J. M. (1988). Inability to predict cardiovascular disease from hostility scores or MMPI items related to Type A behavior.J. Consul. Clin. Psychol. 56: 597–600.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lo, C. R., and Johnston, D. W. (1984). Cardiovascular feedback during dynamic exercise.Psychophysiology 21: 199–206.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Manuck, S. B., and Proietti, J. M. (1982). Behaviorally-induced heart-rate reactivity and atherosclerosis in cynomulgus monkeys.Psychosom. Med. 45: 95–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matthews, K. A., Weiss, S. M., Detre, T., Dembroski, T. M., Falkner, B., Manuck, S. B., and Williams, R. B. (1986).Handbook of Stress, Reactivity and Cardiovascular Disease, Wiley, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCanne, T. R. (1983). Changes in autonomic responding to stress after practice at controlling heart rate.Biofeedback Self-Regul. 8: 9–24.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McKinney, M. E., and Gatchel, R. J. (1982). The comparative effectiveness of heart rate biofeedback, speech skills training, and a combination of both intreating public speaking anxiety.Biofeedback Self-Regul. 7: 71–87.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moses, J., Clemens, W. J., and Brener, J. (1986). Bidirectional voluntary heart rate control during static muscular exercise: Metabolic and respiratory correlates.Psychophysiology 23: 510–520.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Perski, A., and Engel, B. T. (1980). The role of behavioral conditioning in the cardiovascular adjustment to exercise.Biofeedback Self-Regul. 5: 91–104.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ragland, D. R., and Brand, R. J. (1988). Type A behavior and mortality from coronary heart disease.N. Engl. J. Med. 318: 65–69.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reeves, J. L., and Shapiro, D. (1982). Heart rate biofeedback and cold pressor pain.Psychophysiology 19: 393–403.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reeves, J. L., and Shapiro, D. (1983). Heart-rate reactivity to cold pressor stress following biofeedback training.Biofeedback Self-Regul. 8: 87–99.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sharpley, C. F., Parsons, G. M., and Tillinh, H. (1989). Children's heart rate reactivity responses to three school tasks.Psychol. Schools (in press).

  • Victor, R., Mainardi, J. A., and Shapiro, D. (1978). Effect of biofeedback and voluntary control procedures on heart rate and perception of pain during the cold pressor test.Psychosom. Med. 40: 216–225.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wilcox, I., Fletcher, P. J., and Bailey, B. P. (1988). Colour-coded imaging of cardiac blood flow.Med. J. Austral. 148: 288–295.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, Monash University, 3168, Clayton, Victoria, Australia

    Christopher F. Sharpley

Authors
  1. Christopher F. Sharpley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This research was supported by National Heart Foundation of Australia Grant E 11.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sharpley, C.F. Biofeedback training versus simple instructions to reduce heart rate reactivity to a psychological stressor. J Behav Med 12, 435–447 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00844877

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00844877

Key words

Search

Navigation