Abstract
In order to assess the efficacy of a behavioral intervention in the treatment of idiopathic Raynaud's disease, 30 female patients were trained to control their digital skin temperature using autogenic training or a combination of autogenic training and skin temperature feedback either in the laboratory or at home. All trained subjects demonstrated a significant ability to maintain digital skin temperature in the presence of a cold stress challenge and reported significant reductions in both frequency and intensity of vasospastic attacks. The addition of skin temperature feedback to autogenic training did not provide additional clinical benefit.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.
References
Benson, H. (1975).The Relaxation Response, Morrow, New York.
Blanchard, E. B., and Haynes, M. R. (1975). Biofeedback treatment of a case of Raynaud's disease.J. Behav. Ther. Exp. Psychiat. 6: 230–234.
Jacobson, E. (1964).Anxiety and Tension Control: A Physiologic Approach, Lippincott, Philadelphia.
Keefe, F. J., Kopel, S., and Gordon, S.B. (1978).A Practical Guide to Behavioral Assessment, Springer, New York.
Lewis, T. (1949).Vascular Disorders of the Limbs: Described for Practitioners and Students, MacMillan, London.
Patton, H. D. (1965). The autonomic nervous system. In Ruch, T. C., Patton, H. D., Woodbury, J. W., and Towe, A. L. (eds.),Neurophysiology, Saunders, Philadelphia, pp. 226–251.
Paul, G. L., and Trimble, R. W. (1970). Recorded vs. “live” relaxation training and hypnotic suggestion: Comparative effectiveness for reducing physiological arousal and inhibiting stress response.Behav. Ther. 285–302.
Schultz, J. H., and Luthe, W. (1969).Autogenic Methods, Grune and Stratton, New York.
Shapiro, D., Mainardi, J. A., and Surwit, R. S. (1977). Biofeedback and self-regulation in essential hypertension. In Schwartz, G. E., and Beatty, J. (eds.),Biofeedback: Theory and Practice, Academic Press, New York, pp. 313–350.
Silver, B. V., and Blanchard, E. B. (1978). Biofeedback and relaxation training in the treatment of psychophysiologic disorders: Or, are the machines really necessary?J. Behav. Med. 1: in press.
Sirota, A. D., Schwartz, G. E., and Shapiro, D. (1974). Voluntary control of heart rate: Effect on reaction to aversive stimulation.J. Abnorm. Psychol. 83: 261–267.
Spittell, J. A., Jr. (1972). Raynaud's phenomenon and allied vasospastic conditions. In Fairbairn, J. F., Juergens, J. L., and Spittell, Jr. J. A., (eds.),Allen, Barker, and Hines, Peripheral Vascular Diseases, Saunders, Philadelphia, pp. 387–420.
Surwit, R. S. (1973). Biofeedback: A possible treatment for Raynaud's disease.Sem. Psychiat. 5: 483–489.
Surwit, R. S., and Keefe, F. J. (in press). Frontalis EMG biofeedback: An electronic panacea.Behav. Ther. (in press).
Surwit, R. S., Shapiro, D. and Feld, J. L. (1976). Digital temperature autoregulation and associated cardiovascular changes.Psychophysiology 13: 242–248.
Surwit, R. S., Shapiro, D. and Good, M. I. (1978). A comparison of cardiovascular biofeedback, neuromuscular biofeedback and meditation in the treatment of borderline essential hypertension.J. Consul. Clin. Psychol. 46: 252–263.
Taub, E. (1977). Self-regulation of human tissue temperature. In Schwartz, G. E., and Beatty, J. (eds.),Biofeedback: Theory and Practice, Academic Press, New York, pp. 265–300.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was supported by National Institute of Mental Health Research Grant MH-25104 to Richard S. Surwit.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Surwit, R.S., Pilon, R.N. & Fenton, C.H. Behavioral treatment of Raynaud's disease. J Behav Med 1, 323–335 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00846683
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00846683
Key words
- autogenic training
- biofeedback
- digital skin temperature
- Raynaud's disease