ABSTRACT
Fifty-two hypertensive patients whose blood pressure (BP) was controlled on two medications received either 16 sessions of thermal biofeedback (n = 30) for hand warming or 8 sessions of progressive muscle relaxation (n = 22) prior to medication withdrawal. A number of biochemical measures, including plasma norepinephrine (NEPI) (supine and standing), plasma renin activity, plasma aldosterone, and urinary sodium and potassium, were taken before treatment and after treatment while medication remained constant. Results for the biofeedback-treated patients showed significant reductions in mean arterial pressure as well as in both supine and standing NEPI, while the other biochemical measures were unchanged. There were no significant changes on any variable for the relaxation-treated patients. Although the group data support a reduction in peripheral sympathetic tone as associated with the decrease in BP for the thermal biofeedback condition, dose-response relations were not significant.
Subject(s)
Biofeedback, Psychology , Hypertension/therapy , Adult , Aged , Aldosterone/blood , Blood Pressure , Female , Humans , Hypertension/physiopathology , Male , Middle Aged , Norepinephrine/blood , Potassium/urine , Relaxation Therapy , Renin/blood , Skin Temperature , Sodium/urineABSTRACT
The relationship between the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children (Nowicki & Strickland, 1973) and academic achievement was examined in a sample of 66 child psychiatric inpatients. Previous studies had suggested that this measure correlated with achievement in normal samples (Nowicki & Strickland, 1973) but not in populations of male juvenile offenders (Little & Kendall, 1978). The product-moment correlation between the Nowicki-Strickland Scale and the Peabody Individual Achievement Test was significant. However, when the effect of IQ was controlled for in a partial correlation, there was no significant correlation. Discussion focuses on the relationship between these results and other findings in the area of locus of control, intelligence, and achievement.
Subject(s)
Achievement , Internal-External Control , Mental Disorders/psychology , Child , Female , Humans , Intelligence , MaleSubject(s)
Anger , Anxiety Disorders/psychology , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Personality Development , Adolescent , Child , Female , Humans , Male , Psychological TestsSubject(s)
Child, Hospitalized/psychology , Sick Role , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Psychological Tests , RiskSubject(s)
Inservice Training , Neoplasms/psychology , Schools , Adult , Child , Female , Humans , Male , Middle AgedSubject(s)
Autonomic Nervous System/physiopathology , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/physiopathology , Veterans/psychology , Adult , Electromyography , Female , Humans , Male , Sound , Vietnam , WarfareABSTRACT
In a controlled trial, thermal biofeedback (n = 20) and abbreviated progressive relaxation (n = 22) were compared in the treatment of mild to moderate hypertensive patients whose blood pressures (BP) were initially controlled on two medications. For the clinical end point of maintaining control of BP on a single drug after treatment, biofeedback was superior to relaxation training (at 3 months, 47% success for biofeedback versus 23% for relaxation). This same result tended to be true for patient-measured home BPs. BPs from laboratory psychophysiological testing showed no consistent advantage for one treatment over the other.
Subject(s)
Biofeedback, Psychology , Hypertension/therapy , Adult , Antihypertensive Agents/therapeutic use , Blood Pressure , Combined Modality Therapy , Female , Humans , Hypertension/drug therapy , Male , Middle Aged , Relaxation Therapy , Skin TemperatureABSTRACT
Researchers administer thermal biofeedback in several different formats, although the most common are continuous administration and a series of brief trials separated by frequent rest breaks. The present study directly compared these two administration schedules with individuals suffering from migraine headache. Optimal training effects occurred for the continuous schedule of administration. Surprisingly, the interrupted schedule actually led to decreases in hand temperature over eight sessions. Possible reasons for this finding and its implications are discussed.
Subject(s)
Biofeedback, Psychology , Migraine Disorders/therapy , Skin Temperature , Vascular Headaches/therapy , Adult , Aged , Combined Modality Therapy , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Relaxation TherapySubject(s)
Headache/psychology , Migraine Disorders/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Prognosis , Psychophysiology , Socioeconomic FactorsSubject(s)
Behavior Therapy/methods , Headache/therapy , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Biofeedback, Psychology , Chronic Disease , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Professional-Patient RelationsSubject(s)
Biofeedback, Psychology , Headache/therapy , Migraine Disorders/therapy , Relaxation Therapy , HumansABSTRACT
Comparisons were made between a group of male Vietnam veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (n = 11) and an age and sex matched group of non-veteran controls (n = 11) on their psychophysiological responding (heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), forehead EMG, skin resistance level, and peripheral temperature) to mental arithmetic and an audiotape of combat sounds played at gradually increasing volume levels. The two groups responded differently to the combat sounds in terms of HR, systolic BP, and forehead EMG. The HR response could correctly classify 95.5% of the combined sample. Implications of these findings for the basis of PTSD are discussed.
Subject(s)
Arousal/physiology , Combat Disorders/psychology , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/psychology , Veterans/psychology , Adult , Blood Pressure , Electromyography , Galvanic Skin Response/physiology , Heart Rate , Humans , Male , Psychophysiology , Skin Temperature , VietnamSubject(s)
Biofeedback, Psychology , Headache/therapy , Relaxation Therapy , Adult , Aged , Chronic Disease , Electromyography , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Migraine Disorders/therapy , Vascular Headaches/therapyABSTRACT
Four studies were conducted on a sample of 230 undergraduates to determine the psychometric properties of a measure of alexithymia, the Schalling-Sifneos Scale. In the first study it was found that scores on the scale are approximately normally distributed for each sex with 8.2% of males and 1.8% of females in the alexithymia range. In the second study a factor analysis of the scale revealed three distinct factors: (1) 'difficulty in expression of feelings'; (2) 'the importance of feelings especially about people'; (3) 'day-dreaming or introspection'. In the second factor analytic study, scores from several standard psychological tests on the same subjects were introduced with the scale items. Two factors in this analysis were comprised almost entirely of the other test scores: a 'general psychological distress factor' and a 'concerns about physical symptoms factor'. The other two factors were similar to factors 1 and 2 above in terms of items. The Rathus Assertiveness Scale loaded positively on the equivalent of factor 1. In the lst study, it was shown that Schalling-Sifneos Scale score is relatively orthogonal to other psychological tests with the exception of a Psychosomatic Symptom Checklist and thus is measuring something other than depression, anxiety, etc.
