The current study examined the efficacy of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback using emWave, a publicly available biofeedback device, to determine whether training affected physiological tone and stress responses. Twenty-seven individuals aged 18-30 years were randomized to a treatment or no-treatment control group. Treatment participants underwent 4-8 sessions of emWave intervention, and all participants attended pre-treatment and post-treatment assessment sessions during which acute stressors were administered. Physiological data were collected at rest, during stress, and following stress. emWave treatment did not confer changes in tonic measures of HRV or in HRV recovery following stress. However, treatment participants exhibited higher parasympathetic responses (i.e., pNN50) during stress presentations at the post-treatment session than their control counterparts. No treatment effects were evident on self-reported measures of stress, psychological symptoms, or affect. Overall, results from the current study suggest that the emWave may confer some limited treatment effects by increasing HRV during exposure to stress. Additional development and testing of the emWave treatment protocol is necessary before it can be recommended for regular use in clinical settings, including the determination of what physiological changes are clinically meaningful during HRV biofeedback training.
This study is the first to evaluate objective, behavioural effects of shock, and whether these effects are comparable with ATP therapy alone. In tandem with existing literature, current results highlight that ICD shocks and ATP have divergent effects on behavioural outcomes, with ATP's effect profile in these domains appearing somewhat favourable.
Successful management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) typically involves consideration of several lifestyle changes and treatments that could improve patients’ health outcomes. The complexity of behavioral changes and treatment decisions that must be made by patients, with the support of their treatment team, could diminish their motivation to address CKD and lead to poorer treatment outcomes. Hence, motivational enhancement, in the context of patient education and shared decision making with the treatment team, is a critical issue in CKD patient care. This article describes how motivational interviewing can be used with patients to enhance their motivation to address CKD and participate in treatment.
PTSD symptoms are present in over one-third of SCA survivors. While demographic or health history variables predicted PTSD after SCA, a history of traumatic stress response to a previous trauma emerged as the strongest predictor of these symptoms. Routine assessment and interdisciplinary management are discussed as potential ways to expedite survivors' recovery and return to daily living.
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