Effects of the Brain Wave Modulation Technique Administered Online on Stress, Anxiety, Global Distress, and Affect During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effects of an innovative mind-body practice named the brain wave modulation technique (BWM-T) on stress, anxiety, global distress, and affect. The technique was administered online through a web-based video conferencing platform. The intervention started on week four of the first quarantine in Italy (week commencing 30th March 2020), for a duration of 4 weeks and ended before lockdown measures were loosened. 310 people participated in the study, mean age 28.73 years old (SD = 9.16), 77.8% women. Of these, about half were randomly assigned to the experimental group and the other half served as controls. Participants completed online psychological tests before and after the intervention. 266 people (144 experimental, 122 controls) completed the post-intervention tests. Consistent with our hypothesis, the study’s findings indicate a reduction in the levels of stress, anxiety, global distress, and negative affect in the experimental group, compared to the control group. Moreover, the experimental group also showed higher levels of positive affect, compared to controls after the intervention. The present findings add to the current literature in suggesting that the BWM-T reduced stress not only when administered face-to face but also when administered online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, we also noted that the BWM-T has an effect on anxiety, global distress, and affect, which we had not investigated in previous studies.

Effect of online counselling on emotional outcomes during the COVID‐19 pandemic: An innovative group intervention for university students using the Brain Wave Modulation Technique

“…Then, with the spread of the pandemic, it was moved online. The present study was conducted in connection with this counselling service, and the BWM technique had been offered in this new online setting (Cozzolino, Celia, et al., 2021 ). The participants were recruited principally in the context of their university classes, and they were all invited to participate, regardless of their psychological situation associated with the pandemic.…”

“…It was decided to hold a total of four sessions because this is the average number of face‐to‐face meetings normally provided by the counselling service, and because previous studies have shown that the BWM‐T can effectively reduce anxiety and negative emotions even in a very short timeframe (e.g. Cozzolino, Celia, et al., 2021 ; Cozzolino, Girelli, et al., 2020 ). In each session, the students in both groups joined the same online meeting room.…”

“…Celia, 2020 ; Cozzolino, Cocco, et al., 2021 ; Cozzolino et al., 2017 ; Rossi et al., 2011 ). Previous studies had suggested that it would be efficacious in a university population (Cozzolino, Celia, et al., 2021 ; Cozzolino, Girelli, et al., 2020 ; Cozzolino, Vivo, et al., 2020 ).…”

“…( 2021 ) administered the technique online through a Web‐based video conferencing platform, to university students in various academic years ( N = 310, M age = 28.73 years, 77.8% women). These two experimental studies indicated that the technique helped university students to reduce their perceived levels of stress, anxiety, overall distress and negative affect, while increasing perceived levels of positive affect (Cozzolino, Celia, et al., 2021 ; Cozzolino, Girelli, et al., 2020 ). These results are very significant, as many students experience high levels of psychological distress during their university careers (e.g.…”

Tecnologie immersive per la didattica museale: una proposta per la valorizzazione dello scambio intergenerazionale tra nonni e nipoti

“…), possono rappresentare, anche per il carattere ludico intrinseco in essi, un'area di interesse per la realizzazione dello scambio formativo intergenerazionale particolarmente piacevole per i nipoti e molto stimolante per i nonni. Oltre le numerose evidenze che sostengono un crescente utilizzo delle nuove tecnologie nei molteplici ambiti dell'apprendimento e della formazione (Cozzolino et al, 2021), una ricerca condotta dall'equipe del Prof. Antonio Iannaccone ha messo in luce il ruolo che rivestono le nuove tecnologie nel favorire l'aumento, in termini qualitativi e quantitativi, della percezione di benessere relazionale tra nonni e nipoti (Iannaccone et al, 2018).…”