Biofeedback in Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren: Correlations Between Subjective and Objective Measures

Biofeedback ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 193-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaclene A. Zauszniewski ◽  
Carol M. Musil ◽  
Mary Variath
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Physiological Response ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Objective Measures ◽  
Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren ◽  
Response To Stress ◽  
Depressive Cognitions

Research shows that 20% of grandmothers raising grandchildren experience stress and depression. Heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback may help grandmothers track and regulate their physiological response to stress. This study therefore examined correlations between coherence scores reflecting HRV and self-report measures of stress, negative emotions, and depressive cognitions in 20 grandmothers raising grandchildren. Higher coherence scores were inversely and significantly correlated with self-report measures, suggesting the need to examine the effects of HRV biofeedback on biomarkers reflecting stress and depression.

Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback in Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren: Effects on Stress, Emotions, and Cognitions

Biofeedback ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 144-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaclene A. Zauszniewski ◽  
Tsay-Yi Au ◽  
Carol M. Musil
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Pilot Trial ◽  
Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback ◽  
Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren ◽  
Depressive Cognitions ◽  
Reducing Stress

Over one million American grandmothers raise grandchildren, and many experience stress that may be alleviated by biofeedback. This pilot trial of 20 grandmothers used a pretest-posttest design with repeated measures to test the effects of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback on perceived stress, negative emotions, and depressive cognitions. Significant decreases in stress, negative emotions, and depressive cognitions were found. Biofeedback is thus potentially effective for reducing stress and depressive thoughts and feelings in grandmothers raising grandchildren, and the intervention warrants further testing.

Heat Stress Training Camps for Endurance Sport: A Descriptive Case Study of Successful Monitoring in 2 Ironman Triathletes

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 146-150
Author(s):  
Ed Maunder ◽  
Andrew E. Kilding ◽  
Christopher J. Stevens ◽  
Daniel J. Plews
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Endurance Athletes ◽  
Resting Heart Rate ◽  
Resting Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Stress Training

A common practice among endurance athletes is to purposefully train in hot environments during a “heat stress camp.” However, combined exercise-heat stress poses threats to athlete well-being, and therefore, heat stress training has the potential to induce maladaptation. This case study describes the monitoring strategies used in a successful 3-week heat stress camp undertaken by 2 elite Ironman triathletes, namely resting heart rate variability, self-report well-being, and careful prescription of training based on previously collected physiological data. Despite the added heat stress, training volume very likely increased in both athletes, and training load very likely increased in one of the athletes, while resting heart rate variability and self-report well-being were maintained. There was also some evidence of favorable metabolic changes during routine laboratory testing following the camp. The authors therefore recommend that practitioners working with endurance athletes embarking on a heat stress training camp consider using the simple strategies employed in the present case study to reduce the risk of maladaptation and nonfunctional overreaching.

scholarly journals Reduction of depressive symptoms during inpatient treatment is not associated with changes in heart rate variability

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0248686
Author(s):  
Sabrina Neyer ◽  
Michael Witthöft ◽  
Mark Cropley ◽  
Markus Pawelzik ◽  
Ricardo Gregorio Lugo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Psychiatric Treatment ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Symptom Improvement ◽  
Vagal Activity ◽  
Before And After

Vagally mediated heart rate variability (HRV) is a psychophysiological indicator of mental and physical health. Limited research suggests there is reduced vagal activity and resulting lower HRV in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD); however little is actually known about the association between HRV and symptoms of depression and whether the association mirrors symptom improvement following psychotherapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between antidepressant therapy, symptom change and HRV in 50 inpatients (68% females; 17–68 years) with a diagnosis of MDD. Severity of depressive symptoms was assessed by self-report (Beck Depression Inventory II) and the Hamilton Rating Scale of Depression. Measures of vagally mediated HRV (root mean square of successive differences and high-frequency) were assessed at multiple measurement points before and after inpatient psychotherapeutic and psychiatric treatment. Results showed an expected negative correlation between HRV and depressive symptoms at intake. Depressive symptoms improved (d = 0.84) without corresponding change in HRV, demonstrating a de-coupling between this psychophysiological indicator and symptom severity. To our knowledge, this study is the first to examine an association between HRV and depressive symptoms before and after psychotherapy. The observed de-coupling of depression and HRV, and its methodological implications for future research are discussed.

scholarly journals Cognitive Failures: Relationship with Perceived Emotions, Stress, and Resting Vagally-Mediated Heart Rate Variability

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
pp. 13616
Author(s):  
Min You ◽  
Sylvain Laborde ◽  
Uirassu Borges ◽  
Robert Samuel Vaughan ◽  
Fabrice Dosseville
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Emotional Valence ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Cognitive Failures ◽  
Everyday Task ◽  
Cognitive Failures Questionnaire ◽  
Negative Predictor

Cognitive failures represent everyday task failures that individuals are normally capable of completing. While cognitive failures measured with the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire can be considered a trait, the psychophysiological states associated with cognitive failures are yet to be fully understood. The aim of this paper was to investigate the extent to which the perception of experiencing cognitive failures in daily life is associated with both psychological (i.e., perceived emotional valence, emotional intensity, and stress), as well as physiological (i.e., vagally-mediated heart rate variability, vmHRV) variables. A total of 69 participants were involved in this study (47 male, 22 female; Mage = 22.4 years). Participants underwent a 5-min heart rate variability measurement and filled out the self-report psychological variables, before completing the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire, providing scores for Distractibility, Forgetfulness, and False Triggering. When combining the predictors together into a hierarchical regression analysis, only the model related to the Distractibility subscale was found to be significant (unique significant negative predictor: resting vmHRV). Further research should investigate whether influencing resting vmHRV, with interventions such as slow-paced breathing, may decrease the perception of cognitive failures related to distractibility.

scholarly journals Heart Rate Variability and Electrodermal Activity as Noninvasive Indices of Sympathovagal Balance in Response to Stress

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuzana Visnovcova ◽  
A. Calkovska ◽  
I. Tonhajzerova
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
Mental Stress ◽  
Electrodermal Activity ◽  
Regulatory System ◽  
Sympathovagal Balance ◽  
Autonomic Nervous ◽  
Response To Stress

Abstract The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a principal regulatory system for maintaining homeostasis, adaptability and physiological flexibility of the organism at rest as well as in response to stress. In the aspect of autonomic regulatory inputs on the cardiovascular system, recent research is focused on the study of exaggerated/diminished cardiovascular reactivity in response to mental stress as a risk factor for health complications, e.g. hypertension. Thus, the analysis of biological signals reflecting a physiological shift in sympathovagal balance during stress in the manner of vagal withdrawal associated with sympathetic overactivity is important. The heart rate variability, i.e. “beat-to-beat” oscillations of heart rate around its mean value, reflects mainly complex neurocardiac parasympathetic control. The electrodermal activity could represent “antagonistic” sympathetic activity, the so-called “sympathetic arousal” in response to stress. The detailed study of the physiological parameters under various stressful stimuli and in recovery phase using traditional and novel mathematical analyses could reveal discrete alterations in sympathovagal balance. This article summarizes the importance of heart rate variability and electrodermal activity assessment as the potential noninvasive indices indicating autonomic nervous system activity in response to mental stress.

scholarly journals Measurement of Cancer-Related Fatigue Based on Heart Rate Variability: Observational Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi-Huang Shih ◽  
Pai-Chien Chou ◽  
Ting-Ling Chou ◽  
Tsai-Wei Huang
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Targeted Therapy ◽  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Mapping Method ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Sleep Phase ◽  
Cancer Related Fatigue

BACKGROUND Cancer-related fatigue is a serious side effect of cancer, and its treatment can disrupt the quality of life of patients. Clinically, the standard method for assessing cancer-related fatigue relies on subjective experience retrieved from patient self-reports, such as the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI). However, most patients do not self-report their fatigue levels. OBJECTIVE In this study, we aim to develop an objective cancer-related fatigue assessment method to track and monitor fatigue in patients with cancer. METHODS In total, 12 patients with lung cancer who were undergoing chemotherapy or targeted therapy were enrolled. We developed frequency-domain parameters of heart rate variability (HRV) and BFI based on a wearable-based HRV measurement system. All patients completed the BFI-Taiwan version questionnaire and wore the device for 7 consecutive days to record HRV parameters such as low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), and LF-HF ratio (LF-HF). Statistical analysis was used to map the correlation between subjective fatigue and objective data. RESULTS A moderate positive correlation was observed between the average LF-HF ratio and BFI in the sleep phase (ρ=0.86). The mapped BFI score derived by the BFI mapping method could approximate the BFI from the patient self-report. The mean absolute error rate between the subjective and objective BFI scores was 3%. CONCLUSIONS LF-HF is highly correlated with the cancer-related fatigue experienced by patients with lung cancer undergoing chemotherapy or targeted therapy. Beyond revealing fatigue levels objectively, continuous HRV recordings through the photoplethysmography watch device and the defined parameters (LF-HF) can define the active phase and sleep phase in patients with lung cancer who undergo chemotherapy or targeted chemotherapy, allowing a deduction of their sleep patterns. CLINICALTRIAL

scholarly journals Morality of the Heart: Heart Rate Variability and Moral Rule Adherence in Men

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Lischke ◽  
Matthias Weippert ◽  
Anett Mau-Moeller ◽  
Rike Pahnke
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Moral Rule ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Neural Processes ◽  
Efficient Integration ◽  
Moral Rules ◽  
Report Measure

Moral rules are a cornerstone of many societies. Most moral rules are concerned with the welfare of other individuals, reflecting individuals’ innate aversion against harming other individuals. Harming others is associated with aversive experiences, implying that individuals who are sensitive to the aversiveness of these experiences are more likely to follow moral rules than individuals who are insensitive to the aversiveness of these experiences. Individuals’ sensitivity for aversive experiences depends on individuals’ ability to integrate the underlying neural and physiological processes: Individuals who are more efficient in integrating these processes are more sensitive to the aversiveness that is associated with moral rule violations than individuals who are less efficient in integrating these processes. Individuals who differ in their ability to integrate these processes may, thus, also differ in their inclination to follow moral rules. We tested this assumption in a sample of healthy individuals (67 males) who completed measures of moral rule adherence and integration abilities. Moral rule adherence was assessed with self-report measure and integration abilities were assessed with a resting state measure of heart rate variability (HRV), which reflects prefrontal–(para-)limbic engagement during the integration of physical and neural processes. We found a positive association between individuals’ HRV and individuals’ moral rule adherence, implying that individuals with efficient integration abilities were more inclined to follow moral rules than individuals with inefficient integration abilities. Our findings support the assumption that individuals with different integration abilities also differ in moral rule adherence, presumably because of differences in aversiveness sensitivity.

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