Effectiveness of alpha biofeedback therapy: Negative results

Abstract

Assessed the utility of alpha biofeedback training in the treatment of psychiatric patients (N = 66). Biofeedback and placebo biofeedback groups were given alpha or mock-alpha training sessions, and their improvement on 54 variables was compared to that of no-treatment controls. Only a chance number of significant differential changes appeared among the three groups. A comparison of these negative results with an earlier study from our laboratory that had yielded positive findings suggested that clinical improvement in alpha biofeedback treatment may be the result of the relaxation training or special verbal instructions often incorporated into alpha training.

The Effect of Neurofeedback and Cranial Electrotherapy on Immune Function Within a Group of HIV+ Subjects: A Controlled Study

“…The benefits in the current study may have derived from attention given with verbal instructions from the trainer (Watson & Herder, 1980), but such benefit was not shown in previous studies (Auerbach et al, 1992;Lutgendorf et al, 1997;McCain, Zeller, Cella, Urbanski, & Novak, 1996). It cannot be definitively confirmed that such attention did not lead to these results, but the attention from other measures has not led to such effects.…”

The efficacies of three relaxation regimens in the treatment of PTSD in Vietnam war veterans

“…This makes it difficult to determine which of the treatments was therapeutic. Similarly, workers in our laboratory found a wave biofeedback to be effective in the reduction of anxiety when it was combined with relaxation training, but not when it was administered alone (Passini et al, 1977;Watson & Herder, 1980). These reports raise questions about the efficacies of training in deep breathing and biofeedback for the treatment of PTSD and other anxiety disorders.…”

The Neurotherapy of Anxiety Disorders

“…Nonlearners remained unchanged mentally. Watson and Herder (1980) gave alphaenhancement contingent feedback to 22 patients, and noncontingent to the same number. Another 22 control patients got no treatment.…”