Heart rate variability biofeedback intervention programme to improve attention in primary schools

Abstract

The importance of attentional capacity for academic performance is highlighted by the increasing demands placed on students during primary school. Between the ages of 6 and 12, there is an evolutionary improvement in attentional capacity and the school environment is shown to be an appropriate setting in which to develop programmes to improve attention. Heart rate variability is an appropriate indicator of attentional capacity. For all these reasons, a heart rate variability biofeedback intervention focused on breathing was developed and implemented to improve attention. The intervention consists of two phases. In the first phase, the teachers of the school are trained to develop the intervention. In the second phase, the students receive 5 individual sessions from their teachers. In each individual session, they learn to breathe in a way that increases their heart rate variability. A total of 272 girls and 314 boys (N=586) aged 6-12 years participated in the programme. In order to study the impact on the three cycles of primary school, the attention of the control and experimental groups was assessed before and after the implementation of the programme. According to the data obtained, despite developmental improvements, the students who participated in the programme showed an increase in heart rate variability and an improvement in attentional capacity, with a greater impact on the first cycle of primary school. Our conclusion is to discuss the usefulness of heart rate variability biofeedback interventions in improving attention in primary school children and to present arguments for their use.