Biofeedback-Aided Relaxation Training Helps Emotional Disturbances in Undergraduate Students Before Examination

The main aim of the present research was to determine the effectiveness of biofeedback-aided relaxation training (BFRT) for alleviating symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress for undergraduate students as they prepared for their final examinations. In a randomized controlled trial design, 29 male and female students, with heightened levels of depression, anxiety and stress scores on the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, were chosen and randomly assigned to BFRT or a no-treatment control condition. Subjects assigned to BFRT received eight sessions of BFRT spaced over 4 weeks, during which they were trained to decrease electromyography (EMG) and respiration rate (RESP) and to increase skin temperature (TEMP). Data were extracted and analyzed by GLM statistical analysis. Students receiving BFRT revealed significant reductions in symptoms when compared to the untreated controls. Those receiving BFRT also showed significant changes for the three targeted psychophysiological modalities (EMG, RESP, and TEMP). It was concluded that BFRT can be useful for reducing symptoms of emotional disturbance in undergraduate students during a particularly stressful period and that this may, in turn, help promote overall psychological health.