Abstract:
Scientific research on heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback is burdened by certain methodological issues, such as lack of consistent training quality and fidelity assessment or control conditions that would mimic the intervention. In the present study, a novel sham HRV-biofeedback training was proposed as a credible control condition, indistinguishable from the real training. The Yield Efficiency of Training Index (YETI), a quantitative measure based on the spectral distribution of heart rate during training, was suggested for training quality assessment. A training fidelity criterion derived from a two-step classification process based on the average YETI index and its standard deviation (YETISD) was suggested. We divided 57 young, healthy volunteers into two groups, each subjected to 20 sessions of either real or sham HRV-biofeedback. Five standard HRV measures (standard deviation of the NN (SDNN), root mean square of the standard deviation of the NN (RMSSD), total power, low-frequency (LF), and high-frequency (HF) power) collected at baseline, after 10 and 20 sessions were subjected to analysis of variance. Application of a training fidelity criterion improved sample homogeneity, resulting in a substantial gain in effect sizes of the group and training interactions for all considered HRV indices. Application of methodological amendments, including proper control conditions (such as sham training) and quantitative assessment of training quality and fidelity, substantially improves the analysis of training effects. Although presented on the example of HRV-biofeedback, this approach should similarly benefit other behavioral training procedures that interact with any of the many psychophysiological mechanisms in the human body.
摘要:
心率变异性(HRV)生物反馈的科学研究受到某些方法学问题的困扰,如缺乏一致的训练质量和逼真度评估或模拟干预的控制条件。在本研究中,提出了一种新的假HRV-生物反馈训练作为可靠的控制条件,与真正的训练没有区别。训练产量效率指数(YETI),基于训练期间心率频谱分布的定量测量,建议进行培训质量评估。提出了一种基于平均YETI指数及其标准偏差(YETISD)的两步分类过程得出的训练保真度标准。我们分了57个年轻人,健康志愿者分为两组,每人接受20次真实或假HRV生物反馈。五个标准HRV度量(NN的标准偏差(SDNN),NN标准偏差的均方根(RMSSD),总功率,低频(LF),和高频(HF)功率)在基线处收集,在10和20个疗程后进行方差分析.训练保真度准则的应用改善了样本的同质性,导致所有考虑的HRV指数的组效果大小和训练相互作用的大幅增加。方法修正案的应用,包括适当的控制条件(如假训练)和训练质量和保真度的定量评估,大大提高了对培训效果的分析。尽管以HRV-生物反馈为例,这种方法应该同样有利于与人体许多心理生理机制相互作用的其他行为训练程序。