title: Biofeedback treatments of generalized anxiety disorder: preliminary results.
abstract: Forty-five individuals with generalized anxiety (38 with GAD as defined by DSM-III) were randomized to 4 treatment conditions or a waiting list control. Patients received 8 sessions of either frontal EMG biofeedback, biofeedback to increase EEG alpha, biofeedback to decrease EEG alpha, or a pseudomeditation control condition. All treated subjects showed significant reductions in STAI-Trait Anxiety and psychophysiologic symptoms on the Psychosomatic Symptom Checklist. Only alpha-increase biofeedback subjects showed significant reductions in heart rate reactivity to stressors at a separate psychophysiological testing session. Decreased self-report of anxiety was maintained at 6 weeks posttreatment.
authors.affiliation: State University of New York, Albany.
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Blanchard
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Purcell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology / Q000379:methods*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011603:Psychophysiology; D012650:Self Disclosure