title: [Impact that positive reinforcement during spirometry has on the measurement of VC in healthy volunteers].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Physiologically, VC can vary according to gender, age, body weight and posture, as well as ethnic and anthropometric characteristics. In addition, various diseases can alter VC. In order to measure VC, it is necessary to motivate the patient, to make the instructions understandable, to provide clear information and to have a capable examiner. The objective of this study was to determine the impact that positive reinforcement during spirometry has on the measurement of VC in healthy volunteers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized clinical trial involving 105 healthy volunteers, randomly allocated to one of two groups: control and intervention. In both groups, VC was assessed as baseline (VC1) and again 15 days later (VC2). Positive reinforcement was provided only to patients in the intervention group and only during the determination of VC2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences between the groups regarding the baseline characteristics. Females predominated in both groups. There was an increase in VC2 in both groups (p < 0.01), and VC2 was higher in the intervention group than in the control group (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings demonstrate the importance of using the behavioral strategy in combination with traditional practice in order to obtain better results. The use of positive reinforcement during the determination of VC has proven to be an effective, simple and easily applied strategy.
authors.affiliation: Centro Universitário Jorge Amado, Salvador, BA, Brasil.
authors.forename: Vanessa Sales
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Logrado
authors.forename: Erili Mota
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Sena
authors.forename: Renato Júlio Dos Santos
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Matos
authors.forename: Tássia Menezes Leite da
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Tuliane Ribeiro de
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Kristine Menezes Barberino
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: Kátia de Miranda
authors.initials: Kde M
authors.lastname: Avena
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D013147:Spirometry / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult