Brief Biofeedback Intervention on Anxious Freshman University Students

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Health Sciences

Background:

• University students face increasing mental health challenges, particularly stress and anxiety.
• Campus health services often have limited resources to address these issues.
• Biofeedback has shown effectiveness in managing psychological distress.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a brief biofeedback program on anxiety and stress levels in first-year university students.
• To determine if biofeedback can be a practical intervention for student mental health.

Main Methods:

• Fifty first-year students with high anxiety (STAI Y-2 scores > 75th percentile) were randomly assigned to a biofeedback or control group.
• The biofeedback group received 15-minute weekly sessions for 8 weeks.
• Both groups were assessed for trait anxiety and college student stress before and after the intervention.

Main Results:

• The biofeedback group showed significant reductions in anxiety and stress.
• The control group exhibited minimal, non-significant changes in scores.
• Results align with prior research on biofeedback efficacy.

Conclusions:

• A short-term biofeedback program effectively decreases anxiety and stress in college freshmen.
• Biofeedback presents a promising, evidence-based intervention for student mental wellness.
• This approach can help universities support student mental health needs.