Reducing Stress and Anxiety in First-Year Undergraduates Through Biofeedback-Assisted Relaxation Training

Background: College students face many stressors daily, often resulting in psychological challenges such as heightened anxiety and depression. Biofeedback is becoming aware of and learning to modify the body's physiological functions. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of biofeedback relaxation training in mitigating stress and anxiety levels among medical undergraduates. Methods: This pretest-posttest control group design study was conducted following the ethics committee's approval. The study selected first-year MBBS students based on their elevated stress and anxiety scores and divided them into intervention and control groups. The study involved subjecting the intervention group to 10 sessions of biofeedback relaxation training, while the control group was not given any treatment. Stress and anxiety levels were assessed before and after the intervention of 10 to 12 weeks using the Perceived Stress Scale-14 and Cognitive Test Anxiety Scale. Results: The study involved 93 students, with 47 of them in the intervention group and the remaining 46 in the control group. After biofeedback, the intervention group showed significantly lower stress and anxiety scores than the control group. Conclusion: Biofeedback training effectively reduced stress and anxiety levels among undergraduate medical students. Biofeedback techniques can be implemented in college settings to support student mental wellness.