Female college students' experiences with heart rate variability biofeedback intervention for disordered eating...

This study aimed to explore the experiences of female college students with disordered eating behaviors participating in a 2-week, app-based, heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB) intervention.

Eight female college students (M_age = 22.3 years) with disordered eating behaviors were recruited from a large public university.

As part of a larger pilot randomized controlled trial, this qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with participants to capture their perceptions of HRVB's impact on emotional and eating-related coping strategies. Thematic analysis was employed to identify emerging themes with four coders.

Three major themes emerged, including (1) the positive impact of HRVB on physical and mental health, (2) improved resiliency and positive stress adaptation, and (3) the impact of HRVB on eating behavior.

Larger, more diverse samples and longitudinal designs are recommended to further examine HRVB's potential in enhancing emotional regulation and addressing disordered eating behaviors.