Synergy and Synchrony Between Beta-Theta Neurofeedback, Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback and Breathwork Via...

Recently, the applied psychophysiology community has started to investigate the effectiveness of combining neurofeedback and biofeedback interventions. The training triad of beta-theta neurofeedback, heart rate variability biofeedback, and box-breathing continuous feedback can influence participants' electrophysiological activity and also help healthy individuals decrease reaction time. For this purpose, twenty-two students (6 male, 16 female) were randomly assigned to three experimental groups using block randomization. The first group (N = 7) received 10 sessions of beta-theta neurofeedback, heart rate variability biofeedback, and box-breathing continuous feedback simultaneously. The second group (N = 8) underwent 10 sessions of only box-breathing continuous feedback, while the third group (N = 7) participated in 10 sessions of beta-theta neurofeedback and heart rate variability biofeedback together. A multivariate analysis of covariance was used to compare reaction time scores among the three groups in a pretest-posttest design. Additionally, repeated measures analysis of variance assessed within-group changes in electrophysiological markers across three time points: pre-test, mid-test, and post-test. Results indicated that, compared to groups 2 and 3, the visual-recognition-reaction-time scores in experimental group 1 significantly decreased (P-value < 0.05). In addition, group 1 showed significant within-group changes (P-value  < 0.05) in electroencephalography measures (beta/theta power ratio and high-beta relative power) and heart rate variability (root mean square of successive differences). We conclude that the combination of beta-theta neurofeedback, heart rate variability biofeedback, and box-breathing continuous feedback can effectively reduce reaction time through mind-body interaction at a self-aware level.