Heart rate decrease: a comparison of feedback modalities and biofeedback with other procedures

Sixty subjects were divided into six groups in a comparison of heart rate (HR) decreases obtained with (1) visual feedback, (2) auditory biofeedback, (3) combined visual and auditory biofeedback, (4) instructions to decrease HR without biofeedback, (5) sitting quietly, (6) abbreviated relaxation training, and, as a comparison, a group of 10 experienced mediators were also studied. Biofeedback stimuli were pulsed signals generated by the R-wave of the heartbeat. The results indicated that (a) there was no differential advantage on a HR decrease task to subjects receiving visual, auditory or combined biofeedback; and (b) all groups showed evidence of some decline in HR over the testing session. The mediation group showed the greatest overall decline.