Biofeedback and the Modification of Behavior

521 Pages·1980·16.043 MB·English

by  Aubrey J. Yates (auth.)

Biofeedback
and the
Modification of Behavior
Biofeedback
and the
Modification of Behavior
Aubrey 1. Yates
The University of Western Australia
Nedlands, Western Australia
PLENUM PRESS . NEW YORK AND LONDON
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Yates, Aubrey]
Biofeedback and the modification of behavior.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Biofeedback training. 2. Medicine, Psychosoma
tic. 3. Psychology, Pathological. I. Title.
BF319.5.B5Y37 152.1'88 79-400
ISBN-13: 978-1-4684-3556-6 e-ISBN-13: 978-1-4684-3554-2
DOl: 10.1007/978-1-4684-3554-2
© 1980 Plenum Press, New York
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1s t edition 1980
A Division of Plenum Publishing Corporation
227 West 17th Street, New York, N.Y. 10011
All righ ts reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted,
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming,
recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher
Preface
In this book, I have attempted to evaluate critically the very large literature which
has accumulated in the area of biofeedback over the past 10-15 years. As might
be expected in any area of psychology with clinical possibilities, the literature
divides itself into two main categories-fundamental research studies and
therapeutic studies. It is now apparent that the clinical applications of biofeed
back have far outstripped their fundamental research bases, with the inevitable
result that the initial wave of enthusiasm may be replaced with an unnecessarily
severe skepticism. Either extreme position is unjustified. Biofeedback does rep
resent an important new approach to the elucidation of the role played by internal
systems in the adjustment of the organism to its environment. But its potential
will only be revealed if its use in practice is soundly based on fundamental
research. There are promising signs that this is being realized so that there is
cause for optimism.
Aubrey J. Yates
Perth, Australia
A Note on the References
With the exception of no more than two or three papers, all the references in this
book have been obtained and read. However, many of them were published in
journals which will not be readily accessible to the reader who may be interested
in consulting more directly particular articles which attract his attention. How
ever, the volumes entitled Biofeedback and Self-Control, published annually
since 1971 by Aldine/ Atherton have reprinted a significant proportion of the
references listed in this book, thus making them more generally accessible. A
Reader was published simultaneously with the first volume of Biofeedback and
Self-Control which collected together many of the historically important articles
relevant to biofeedback.
In the references at the end of each chapter, the location of each article, if it
has been reprinted, is indicated in parentheses at the end of the reference. The
nomenclature should be understood to avoid confusion. Biofeedback and Self
Control, 1973, for example, reprints many articles published in 1973 (together
with some earlier ones) but the volume itself was published in 1974. The location
of an article is indicated by reference to the year appearing on the outside cover
of the volume, not to the year of publication (shown inside). Thus, the reference:
1973:6 refers to Biofeedback and Self-Control, 1973 (which was published in
1974). As each article is clearly numbered in each volume, the number of the
article is given, not the page numbers (which can easily be confused with the
page numbers of the original paper). The nomenclature R:6 refers to the sixth
article in the Reader (only one Reader volume was published).
It should be noted that a new journal, Biofeedback and Self-Regulation,
commenced publication in 1976. At the time of writing this note, it is not known
whether any articles published in this journal will be reprinted in the Biofeedback
and Self-Control annuals.
vii
Contents
A Note on the References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
1. Some Antecedents of Biofeedback ........................... 1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Bell and Visible Speech for the Deaf ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Tarchanoff and the Voluntary Control of Heart Rate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Bair and Woodworth and the Voluntary Control of Muscle Function. 6
Schultz and Autogenic Training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Miller and Operant Control in Curarized Rats ................... 18
Razran and Interoceptive Conditioning in the Soviet Union ........ 20
Smith and the Disruption of Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
2. Instrumentation and Methodology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
The Dependent Variable in Biofeedback. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
The Independent Variable in Biofeedback ...................... 36
Confounding Variables and the Design of Experiments
in Biofeedback. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
3. Voluntary Control of Muscle Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Voluntary Control of Normal Muscle Activity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Voluntary Control of SMU Activity ......................... 73
ix
x Contents
Voluntary Control of Gross Muscle Activity in Normal Subjects. .. 81
Voluntary Control of Tremor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Disorders of Muscle Function ................................ 87
Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Dysfunction Syndrome. . . . . . . . . 87
Tension Headache . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Tics and Torticollis (Torsion Dystonias) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Muscle Paralysis and Spasticity Resulting from Cerebral Trauma.. 102
Cerebral Palsy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 120
Abnormal Tremor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 127
Dysfunction of Muscle Activity in Speech and Breathing. . . . . . .. 133
Miscellaneous Dysfunctions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 146
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 148
4. Voluntary Control of Autonomic Functions .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 160
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 160
Voluntary Control of Autonomic Function. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 160
Voluntary Control of Heart Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 160
Voluntary Control of Blood Pressure ........................ 179
Voluntary Control of Heart Rate and Blood Pressure ........... 192
Voluntary Control of Electrodennal Responding ............... 194
Voluntary Control of Salivation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 201
Voluntary Control of Peripheral Temperature and Circulation .... 203
Voluntary Control of Gastrointestinal Function ................ 214
Disorders of Autonomic Function ............................. 217
Cardiac Abnormalities .................................... 217
Hypertension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 226
Migraine ............................................... 235
Raynaud's Disease ....................................... 248
Gastrointestinal Disorders ................... '. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 250
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 256
5. Voluntary Control of the Electrical Activity of the Brain ....... 268
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 268
Voluntary Control of Alpha: Early Studies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 271
The First Critiques ......................................... 277
Alpha Research Comes of Age ............................... 278
The Second Wave of Criticism ............................... 303
The Treatment of Epilepsy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 309
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 320
Contents xi
6. Other Applications of Biofeedback. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 325
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 325
Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 326
Alcoholism ............................................. 326
Anxiety ................................................ 340
Asthma................................................. 348
Blindness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 356
Bruxism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 359
Deafness ............................................... 360
Dental Hygiene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 364
Diabetes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 365
Eczema................................................ 366
Hyperactivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 367
Insomnia ............................................... 368
Learning-Disabled Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 370
Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 371
Pain. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. 372
Phobias ................................................ 374
Psychopathic Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 376
Sensory Loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 377
Sexual Problems ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 377
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 384
7. Theoretical Aspects of Biofeedback .......................... 393
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 393
The Specificity/Generality Issue and Somatic Integration .......... 394
The Role of Reinforcement in Biofeedback ..................... . 409
The Role of Somatic Mediation in Biofeedback. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 418
The Role of Cognitive Mediation in Biofeedback ................ 441
The Motor Skills Theory of Biofeedback ....................... 452
The Servomechanical Model of Biofeedback Control ............. 454
The Language of Biofeedback. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 461
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 466
8. Biofeedback: Still "A Promise as Yet Unfulfilled"? ............ 480
The Promise of Biofeedback: The Optimists and the Pessimists . . . .. 480
Comparative Studies with Normal Subjects ..................... 482
Comparative Studies with Abnormal Subjects ................... 483
xii Contents
Anxiety ................................................ 483
Asthma.......... ........................ ........ ....... 484
Hyperactivity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 485
Hypertension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 485
Insomnia ............................................... 486
Migraine ............................................... 486
Rehabilitation of Physical Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 487
Tension Headaches .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 487
Torticollis .............................................. 488
Long-Term Effectiveness of Biofeedback. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 489
Anxiety ................................................ 489
Asthma................................................. 489
Headaches .............................................. 489
Hypertension. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 491
Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome .............. 491
Other Group Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 491
Individual Case Studies ................................... 492
Large-Scale Follow-Up Studies ............................. 493
Other Problems with Biofeedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 493
The Other Side of the Coin: Positive Aspects of Biofeedback ...... 497
Biofeedback: Blunderbuss or Precision Tool? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 498
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 499
Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 505
CHAPTER 1
Some Antecedents of
Biofeedback
Introduction
Biofeedback refers to the display of some aspect of the physiological functioning
of the individual with the expectation that observation of the characteristics of the
display will enable the individual to attain increased voluntary control over the
physiological function being displayed. The means by which the increased vol
untary control is attained is currently a matter of much controversy which will be
considered in detail in a later chapter.
The wide public interest aroused by the development of biofeedback
techniques over the past 10 years derived, in part at least, from the apparent
exotic possibilities inherent in its use. The early experiments on the enhancement
of alpha activity in the brain attracted the attention of those for whom the
attainment of higher states of consciousness is a main aim in life, since alpha
enhancement appeared to offer a new and exciting way of inducing such states.
Not unnaturally, this interpretation of the' 'meaning" of biofeedback produced
an adverse reaction among the more hard-headed research scientists and thera
pists who had become interested in the possibility that biofeedback offered on the
one hand of investigating the control of internal physiological processes not
readily accessible to observation, and on the other hand of applying these tech
niques to the amelioration of certain disorders of physiological functioning. The
situation has now been reached where the earlier claims relating to biofeedback
have been toned down and a considerable scientific literature has accumulated
which enables a sober appraisal of the status of biofeedback to be attempted. In
this book, the technical and methodological aspects of biofeedback will be
considered in some detail (Chapter 2); a thorough review of the empirical litera
ture on the voluntary control of muscle activities (Chapter 3), autonomic ac
tivities (Chapter 4), and the electrical activity of the brain (Chapter 5), as well as
1