Development and Pilot Test of a Virtual Reality Respiratory Biofeedback Approach
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Development and Pilot Test of a Virtual Reality Respiratory Biofeedback Approach Johannes Blum1 · Christoph Rockstroh1 · Anja S. Göritz1 Received: 20 January 2020 / Revised: 18 April 2020 / Accepted: 26 April 2020 © The Author(s) 2020
Abstract Breathing exercises with biofeedback have benefits over breathing exercises without biofeedback. However, the traditional measurement of respiratory signals that is required as part of feeding back the breath incurs high cost and effort. We propose a novel virtual reality (VR) based approach to respiratory biofeedback that utilizes the positionally tracked hand controllers integrated into modern VR systems to capture and feedback the respiration-induced abdominal movements. In a randomized controlled laboratory study, we investigated the feasibility and efficacy of the developed biofeedback algorithm. In total, 72 participants performed a short breathing exercise in VR with or without respiratory biofeedback. The feedback integration resulted in a satisfactory user experience, a heightened breath awareness, a greater focus on slow diaphragmatic breathing and an increased respiratory sinus arrhythmia. This evidences that the novel biofeedback approach is low-cost, unobtrusive, usable and effective in increasing breath awareness and promoting slow diaphragmatic breathing in the context of VR-based breathing exercises. Future studies need to investigate the broader applicability and long-term effects. Keywords Virtual reality · Respiratory biofeedback · Diaphragmatic breathing · Abdominal breathing · Respiratory sinus arrhythmia · Biofeedback
Psychophysiological Benefits of Conscious Breathing In our fast-paced society, stress-related symptoms and disorders are prevalent (American Psychological Association 2018; Jarczok et al. 2013). Breathing exercises are a practicable, efficient and evidence-based approach to reduce stress-related symptoms and improve psychophysiological health (e.g., Hopper et al. 2019; Perciavalle et al. 2017). Fostering breath awareness and a slow diaphragmatic breathing Johannes Blum and Christoph Rockstroh have contributed equally and therefore share first authorship. * Johannes Blum [email protected]‑freiburg.de Christoph Rockstroh [email protected]‑freiburg.de Anja S. Göritz [email protected]‑freiburg.de 1
Department of Occupational and Consumer Psychology, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Engelbergerstr. 41, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
style is beneficial from a psychological as well as physiological point of view. In the psychological domain, the breath can act as an anchor for focused attention. This is a common feature in a variety of yoga and meditation practices as well as in panic or anxiety interventions. Within those contexts, focused breathing exercises have been found to reduce mind wandering (e.g., Burg and Michalak 2011; Xu et al. 2017) as well as anxiety and negative affect (e.g., Jerath et al. 2015; Ma et al. 2017; Sharma & Haider, 2013). Moreover, focused breathing can foster a positive mood a
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