Biofeedback Training in Inpatient Mental Health Facilities: A Scoping Review.

Background

Biofeedback (BFB) has long been a successful treatment for various mental health disorders. The purpose of this scoping review is to investigate the implementation of BFB in inpatient treatment concepts for the therapy of mental health disorders.

Methods

Through a systematic search via Medline, PubMed, and the Web of Science, as well as a manual search in Google Scholar and reference lists, relevant articles published up to 30 December 2024 were identified. Studies were included if they focused on BFB interventions to treat mental health disorders in inpatient settings and were published in English or German. Studies were assessed by two independent raters, and key information was summarized in a shared document.

Results

This scoping review analyzed 20 articles published between 1979 and 2022, examining BFB in inpatient settings for various mental health disorders, i.e., obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, schizophrenia, and eating disorders. Positive outcomes were observed in symptoms, stress reduction, and improvements in cardiac autonomic and motor functions. The duration and frequency of the sessions varied widely, and different methodologies were used across studies, including controlled sessions and self-administered exercises.

Conclusions

Most BFB inpatient studies showed positive effects on clinical symptoms. There was a broad heterogeneity of the studies. Comparisons are limited, making it challenging to give general recommendations for BFB implementation. The issue remains whether a methodologically consistent approach is necessary for clinical success.