As practitioners dedicated to improving the outcomes for children through online therapy services, it is crucial to stay informed about the latest advancements in emotion regulation (ER) techniques. One promising approach is the use of physiological feedback technology. A recent systematic review titled Physiological feedback technology for real-time emotion regulation: a systematic review provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of this technology.
Understanding Physiological Feedback Technology
Physiological feedback technology involves capturing physiological responses such as heart rate or skin conductance and providing real-time feedback to users. This feedback helps individuals become more aware of their physiological states, enabling them to regulate their emotions more effectively. The systematic review analyzed 27 relevant articles and found that the majority of these studies showed a significant regulatory effect of physiological feedback on different emotions.
Key Factors Influencing Effectiveness
The review identified several key factors that influence the effectiveness of physiological feedback technology for ER:
- Content of Feedback: The emotional physiological information conveyed by the feedback plays a decisive role in its effectiveness. Strong feedback (e.g., increasing heart rate) tends to upregulate emotions, while weak feedback (e.g., decreasing heart rate) can downregulate emotions.
- Explanation of Feedback: The explanation given to the feedback significantly influences its credibility and effectiveness. Explaining the feedback as the subject's own physiological information enhances its regulatory effect.
- Authenticity and Real-Time Capability: Authentic and real-time feedback ensures the accuracy of the emotional physiological information, enhancing the credibility and effectiveness of the intervention.
- Modality of Feedback: The choice of physiological parameters (e.g., heart rate, skin conductance) used as feedback modalities influences how well individuals understand the emotional information, affecting the regulatory effect.
Implications for Practitioners
For practitioners working with children in online therapy settings, incorporating physiological feedback technology can be a valuable tool for emotion regulation. By considering the key factors identified in the review, practitioners can optimize the effectiveness of this technology. Here are some practical steps:
- Ensure the feedback content is relevant and understandable for children.
- Provide clear explanations to children about how the feedback relates to their physiological states.
- Use authentic and real-time feedback to maintain credibility and accuracy.
- Choose appropriate feedback modalities that children can easily comprehend.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Physiological feedback technology for real-time emotion regulation: a systematic review.
