Biomedical subjects

R Poppen

Publications and source records attributed to R Poppen.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1999

Reduction of tremor severity and disability following behavioral relaxation training.

The effects of behavioral relaxation training (BRT) for the treatment of moderate to severe essential tremor (ET) was evaluated with two older adults, ages 73 and 83, using a single-case design and statistical analysis. Measures included within-session clinician and self-rated tremor severity and disability in activities of daily living (ADL), EMG activity, and daily self-ratings of tremor severity and ADL disabilities. Following a brief 2-4 week baseline period BRT was conducted. Clinically significant reductions of 47-66% in within session clinical and self-rated tremor severity and daily self-ratings were obtained. Statistically significant changes in self- and clinician ratings occurred following BRT. In some cases, EMG activity also declined following intervention. Results at a seven week follow up were mixed and related to continued use of relaxation skills. While the cost ratio (medication: BRT) indicates that relaxation training is more expensive relative to standard medical intervention, cost-benefit to patients off sets the financial difference. Relaxation training may be an efficacious first step in a biobehavioral stepped care treatment model.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1995

Behavioral relaxation training for tremor disorders in older adults.

Two adult men, aged 86 and 63, with essential tremor and Parkinson's-disease-related tremor, respectively, were provided Behavioral Relaxation Training in reclined and upright seated positions. Multiple measures were recorded, including the Behavioral Relaxation Scale (BRS), clinical and self-rated tremor severity, informant ratings, ratings of disability in activities of daily living (ADL), and forearm EMG. Results showed increased relaxation skills on the BRS, with reductions in EMG, tremor ratings, and some ADL disabilities. Upright BRS scores did not change during reclined training, but improved rapidly during upright training. The second man was found to suffer from dyskinesia when he relaxed during baseline, which declined markedly during training. A two-week follow-up indicated that most improvements were maintained by both men. Statistical analyses of data for each man showed significant changes. These results suggest that relaxation may be useful in the treatment of idiopathic and pathologic tremor disorders in older adults.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

Biobehavioral rehabilitation for older adults with essential tremor.

Essential tremor (ET), the most prevalent movement disorder, has a peak prevalence in the sixth decade of life. ET primarily affects the hands and head. Persons with ET are often significantly disabled in communication, work, leisure, domestic activities, and psychosocial adjustment. Medical intervention for ET is often limited in effectiveness. A biobehavioral rehabilitation model for older adults with ET is described.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1995

Effects of abdominal and thoracic breathing upon multiple-site electromyography and peripheral skin temperature.

Peripheral finger temperature, frontalis and upper trapezius EMG, and self-report of arousal were assessed for four subjects during abdominal and thoracic breathing in a single-subject reversal design. Two subjects displayed significant differences between abdominal and thoracic breathing conditions; one for frontalis EMG, trapezius EMG, and self-report of arousal and one for trapezius EMG. Two subjects showed no significant effects. All subjects reached performance criteria during training sessions. Abdominal breathing performance during reversals was 100% and 92% of sampled breath cycles for the two subjects who showed significant change, and 65% and 42% for the two subjects who showed none. Methodological issues for measurement of breathing patterns and peripheral skin temperature are discussed.

Abdominal Muscles↗

PubMed1989

Teaching parents to conduct behavioral relaxation training with their hyperactive children.

Three boys meeting multiple criteria for hyperactivity received Behavioral Relaxation Training (BRT) in their homes from their parents, under the supervision of the experimenter. BRT involved modeling, prompting, token reinforcement, and praise, for ten overt relaxed behaviors. All children learned to relax to a criterion of at least 80% on the Behavioral Relaxation Scale (BRS), an objective measure of relaxation. Frontalis EMG levels were correlated with BRS scores for two children. Proficiency was maintained at one and three-month follow-ups. All children were removed from medication by follow-up. Parent ratings of hyperactive behavior on two standardized questionnaires showed improvements from baseline to follow-up. Teacher ratings of problem behavior were less consistently positive. The concept of relaxation as a skill rather than a state, and its implications as an alternative to medication therapy, are discussed.

Arousal↗

PubMed1989

Electromyographic biofeedback and rest position training of masticatory muscles in myofascial pain-dysfunction patients.

Twenty-four women outpatients with myofascial pain-dysfunction were divided into three groups of eight. All received bilateral masseter electromyographic biofeedback training. One group received biofeedback only; one group received additional instructions and modeling to place their jaw in the "rest" position; and one group was given a prosthetic guide that spaced the incisors 6.8 mm apart. Two 15-minute training sessions were conducted at a 1-week interval, with posttreatment assessment 2 weeks later. The instruction and prosthesis groups obtained significantly greater electromyographic reductions in masseter activity and increases in mandibular range of motion compared with the biofeedback-only group. Subjects with pain obtained a significant reduction in therapist and self-report pain ratings. The results suggest that short-term biofeedback treatment may be meaningfully augmented by procedures that place the mandible in the rest position.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Generalization of EMG biofeedback training.

Five young adults received audio biofeedback training to reduce trapezius EMG levels while they engaged in reading in an office, seated at a table. A multiple-baseline-across subjects design was employed in two separate studies. After training, all subjects demonstrated reduced EMG levels while reading in a home or library setting. The first study suggested that subjects reduced EMG levels by minimizing movements and altering their postures; the second study systematically demonstrated changes in such behavior, which was correlated with EMG levels. The data provide evidence that EMG biofeedback resulted in response generalization across several motoric classes, and in stimulus generalization from the training setting to the natural environment. The importance of assessing generalization is discussed.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

PubMed1985

Behavioral relaxation training with hyperactive children.

Three boys meeting multiple criteria of hyperactivity were trained to emit ten specific relaxed behaviors by means of Behavioral Relaxation Training (BRT). Dependent measures included the Behavioral Relaxation Scale (BRS), frontalis electromyogram (EMG), the Conners Parent Symptom Questionnaire, and self-report. A multiple-probe design across subjects was employed, plus a reversal between recliner and beanbag chair for each subject. BRT was effective in producing high levels of relaxed behaviors and low EMG levels in the office setting, particularly in conjunction with the beanbag chair, with some reduction of hyperactivity scores on the Conners. Subsequent training in each child's home by his mother was accompanied by further reductions in parent-reported symptoms and low EMG levels, which were maintained at a 1-month follow-up.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗

PubMed1985

A behavioral analysis of diaphragmatic breathing and its effects on peripheral temperature.

Three young women volunteers were trained through instructional feedback in two breathing procedures: diaphragmatic, derived from Eastern meditative techniques, and thoracic, involving opposite maneuvers. A single-subject reversal design was employed. Physiograph recordings of diaphragmatic expansion and mouth breathing provided the basis for feedback. Peripheral (digital) temperature was time-sampled at 1-min intervals and linear regression lines were fitted to the data. Temperature decreased throughout "normal" (baseline) breathing, probably due to warm outdoor and cool indoor temperatures. For two subjects, temperature during diaphragmatic breathing was generally stable; temperature during thoracic breathing showed significant decreases and did not differ from normal breathing. Within-session reversals showed dramatic changes in temperature as a function of breathing technique, which were maintained at follow-up, for these subjects. Temperature was more labile and decreased regardless of breathing procedure for the third subject. These data support a relationship between respiratory and vasomotor activity, and suggest that breathing strategy may be an uncontrolled variable in temperature biofeedback. It is further suggested that diaphragmatic breathing may facilitate temperature biofeedback or other types of relaxation training.

Adult↗

PubMed1983

Behavioral relaxation training and assessment.

Behavioral Relaxation Training (BRT), a set of ten overt behaviors directly taught by prompting and performance feedback, was compared with frontalis EMG Biofeedback (BIO), Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), and a Music "attention focusing" (MUS) control, on five dependent measures of relaxation, in four groups of volunteers for a "stress-reduction" project. The dependent measures consisted of the Behavioral Relaxation Scale (BRS), frontalis EMG, finger temperature, skin conductance level, and self-report. BRS scores decreased in BRT, BIO, and PMR, but not MUS groups. EMG decreased in the BRT and BIO groups, but not in PMR or MUS. BRT retained its improvements at 4-6 week follow-up. All groups reported similar improvements on the self-report scale, Temperature and skin conductance were not systematically related to training procedures. Significant correlations between BRS and EMG were obtained.

Adult↗

PubMed1982

Electromyographic analysis of relaxed postures.

Six male volunteers assumed either "relaxed" or "unrelaxed" postures, as defined by a Behavioral Relaxation Scale, in seven areas of the body. Electromyographic (EMG) levels in the muscle groups associated with each area were determined for both categories of postures. In all instances, the "relaxed" postures produced significantly lower EMG levels than the "unrelaxed" postures. This indicates that the Behavioral Relaxation Scale is a valid behavioral measure of relaxation. Also, it supports other studies which have shown that direct training in emitting relaxed postures is an effective means of achieving relaxation.

Adult↗

PubMed1974