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Cited by 599

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The effect of heart rate variability biofeedback training on stress and anxiety: a meta-analysis

Open access
Goessl, V. C., Curtiss, J. E., Hofmann, S. G.·2017·Psychological Medicine

Abstract

Background: Some evidence suggests that heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback might be an effective way to treat anxiety and stress symptoms. To examine the effect of HRV biofeedback on symptoms of anxiety and stress, we conducted a meta-analysis of studies extracted from PubMed, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Library. Methods: The search identified 24 studies totaling 484 participants who received HRV biofeedback training for stress and anxiety. We conducted a random-effects meta-analysis. Results: The pre-post within-group effect size (Hedges' g) was 0.81. The between-groups analysis comparing biofeedback to a control condition yielded Hedges' g = 0.83. Moderator analyses revealed that treatment efficacy was not moderated by study year, risk of study bias, percentage of females, number of sessions, or presence of an anxiety disorder. Conclusions: HRV biofeedback training is associated with a large reduction in self-reported stress and anxiety. Although more well-controlled studies are needed, this intervention offers a promising approach for treating stress and anxiety with wearable devices.

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Metadata

Authors
Goessl, V. C., Curtiss, J. E., & Hofmann, S. G.
Venue
Psychological Medicine
Published
2017-05-08
Volume
47
Issue
15
Pages
2578-2586
ISSN
  • 0033-2917 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-8978
OpenAlex
W2614024084
Cited by
599
References
50
FWCI
7.85
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
green

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: The effect of heart rate variability biofeedback training on stress and anxiety: a meta-analysis. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1017/s0033291717001003
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Goessl, V. C., Curtiss, J. E., & Hofmann, S. G. (2017). The effect of heart rate variability biofeedback training on stress and anxiety: a meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291717001003

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