Biofeedback-induced relaxation training and impulsivity, attention to task, and locus of control among hyperactive boys.

Abstract

This study examines the effects of biofeedback-induced relaxation training on impulsivity, attention to task, and locus of control among 32 hyperactive boys. Subjects, who were identified through teacher ratings on the abbreviated form of the Conners' Behavior Rating Scale, were randomly assigned to experimental (n= 16) and control (n= 16) groups. The experimental treatment consisted of four sessions of biofeedback-induced relaxation training spaced approximately two weeks apart. Multivariate analysis of variance results indicated a significant difference between groups, F (3, 28) = 19.62, p<.01. Univariate F tests and discriminant analysis procedures revealed that impulsivity and attention to task measures were significant discriminators, both p<.01. The locus of control variable did not prove to be a valid discriminator. It was concluded that biofeedback-induced relaxation training increased attention to task and reduced impulsivity but did not affect the measure of locus of control on the population studied.