Abstract
Vibroacoustic therapy (VAT) is a modern therapeutic approach that combines low-frequency sound vibrations with listening to music. One of the new technologies developed for VAT is Vibrobed, a vibrating bed intended for rehabilitation. The aim of the present pilot study with mixed methods research design is to explore the impact of a Vibrobed course using an original listening program called The Elements 2019 on the subjective experience of study participants, specifically on their physical perception, emotions and mental associations. The study involved 30 university students who underwent three sessions on the Vibrobed. The research data were obtained through a newly-designed questionnaire (processed by means of descriptive statistics and paired t-test) and through qualitative interviews (processed by means of inductive content analysis). The study results seem to indicate that a session on the Vibrobed may increase the level of perceived physical well-being and relaxation, and that it has potential for psychosomatic regulation of the human body. This could be utilized in coping with acute stress and has a positive influence on the quality of life of students in various educational institutions, for instance in the form of preventive programmes at universities. Due to the limitations of the current study, however, it is yet necessary to verify the potential use of the vibroacoustic program through further research, ideally using an experimental design.
Highlights
The origins of vibroacoustic therapy (VAT) date back to the 1980s, when the first prototype of a vibroacoustic unit was designed by the Norwegian teacher Olav Skille
VAT is defined as “the use of sinusoidal, low-frequency sound waves in the range of 30-120 Hz, which are mixed with music and intended for therapeutic purposes [1, p. 36]
Three main elements are typical for most methods used in VAT: low-frequency sound vibrations, listening to clients’ preferred music and a therapeutic interaction [2]
Summary
The origins of vibroacoustic therapy (VAT) date back to the 1980s, when the first prototype of a vibroacoustic unit was designed by the Norwegian teacher Olav Skille. VAT is defined as “the use of sinusoidal, low-frequency sound waves in the range of 30-120 Hz, which are mixed with music and intended for therapeutic purposes [1, p. Three main elements are typical for most methods used in VAT: low-frequency sound vibrations, listening to clients’ preferred music and a therapeutic interaction [2]. In the course of VAT history, a number of vibroacoustic technologies have been designed. These differ primarily in the characteristics of the low-frequency sounds, employed materials and construction, localization of the low-frequency sound on various areas of the human body, etc.
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