The Effects of Meditation with a Biofeedback Program on Stress and Depression Levels among People with Mild Depression Diabetes

A combination of meditation and skin conductance plus skin temperature biofeedback reduces stress and depression more than meditation alone or routine nursing in people with diabetes and mild depression. A randomized controlled trial with 102 participants divided into three groups of 34 found statistically significant differences among the groups, with the combined intervention producing the greatest reduction in the linear combination of stress and depression measured by the Symptoms of Stress Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory. The biofeedback program helps people learn to relax by feeding information back through on-screen visual signals.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Background: The increased amount of depression among people with diabetes is a burden on society. Biofeedback and meditation can impact the self-regulation of this group. Objective: This study aims to study the effect of combining meditation with a biofeedback training program on the stress and depression among diabetes people with mild depression. Methods: This study is based on a randomized controlled trial approach. One hundred two participants were divided into three groups of 34 participants each, involving meditation, a combination of meditation and Skin Conductance (SC) with Skin Temperature (ST) biofeedback, and a control group. All three groups received routine nursing. Measurements were made using the Symptoms of Stress Inventory (SOSI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and MANOVA and MANCOVA. The duration of the study was from June 2018 to October 2019. Results: There were statistically significant differences in stress and depression among the three groups. Those receiving both meditation and biofeedback had the greatest reduction in the linear combination of stress and depression. Accordingly, the biofeedback program is a program that is capable of helping people learn how to relax, as biofeedback instruments feed information back to people through on-screen visual signals, thus enabling them to learn about their progress and success. Conclusion: In summary, a combination of meditation and SC and ST biofeedback can reduce stress and depression in people with mild depression diabetes.