Larry D. Young

A simple feedback system for the treatment of elevated blood pressure

A relatively simple, open-loop feedback system for use in teaching patients with elevated blood pressure to lower their blood pressure is described. It is based on once per minute determinations of blood pressure which are read by the experimenter and then presented to the patient by closed circuit television. The procedure is reliable and trouble free. Four single subject design experiments are described in which the elevated systolic blood pressures of four patients suffering from essential hypertension or borderline hypertension were lowered to the normal range. Decrease in blood pressure ranged from 9 to 55 millimeters of mercury. Control conditions in each experiment indicate that the feedback procedure was responsible for the lowering of blood pressure.

Differential effects of feedback and reinforcement in voluntary acceleration of human heart rate.

Six single-subject experiments were conducted: In each experiment, after a stable baseline was established, S was given 8 20-min. trials on which he was to accelerate heart rate with no feedback; next 24 additional 20-min. sessions were given on which S received binary feedback of heart rate; depending upon the experiment, reinforcement in the form of small amounts of money was also given or withdrawn in blocks of 8 sessions; finally generalization was measured in a concluding block of 8 sessions. A significant instruction effect was found in 4 experiments. Further significant increases in heart rate were found in all 6 experiments when feedback was introduced. Although it was established experimentally that contingent presentation of money functioned as a reinforcer for a motor (bar-press) response, its contingent presentation did not yield a consistent advantage in accelerating heart rate.

A Shaping Procedure for Heart-Rate Control in Chronic Tachycardia

6 experiments of single-subject design are presented in which an operant conditioning paradigm, utilizing a variable criterion shaping procedure with commercial television programs or money as reinforcement, was employed to accelerate or decelerate heart rate (HR). In the four analogue experiments in which the HR of normal Ss was accelerated, changes of 16 to 35 BPM above a stable baseline were obtained. In the two clinical experiments, involving patients with chronic tachycardia and anxiety, decelerations of HR to the normal range were obtained and other clinical improvements noted. In all cases these changes in HR were maintained over at least three successive trials (days). The results are discussed in terms of the applicability of this shaping procedure to the treatment of chronic tachycardia.

Effects of Auditory Feedback of Varying Information Content on the Self/Control of Heart Rate

Summary The relative efficacy of auditory feedback, varying in the amount of information contained in the feedback signal, for the self-control of heart rate (HR) was determined by comparing groups of 10 Ss who received either: (a) continuous proportional feedback, (b) discontinuous proportional feedback, (c) binary feedback, (d) heart sounds, or (e) no feedback. At each of two sessions Ss were given eight trials in each direction on which they were to raise or lower their HR. Without regard to the amount of information contained in the signal, presentation of auditory feedback aided Ss in raising HR relative to Ss who received no feedback; however, feedback did not yield an advantage in lowering it. These results suggest that perhaps the informing quality of feedback is multidimensional and also that perhaps the mechanisms involved in acceleration and deceleration of HR may be different.

A SIMPLE FEEDBACK SYSTEM FOR SELF-CONTROL OF BLOOD PRESSURE'

A relatively simple, open-loop, feedback system, based on closed-circuit television, which can be used to teach Ss to control their blood pressure is described, along with two experiments which demonstrate its efficacy. In the first experiment 10 normotensive Ss were able to increase systolic blood pressure with the aid of feedback over the level obtainable with the same instructions but without feedback. The second experiment provided a systematic replication of the efficacy of the feedback system. Groups of 13 normotensive Ss for 3 daily 20-min. trials were given either (1) proportional feedback via the new open-loop system or (2) binary feedback of systolic blood pressure on a once per minute basis or (3) were given no feedback but instructions to lower their blood pressure. Results showed a consistent advantage for blood pressure lowering of the new feedback system over binary feedback or no feedback. The latter two did not differ.

Apneic aversion and covert sensitization in the treatment of a hydrocarbon inhalation addiction: A case study

Abstract A patient with a 7-yr history of drug abuse in the form of inhaling spray paint vapor was treated by a combination of covert sensitization and apneic aversion produced by Anectine. Objective behavioral measures of consummatory behavior throughout treatment and at a 7-month follow-up indicated that the treatment was successful.

The use of shaping and reinforcement in the operant acceleration and deceleration of heart rate

Summary An operant paradigm utilizing commercial television programs as reinforcement with two S s and money with one S was employed to accelerate and decelerate heart rate. A 61-yr-old male psychiatric patient suffering from tachycardia was conditioned to produce a heart rate which averaged 16 beats/min less than his baseline rate. A- 20-yr-old male college student had his heart rate accelerated to a rate which was 17 beats/min higher than his baseline rate. A second 20-yr-old college student demonstrated a heart rate acceleration of 16 beats/min from his baseline rate. All changes in heart rate for S s in this study were maintained over successive sessions (days). The results are discussed in terms of applicability of operant conditioning technique to the clinical control of heart rate.