Date of Award

2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Harley, Heidi

Area of Concentration

Biopsychology

Abstract

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental illnesses faced by Americans, and traditional therapies are not always accessible or effective. Recently, video games with biofeedback mechanisms that measure physiological reactions to stress have been tested as treatment options for mood and behavioral disorders. Bodily responses to anxiety and stress are well documented and support the use of biofeedback mechanisms in treatment. To address the rising numbers of anxious individuals, the current study investigated biofeedback video gaming as a treatment method for various forms of anxiety in adults. Participants were 18 college students, ages 18-24 years, who completed questionnaires assessing video game beliefs and playing frequencies, depression, and anxiety. Twelve participants played a video game with or without heart rate biofeedback. Analyses revealed a trend in lowered anxiety scores across all groups, but with the lowest scores occurring in the biofeedback group.

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