抄録
In most of the cases the modality used heretofore in biofeedback therapy has been decided uniformly by disease unit based on its pathosis. However, there are patients in whom this response relationship proves ineffective and also many cases with psychosomatic disorder for whom decision cannot be readily be made on what modality should be used due to the presence of various symptoms. The authors have pointed out in their previous reports that the therapeutic effects of biofeedback therapy do not depend on diagnosis and disease type and that biofeedback therapy is not effective unless the feedback indices accurately reflect the pathosis of the patient and unless the case possesses not only sufficient margin for learning in the direction toward the desired goal but also physiological responsiveness. In this study, an attempt from these standpoints was made to simultaneously feedback multiple physiological indices to patients with psychosomatic disorder. Twenty one patients diagnosed as psychosomatic disorder were treated with multi-feedback therapy, in which three psychophysiological measures, frontalis EMG, trapezius EMG, and skin temperature, were feedback at the same time. An effective rate was 76.2 % when slightly effective group was included. It was confirmed that the EMGS and skin temperature were changed correlatively during the practice. With the multi-feedback system, it is possible for a patient to select a modality or modalities freely which s/he can easily control. When the patient feels difficulty to continue the practice with the response s/he chose, then s/he can try another modality and continues the practice. This flexibility might lessen the patient's burden due to the unsuccessful practice and might motivate her/him to continue the practice. This clinical benefit of the multi-feedback was confirmed in this study.
