by Monique on August 10, 2010
Biofeedback is resistant to double-blind drug research – one cannot provide fake real-time feedback of biological processes and expect both the subject and the researcher to remain unaware. However, prevalence of widespread skepticism combined with the preference for evidence-based treatment at some point in time mandated the need for research-based evaluations of treatments.
To meet this need, the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback together with the International Society for Neurofeedback and Research established a “five levels of efficacy” model for judging biofeedback. Each level professes a certain degree of proven effectiveness in clinical trials. The placement of a condition’s treatment on a particular level is not necessarily a statement as to the actual effectiveness of feedback-based treatment of the condition, but is simply a statement as to how well that effectiveness is supported by empirical research. The five levels of efficacy are as follows:
Level 1: Not Empirically Supported
Examples: Eating Disorders, Immune System Functioning
Isolated reports support the efficacy. Controlled research has yet to show results.
Level 2: Possibly Efficacious
At least one study has shown statistically significant results, but without a proper control group.
Level 3: Probably Efficacious
The treatment’s efficacy is supported by multiple studies, but the studies (e.g. observational studies) lack enough scientific rigor to verify that it is the treatment which is producing the results.
Level 4: Efficacious
At least two completely independent researchers have shown valid data supporting the treatments efficacy in comparison with a random control group.
Level 5: Efficacious and Specific
At least two completely independent researchers have shown the treatment to be superior to either a) credible sham therapy, b) pill, or c) alternative bona fide treatment.
*The only condition categorized under Level 5 is female urinary incontinence.
Reference: Wikipedia
by Amanda on June 4, 2010
IQ is commonly disregarded as relevant. Many of my acquaintances who have 1) taken a intro to psych class, 2) psych majors, or 3) social work majors (who inevitably have been required to take several psych classes at a minimum) just don’t seem to get the importance of IQ. I’m not talking about people who say the IQ test is limited; I refer instead to those who just do not want to acknowledge or are not being taught properly. I think we seriously suffer because of the lack of understanding regarding IQ significance.
Real Life Application
Most must disregard the level of difficulty posed to the upper and lower echelon. Surely both groups struggle in different ways. Is gifted an impairment? Does it end up hurting individuals?
Teaching Comparisons: Upper, Lower 2%
Take two people of the same age: One of the upper and one from the lower echelon. Compare via interview for data about the subjective experience. Optimal presentation of the data would be in live audiovisual form. There are of course ethical concerns but the benefit would be great of teaching such concepts.
by Amanda on February 27, 2010
1. Bring up any behavioral concerns as early as possible
You may not be aware that ignoring undesirable behaviors communicates the behavior is allowed. Your team members are more likely to feel respected if you address such issues soon after they become apparent. Without proper addressing of such issues, your team may feel you are not giving them a chance to succeed.
2. Praise individual team member’s successes, as well as team successes
Praise has long been known to be an effective method in teaching and guiding behaviors. However, praise that is not sincere, genuine, based on reality, or given too often will not build your team nor build your respect as a manager. Pay attention to your team members; find strengths that set them apart from the rest of the group. Also, praising team success is equally important and builds group cohesion.
3. Believe in the power of failure and mistakes. Profess this power to your team periodically. [Read More…]
by Amanda on January 10, 2010
The more interested you are, the more the info will be burned into your brain! Find some angle that you find interesting. Additionally, those happy “interest” brain chemicals enhance learning. [Read More…]
by Amanda on July 25, 2009
Emotions can be very overwhelming. Before children have the vocabulary to express feelings, emotions feel larger than life. Often, stimuli associated with negative emotions are viewed by children as “scary” or even “bad.”
There are plenty of instances during which adults fall into a similar predicament, but in [Read More…]
Biofeedback is resistant to double-blind drug research – one cannot provide fake real-time feedback of biological processes and expect both the subject and the researcher to remain unaware. However, prevalence of widespread skepticism combined with the preference for evidence-based treatment at some point in time mandated the need for research-based evaluations of treatments.