A Guide to Cleaner Skin Temperature Recordings and More Versatile Use of Your Thermistor

Valid peripheral temperature measurements ensure the integrity of client assessment and biofeedback training. Accurate measurements require understanding of the signal and potential influences on measurement fidelity, and developing bulletproof monitoring procedures. In addition to their use in temperature biofeedback, thermistors can assist heart rate variability biofeedback practice and monitor breathing when a respirometer is not available.

SYNCHRONOUS MEASUREMENTS OF FINGER SURFACE TEMPERATURE FROM THREE DIFFERENT KINDS OF TEMPERATURE SENSORS

The aim of this study was to explore new valid sensors for temperature biofeedback. Three kinds of temperature sensors (thermography imaging, thermistor, and infrared thermopile) were employed to record participants’ finger surface temperatures simultaneously. The skin temperature readings resulted in strong correlations between sensors. These results suggested that contact and non-contact temperature sensors all had good synchronous temperature covariance in measuring finger surface temperature.

The use of biofeedback in recreational therapy practice

The purpose of this article is to provide a brief history of biofeedback and a review its use as a clinical intervention in recreational therapy. Several specific biofeedback modalities; electromyography, electrodermal response, electroencephalography, and skin temperature biofeedback techniques will be discussed in terms of recreational therapy practice to demonstrate biofeedback’s usefulness in a variety of settings where recreational therapists currently practice. Criteria for becoming board certified in biofeedback and neuro-feedback as well as recommendations for inclusion of biofeedback and stress management course work into recreational therapy curriculum are presented.

Relationships and Comparisons of Finger Surface Temperature Measurements from Three Different Kinds of Temperature Sensors

Temperature biofeedback has been used in behavioral medicine for more than three decades. Traditional temperature biofeedback uses the contact sensor of a thermistor to measure one’s finger surface temperature. The goal of this study is to discover new valid sensors for temperature biofeedback. Sixteen healthy young adult volunteers (23.1±2.0 years old) practiced cognitive imagery muscle relaxation with three kinds of temperature sensors (thermography imaging, thermistor, and infrared thermopile) to measure their finger surfaces simultaneously. The temperature readings from different sensors were synchronically videotaped and converged to video files for analyses. The data were selected every half a minute from a fixed section of the muscle relaxation procedure to show the outline of the temperature variation. Twenty-eight means of skin temperature measurements from each sensor resulted in overall correlation coefficients of R=0.98 (p<0.001) between the thermistor and thermography imaging sensors, R=0.95 (p<0.001) between thermography imaging and infrared thermopile sensors, and R=0.96 (p<0.001) between thermistor and infrared thermopile sensors. These results suggest that contact and non-contact temperature sensors could demonstrate good synchronous temperature covariance in measuring finger surface temperature. This study also proposes specific setups for instrumentation of finger surface temperature monitoring.

Skin-Temperature Biofeedback Training: Cognitive and Developmental Factors in a Nonclinical Child Population

The present study evaluated the relationship between skin-temperature biofeedback training for a nonclinical child population and several cognitive and developmental factors. 49 children were randomly assigned to control, standard feedback, or novel feedback conditions. State-anxiety, trait-anxiety, and depression scores improved for all groups. Health locus of control scores improved significantly for children receiving standard feedback. Children receiving biofeedback increased skin temperature regardless of their age, sex, or intellectual functioning.