Belt-type device slows breathing rate to ease test anxiety in students

Device-guided breathing (DGB), as facilitated by the RESPeRATE device, appears to reduce test anxiety and can boost subsequent test performance among students, according to a recent study.

“DGB was found to be a potential tool for test-anxiety reduction. “If confirmed in further studies, our results may suggest the adoption of DGB as an alternative treatment for test anxiety,” the researchers said.

“Furthermore, DGB may also be relevant for general anxiety reduction, which is likely to increase due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” they added.

This pilot study enrolled 21 healthy college students (aged 20–30 years, 68 percent men), of whom 10 were given the DGB device and underwent a daily practice regimen, while 11 were assigned to a waitlist control group. A stress test, as well as blood pressure and anxiety measurements, were performed before and after the 3-week DGB training period.

RESPeRATE users saw a notable drop in anxiety, from a mean score of 46.5 at baseline to 42.3 after the DGB training period. In waitlist controls, on the other hand, anxiety scores jumped slightly, from an average of 35.36 at baseline to 36.36 after 3 weeks. Though the effect size was deemed to be medium, the between-group difference fell short of statistical significance (t, 1.40; p=0.18). [Front Psychol 2022;doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.678098]

Blood pressure likewise improved after DGB. Systolic blood pressure, for instance, dropped from 118.6 to 116.4 mm Hg among device users, whereas it increased from 115.8 to 121 mm Hg in controls. The between-group difference was significant (t, 2.18; p=0.04).

Diastolic blood pressure showed a similar pattern (77.95 to 76.95 mm Hg in DGB vs 71.86 to 73.32 mm Hg in controls), but change values did not differ between treatment arms (t, 0.90; p=0.38).

“The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the effect of DGB on the anxiety levels of patients experiencing test anxiety. Our results indicate that daily practice using device-guided breathing may lead to reduced test anxiety,” the researchers said.

“Although the reduction in anxiety in the DGB group was not significant (perhaps due to the small sample), the effect size was medium, suggesting a possible effect,” they added.

Pilot study participants were given the RESPeRATE device for daily DGB practice at home, with each session lasting 15 minutes per day. RESPeRATE includes a belt-type breathing sensor, which assesses breathing pattern from changes in the torso circumference. Using this as input, the device then helps regulate breathing cadence through auditory signals, delivered through earphones, which the user is asked to synchronize their respiration with.

“We believe that the results of this study may be further assessed in accordance with the identified challenges resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” the researchers said, pointing out that disruptions in school as well as constant reports of sickness may have detrimental effects on the psychological wellbeing of students.

In addition, the device could also be assessed in work situations, particularly in highly stressful jobs, as well as in combination with other interventions, such as yoga and mindfulness activities.