Hemi-Sync® Journal 1990-2 (Spring)

Tukey’s HSD test revealed that the groups which were significantly different at the .05 level were Groups B and C. Omega squared ( = .0417) indicates that the differential treatment of groups B and C accounts for about 4% of the variance between the two groups’ alpha production scores. Group C did not differ significantly from Group A, thus Hypothesis 3 was rejected. Hypothesis 4 It was hypothesized the combination of alpha binaural beats with alpha biofeedback would result in increased subjective report of relaxation. Table 9 displays the results of the 2 X 4 SPSSX repeated measures ANOVA on subjective report of Table 9 ANOVA Summary for Subjective Report of Total Relaxation Source SS df MS F Between 37.67 3 12.56 1.20 Error 585.20 56 10.45 Within 1116.30 1 1116.30 214.97* Interaction 19.90 3 6.63 1.28 Error 290.80 56 5.19 *p < .01 Between effect showed no significant difference among the groups, indicating that the groups were essentially equal in their pretest scores on subjective report of mental and physical relaxation. However, results also indicated that the within effect, the difference between pre- and post-test scores of mental and physical relaxation, was significant (F(1,56) = 214.97; p<.01). No interaction effect was found. Table 10 provides the means and standard deviations of the pre- and post-treatment scores of relaxations. Table 10 ANOVA Summary for Mean Subjective Report of Total Relaxation | Pre-test | Post-test | Margin* Group| Mean SD | Mean SD | Mean A | 11.1 (3.62) | 4.07 (1.67) | 7.59 B | 10.2 (3.26) | 4.53 (2.33) | 7.37 C | 11.3 (3.56) | 6.33 (1.76) | 8.82 D | 11.4 (3.16) | 4.73 (2.22) | 8.07 • | 11.0 (3.40) | 4.92 (2.00) | 7.96 • *row and/or column averages In relation to Hypothesis 4, the post-treatment relaxation scores of Group C were found to be significantly higher than the pre-treatment scores (F(1,56)=144.51; p<.01), resultantly Hypothesis 4 was not rejected. Table 11 displays the results of the follow-up ANOVA on pre- and post-test total relaxation scores. Omega squared ( = .712) indicates that the treatment effects account for about 71% of the variance in the total relaxation scores of Group C. Table 11 ANOVA Summary for Follow-up on Group C Total Relaxation Source SS df MS F Between Groups 750.0 1 750.0 144.5* Error 290.6 56 5.19 *p < .01 Qualitative Data Gathered In addition to the quantitative data gathered, anecdotal information was gathered during open interviews which supplements the quantitative data already reported. At the end of the procedure, each subject was uniformly asked, “How was your experience?” Subjects in groups A and C were also asked, “How was your experience of the beats?” Subjects in groups B and C were asked, “How was your experience of the feedback?” and “What strategies were successful in increasing alpha?” Subjects in group C were asked, “Were there any associations between your focus on the beats and your alpha production?” Group D subjects were asked, “How was your experience of the surf sounds?” Information concerning the responses to these questions is reported as it relates to common themes among the groups and differential themes between the groups. All Groups The characteristic response of subjects, regardless of the treatment group, was that the experience was enjoyable, pleasant and relaxing. Numerous subjects reported various visual, auditory, tactile or kinesthetic sensations. These sensations are reported in relation to the group or treatment with which they were associated. A number of subjects in all groups reported drowsiness and a desire to close the eyes. Other common themes reported were feelings of peace, calm and tranquility, altered perception of time, feelings of numbness, and disassociation from the body. An additional theme noted in all groups was difficulty eliminating intrusive thoughts. Associations With the Binaural Beats Subjects in groups A and C received alpha- frequency binaural-beat stimulation. In response to the question, “How was your experience of the beats?” the following themes were noted: a) the beats were comfortable, pleasant and relaxing, b) felt more physically relaxed when focused on the beats, c) the beat was helpful in eliminating intrusive thoughts and relaxing mentally, d) perception of the beat tended to change in frequency and amplitude, depending on focus e) creative imagery or insights came to mind, f) physical sensations such as bodily warmth or tingling, and g) intracranial sensations, such as feelings of light pressure, especially in the temporal and frontal areas. Three subjects reported difficulty focusing on the beat. Three subjects with previous meditation experience reported the beats to be more relaxing than other relaxation or meditation strategies. One subject reported that she could use the memory of the beat to recall the feelings she experienced with it. One subject reported that the color of the visual stimulus seemed to fade when focusing on the tones. The same subject noted a visual perception of a clockwise rotation of the colors green and red at a rate of about two cycles per second. Two subjects associated the beats with sensations in the sinuses; one reported that the beat caused a pressure build-up while another reported that the beat seemed to cause her sinus drainage to stop. The subject who reported that the beats caused her sinus drainage to stop reported that she “moved it around my body and it stopped my cough and relieved the tension in my neck.” Associations With Alpha Feedback Subjects in groups B and C received alpha feedback and were asked how they experienced the feedback and what strategies were helpful in increasing alpha. Subjects generally reported that the feedback was pleasant and interesting. Several also reported that it was difficult not to let the movement of the lights interfere with their efforts to become mentally relaxed. Themes which surfaced in regard to successful strategies discovered included a) confirmation of oculomotor strategies which affected alpha, b) deep breathing and or exhalation was associated with increased alpha, c) verbal strategies such as affirmations increased alpha, d) mental imagery such as pleasant memories or scenes increased alpha, e) mental effort or thinking decreased alpha, f) alpha increased when momentarily between thoughts, g) alpha increased when focused on the binaural beats, and h) it became easier to control alpha production as the session progressed. Three subjects reported identifying no successful strategies for increasing alpha and two reported identifying no feelings which corresponded to increased alpha. Associations With the Surf Sounds In response to questions regarding experience of the surf sounds subjects unanimously reported positive feelings and associations. There seemed to be a higher level of enthusiasm for the surf sounds than for the binaural beats. One obvious explanation is that surf sounds often are associated with pleasant beach and ocean memories. Several subjects in Group D reported such associations. Group C Group C subjects were asked uniformly if they noticed any correlation between their focus on the binaural beat and the movement of the two lights indicating increased alpha. Nine of the fifteen subjects stated in various ways that focusing on the beat was a successful strategy in increasing alpha. The following statements are verbatim reports from four of these subjects: Subject #53 was observed to have an unusually high alpha production near the end of the session. During the interview he reported to have gained complete control of the lights by his focus on the beats. He stated, “The beat increased slightly in frequency and volume right after alpha increased dramatically. Then I used that memory to make alpha increase again.” Subject #56 reported that he felt “a moving rolling pressure across the frontal area and then filling both sides as the beats filled my mind and the alpha increased.” Subject #27 reported “the tones became like a bar in the front of my head and when the bar formed the beat disappeared and the alpha increased.” Subject #34 reported that she “was able to focus on the lower tone in my right ear and bring it to the other until when they came together and I heard the beat, the alpha lights would go all the way out.” SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS SUMMARY The data provides evidence that all groups demonstrated increases in alpha production and subjective experience of both mental and physical relaxation resulting from the treatment procedures. The only interaction found was that of groups B and C. Under the conditions of this study, the combination of alpha-frequency binaural beats and alpha brain-wave feedback resulted in significantly more alpha production than alpha brain-wave feedback alone. Conclusions The conclusions that can be drawn from this study are presented as they relate to each hypothesis. Hypothesis 1 Hypothesis 1, that alpha-frequency binaural beats stimulation would increase alpha brain wave production, was not rejected. However, the increase in alpha production over baseline was due to numerous factors, one of which was the binaural- beat stimulation. The subjects also received brief relaxation response instructions and conditions conducive to relaxation were provided. It should be noted that group A, which received alpha- frequency binaural beats, did not differ significantly in treatment alpha production from Group D, which received artificially produced surf sounds. It cannot be concluded from this data that the increase in alpha for Group A was due to a frequency-following response. Hypothesis 2 Hypothesis 2, that visual eyes-open alpha- frequency biofeedback training would increase alpha production above eyes-open baseline levels, was not rejected. However, the amount of alpha increase which is due to the biofeedback training as opposed to other treatment effects such as the relaxation-response training or naturally occurring biological rhythms is indeterminable from these results. Hypothesis 3 Hypothesis 3, that the combination of alpha feedback and alpha binaural beats would interact to increase alpha production more than either technique alone, was rejected. The treatment alpha production of Group C (feedback and beats) was significantly greater than that of Group B (feedback only) but not that of Group A (beats only). Before concluding that the difference between Groups B and C was due to the alpha- frequency binaural beats, it must be noted that the most parsimonious explanation of this difference is that the addition of a pleasant, constant auditory stimulus made conditions more conducive to spontaneous alpha for subjects in Group C. These results do not necessarily lead to the conclusion that the increase in alpha-frequency brain-wave production is due specifically to the presentation of alpha-frequency binaural beats. It should be noted that Group C did not differ significantly in alpha production from Group D, which also received a pleasant, constant auditory stimulus. A conceptual distinction between spontaneous and evoked cortical potentials is helpful when considering the effects of alpha-frequency binaural beats. Since the human alpha rhythm is a naturally occurring or spontaneous rhythm of the cortex, deciding how much if any of the alpha production was evoked by the alpha-frequency binaural beats is difficult. Due to methodological limitations of this study, it is impossible to state conclusively that any of the alpha production was evoked. It could be argue that the most parsimonious explanation of the difference in alpha production between groups B and C is that group C conditions were more optimal for spontaneous alpha due to the addition of a constant, pleasant auditory stimulus. It is useful to note that subjects in groups B and C were presented with conditions which