Data Cart

The definitions of biofeedback provided to the field representatives, and sometimes to the respondents, are fairly consistent over time. The 1999 Field Representative's Manual defines biofeedback as:

This definition was not routinely shared with respondents.

The definitions provided in the 2002 and 2007 Field Representative's Manuals are very similar to one another. According to the 2007 manual:

In 2002, the definition was not routinely shared with respondents. However, in 2007 field representatives were advised to "feel free to offer [this definition] even if the respondent has not requested [it]."

The 2002 and 2007 survey questions asked whether the person had seen "a practitioner" (for sample adults) or "a provider or practitioner" (for sample children) for biofeedback in the past 12 months. The 2007 Manual defines an "alternative provider or practitioner" as:

Respondents who indicated that they had ever used biofeedback (BIOEV) (in the case of sample adults) and that they had used it in the past 12 months (BIOYR) (both sample adults and sample children) were asked follow-up questions about their use of biofeedback. Most of the following variables relate only to sample adults, except for BIOTREAT and some variables covering specific health conditions.

• importance of use of biofeedback (BIOIMPORT)

• times saw practitioner for biofeedback (BIONO)

• amount paid per visit for biofeedback (BIOPAID)

• whether biofeedback costs covered by insurance (BIOINSURE)

• whether used biofeedback for specific health problem (BIOTREAT)

• reasons for using biofeedback (BIOUSCOMBO, BIOUSENERGY, BIOUSHCREC, BIOUSIMMUN, BIOUSINTER, BIOUSMEDCOST, BIOUSMEDFAIL, BIOUSRELREC, BIOUSWELL)

• whether combined biofeedback with conventional treatments (BIONOCONV, BIOCOUN, BIONPMED, BIOPMED, BIOPT, BIOSURG)

• timing of biofeedback treatment, relative to use of conventional treatments (BIOCOUNTIM, BIONPMEDTIM, BIOPMEDTIM, BIOPTTIM, BIOSURGTIM)

• whether informed conventional medical practitioners of use of biofeedback (BIOLCONVHP, BIOLDENT, BIOLDO, BIOLMD, BIOLNURS, BIOLPHARM, BIOLPSYCHI, BIOLPSYCHO)

Persons who indicated in BIOTREAT that they had used biofeedback in the past 12 months to treat a specific health problem were asked to specify the condition treated. There are 131 total variables for specific conditions that were treated by biofeedback, including 72 for sample adults, 28 for sample children, and 31 for both sample adults and sample children. See BIOTREAT for more detail and the full list of conditions that persons could indicate were treated with biofeedback. Analysts interested in the conditions that biofeedback was used to treat may also wish to consult the following variables:

• condition for which biofeedback was used most (BIOTCONMOST)

• first condition for which biofeedback was used (BIOCON1)

• degree of help from biofeedback, 1st condition (BIOCON1HELP)

• second condition for which biofeedback was used (BIOCON2)

• degree of help from biofeedback, 2nd condition (BIOCON2HELP)

• third condition for which biofeedback was used (BIOCON3)

• degree of help from biofeedback, 3rd condition (BIOCON3HELP)

• condition count for biofeedback (BIOCONNO)

In 1999 the question read, "During the past 12 months have you used biofeedback?"

In the 2002 and 2007 sample adult questionnaires, the question read, "During the past 12 months, did you see a practitioner for biofeedback?"

The 2007 sample child questionnaire asked, "During the past 12 months, did [fill: sample child's name] see a provider or practitioner for any of the following therapies? Please say yes or no to each. ... Biofeedback?"

Thus, the later versions of BIOYR emphasize the use of a biofeedback practitioner, an emphasis that is not found in the 1999 question. However, the Field Representative's Manual for 2002 instructs, "When going through the supplement, please remember that the first 10 alternative therapies ... [which include biofeedback] require seeing a practitioner ..."