Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26111942›Full record

Trial reportApplied psychophysiology and biofeedback2015

Physical activity, mindfulness meditation, or heart rate variability biofeedback for stress reduction: a randomized controlled trial.

Judith Esi van der Zwan, Wieke de Vente, Anja C Huizink, Susan M Bögels, Esther I de Bruin

2 registry-linked trialsOpen access · hybridAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Applied psychophysiology and biofeedback, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 100 papers, 10 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
100citing papers in PubMed, 10 pooled it
16.3field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT05086198 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2021, after this paper: background citation

Differential Effectiveness of Two Recovery Strategies at Work, Based on Mindfulness and Physical Exercise, on Levels of Job Stress A Randomized Controlled Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversidad Nacional de Educación a DistanciaRan2021 to 2022Enrolled181ConditionsMental Health WellnessArmsMindfulness-based intervention, Physical exercise
NCT07415915 naenrolling by invitationnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Training to Reduce Stress and Anxiety During Dentistry Students' Clinical Transition

TypeinterventionalSponsorEgas Moniz - Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, CRLRan2026 to 2026Enrolled50ConditionsStress (Psychology), Anxiety, Psychological DistressArmsHeart Rate Variability Biofeedback (HRVB) Training
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

100 citing papers in PubMed, 10 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 316 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Burnout and Mental Interventions among Youth Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Studies.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
    Pooled it
  7. Pooled it
  8. Pooled it
  9. Pooled it
  10. Pooled it
  11. Trial
  12. Trial
  13. Trial
  14. Mindfulness Practice versus Physical Exercise in Enhancing Vitality.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023
    Trial
  15. Trial
  16. Trial
  17. Trial
  18. Trial
  19. Trial
  20. Trial

40 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Judith Esi van der ZwanDepartment of Developmental Psychology and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. j.e.vander.zwan@vu.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8963-4012
Wieke de VenteResearch Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Anja C HuizinkDepartment of Developmental Psychology and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Susan M BögelsResearch Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Esther I de BruinResearch Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
University of Amsterdam · NLAmsterdam Public Health · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

In contemporary western societies stress is highly prevalent, therefore the need for stress-reducing methods is great. This randomized controlled trial compared the efficacy of self-help physical activity (PA), mindfulness meditation (MM), and heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV-BF) in reducing stress and its related symptoms. We randomly allocated 126 participants to PA, MM, or HRV-BF upon enrollment, of whom 76 agreed to participate. The interventions consisted of psycho-education and an introduction to the specific intervention techniques and 5 weeks of daily exercises at home. The PA exercises consisted of a vigorous-intensity activity of free choice. The MM exercises consisted of guided mindfulness meditation. The HRV-BF exercises consisted of slow breathing with a heart rate variability biofeedback device. Participants received daily reminders for their exercises and were contacted weekly to monitor their progress. They completed questionnaires prior to, directly after, and 6 weeks after the intervention. Results indicated an overall beneficial effect consisting of reduced stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and improved psychological well-being and sleep quality. No significant between-intervention effect was found, suggesting that PA, MM, and HRV-BF are equally effective in reducing stress and its related symptoms. These self-help interventions provide easily accessible help for people with stress complaints.

Indexed as

Outcome Assessment, Health CareAdultAnxietyBiofeedback, PsychologyDepressionExercise TherapyFemaleHeart RateHumansMaleMeditationMindfulnessStress, PsychologicalYoung AdultAnxietyHeart rate variability biofeedbackMindfulness meditationPhysical activityStress

Identifiers

PMID26111942
PMCPMC4648965
OpenAlexW812635968

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.