Enhancing Self-control in Aggressive Adolescents: Role of Biofeedback Training

Page: 537-542

Sukhminder Kaur1 and Sandeep Kaur2 (Department of Psychology, Punjabi University, Patiala, Panjab1 and Cambie Counselling Services, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada2)

The objective of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of EMG biofeedback training to improve the level of self-control of adolescents higher on reactive aggression. It was hypothesized that Post intervention scores would be significantly higher on Self-control and lower on Reactive aggression for experimental condition as compared to control condition. A mixed group design was adopted. Self-control Scale (SSC) (Tangney et al., 2004) and Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPAQ) (Raine et al., 2006) were used to identify male adolescents with low self-control and higher on reactive aggression respectively. Further, identified subjects were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Participants of experimental group (n=90) received EMG biofeedback training for ten sessions whereas control group (n=90) did not receive any training. After the completion of intervention program, participants of both groups were assessed on Self-control scale and Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire. Obtained scores were subjected to 2 × 2 mixed design ANOVA. Results revealed that post intervention scores of participants in the experimental group were higher on Self-control (M =69.90) than participants in the control group (M = 53.63); the interaction between factor 1 (experimental and control groups) and factor 2 (time) for Self-control was also significant [F (1,359) = 39.66, p < 0.01]. Similarly, a significant reduction was observed in reactive aggression scores after receiving the biofeedback training for 10 sessions. Furthermore, the effect size of the intervention was measured using Cohen’s d = (0.89) and found larger. Significant implications of the findings have been discussed.