ENHANCED PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK TO STRENGTHEN BIOFEEDBACK TREATMENT OUTCOME WITH CHILDHOOD MIGRAINE

Recent research has indicated that both the magnitude and frequency of performance feedback may be important variables in the biofeedback tr eatment of headaches. The purpose of this research was to determine wh ether the qualitative and/or quantitative enhancement of performance f eedback could improve the efficacy of thermal biofeedback as a treatme nt for childhood migraine. In a time-lagged control design, six childr en with migraine headaches were exposed to thermal biofeedback trainin g and then provided performance feedback reflecting moderate and high success, and, if needed, increased feedback frequency. In four of six subjects, clinically significant reductions in headache activity corre sponded directly with the addition of feedback suggesting marked impro vement in handwarming relative to peers, even when no improvement in h andwarming had actually occurred. In two other subjects, clinically si gnificant changes in headache activity were reported only after perfor mance feedback frequency was increased. The results support the import ance of attending to both qualitative and quantitative parameters of f eedback as well as skill acquisition during thermal biofeedback treatm ent of children with migraine.