Testing the feasibility of a digital storytelling intervention combined with heart rate variability biofeedback in hematopoietic cell transplant patients.

Abstract

This pilot 2-week, randomized controlled trial examined integrating digital storytelling (DST) with heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB) to enhance psycho-emotional well-being of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) patients. HCT patients (N = 25; M _age = 51.9 years) were randomly assigned: (1) DST + HRVB intervention, or (2) DST-only control. Both groups viewed four emotionally-rich digital stories. The DST + HRVB group practiced HRVB at home for ten minutes/day. DST + HRVB participants decreased anger, depression, fatigue (d = 0.53) and increased emotional processing (d = 0.20), and HRV-assessed autonomic nervous system balance (3.5 vs. 0.9). This study supports feasibility of integrating DST with HRVB, and effect sizes indicate superiority of combining DST with HRVB.