The effect of resonance frequency breathing when used as a preparatory exercise in music psychotherapy : A single-case experimental study of a client with anxiety disorder

This study aimed at evaluating the possible benefits of starting Integrative Improvisational Music Therapy (IIMT) sessions with 10 min of Resonance Frequency Breathing (RFB), a type of slow breathing known to be beneficial for stress reduction and emotional regulation. A client diagnosed with anxiety disorder and social phobia attended 12 IIMT sessions. Using an alternating treatments design, RFB was systematically alternated with a control intervention (vibroacoustic therapy, VAT). Therapy processes were assessed through the Session Evaluation Questionnaire (SEQ) and the continuous measurement of heart rate variability (HRV), a biomarker of autonomic nervous system response. RFB was consis…