To investigate further, the researchers randomly assigned 39 patients to a biofeedback or education group. The biofeedback patients underwent 10 weekly individual sessions featuring relaxation and biofeedback training, problem-solving and stress management. The education-only group underwent three individual educational sessions, held four to five weeks apart, on aspects of diabetes. Thirty subjects completed the study. Most were women and Caucasian. Seven of the nine subjects who dropped out of the study were considered to be depressed, according to their scores on the Beck Depression Inventory.
Biofeedback and relaxation were associated with significant decreases in average blood sugar levels and muscle tension compared with the education-only group. After three months, the beneficial events in the treatment group persisted. Subjects in both groups had decreased depression and anxiety scores at the end of the study.