Utilizing Real-Time Heart Rate Variability during Psychological Intervention Program for Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Study

Abstract

This study explores the use of real-time heart rate variability (HRV) monitoring as an innovative tool in a psychological intervention program for complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). The research focuses on a 25-year-old male subject, presenting severe symptoms of CPTSD resulting from prolonged exposure to traumatic events. The intervention program, conducted over four sessions, integrated cognitive and physical therapies, including bottom-up and top-down approaches. Real-time HRV data, reflecting autonomic nervous system activity, were collected using a wearable heart rate sensor and analyzed alongside qualitative data from session transcripts and observational notes. The findings demonstrated a significant correlation between HRV changes and the subject’s psychological state during therapeutic interventions. Key HRV metrics, such as the change ratio of the RMSSD and SDNN, responded notably to traumatic event recounting and stabilization techniques, suggesting their potential as indicators of emotional and physiological states during therapy. The study, while limited by its single-subject design, lays the groundwork for further investigations into HRV-assisted psychotherapy for a broader CPTSD patient cohort.

Keywords

• post-traumatic stress disorder
• complex post-traumatic stress disorder
• real time
• heart rate variability
• psychological intervention program