21st Annual Student Research Conference
Brief Coaching Increases Inhalation Volume
Dustin M. Ralph*, Aaron C. Truitt, and Mark D. Schafer
Dr. Fred Shaffer, Faculty Mentor
Surgical patients and outpatients treated for asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and emphysema are often taught to use an incentive inspirometer to improve ventilation. The present study examined whether brief coaching can increase inhalation volume. Fifty-two undergraduates (26 men and 26 women), ages 18-24, volunteered for academic credit. In this within-subjects design, participants were randomly assigned to one of two orders of coaching separated by a 1-min buffer period. A GLM Repeated Measures analysis found that inhalation volume was significantly higher during the coaching than the no-coaching condition, 3002 ml versus 2845 ml. There were no differences in subjective effort or motivation. Participants rated the feedback as helpful. The small but significant 5% increase in inhalation volume produced by brief coaching should encourage healthcare providers to add a coaching component to the written instructions that surgical patients receive.
Keywords: respiration, biofeedback, training, physiological, inhalation, coaching, volume, feedback
Topic(s):Psychology
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 12-2
Location: VH 1232
Time: 8:30