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All children received
a non-invasive cognitive function test as well as a completing a
standardised 10-minute protocol on Freeze-Framer,
which established levels of cardiovascular coherence. These
tests acted as "baseline" measurements.
The children were split
into two groups - those to receive HeartMath training and those
to receive the placebo. Based on work published in the Journal
of Autism and Developmental Disorders (Vol 34, 5) - Use of LEGO©
as a Therapeutic Medium for Improving Social Competence - Daniel
B. LeGoff, the placebo used involved active participation in the
free building of various LEGO© projects.
Both groups, working on
an individual level with the Learning Support Research Assistant,
would spend 15 mins a day, either "playing" with LEGO
or completing a single track "Lock-In" followed by one
of the games in the Freeze-Framer software.
At the end of a 6-week
period, those under assesment would recomplete the same baseline
measurements, as well as a teacher rated "Strengths and Difficulties"
test and Connors Teacher Rating Scale - short vertsion.
All children receiving
LEGO training are also receiving HeartMath trainig after they have
taken their 6th week test.
Results:
Headline
Results
- There
was a statistically significant increase in the Quality
of Verbal Episodic Memory (QVEM) to the Intervention Group,
and a less than significant increase in the Placebo Control
Group. This supports the primary hypothesis, that “HeartMath
improves aspects of cognitive function, post training, to
a significance p>0.05 in the intervention group”
.
- Both
Speed of Recall and Accuracy of Recall increased significantly
in the Intervention Group only.
Quality
of Verbal Episodic Memory is key to a person’s ability to
learn and recall information (and in this study, words).
Verbal Episodic Memory is the subsystem used most extensively
in the classroom environment.
Quality
of Verbal Episodic Memory (all factors)
–
Control v. HeartMath
p=0.16
represents 1 in 6.25 probability
p=0.0001
represents 1 in 10,000 probability
Summary
of Results for HM Group for tasks pertaining to QVEM
- Immediate
word recall task (ability to correctly recall words immediately
after presented on screen) improved overall by 24%
- Delayed
word recall task (ability to correctly recall words 15mins
after presented on screen) improved overall by 45%
- Word
Recognition task (ability to correctly recognise words from
original list, randomly interspersed with new words, 15mins
after presented on screen) improved overall by 28%
- Vigilance
task (ability to accurately and quickly recognise pairs
of numbers presented at very high speed on screen )
improved overall by 9.5%
Physiological
Change
Based
upon change, pre training and post training, of a group’s
“coherence score”, measured using Freeze-Framer, we find that
overall, the control group’s coherence reduced over the six-week
analysis period, whereas the HeartMath group’s coherence significantly
improved over the same period, post training.
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Observations
from Students, Parents and Teachers
Andrew, age 11
“When I do HeartMath
it makes me happy. It’s really good to cheer me up –
if I feel sad I just do it and then I get happy. If I felt like
crying before, then I wouldn’t afterwards.
A boy from my year punched
me when I was waiting outside Geography. This girl told the teacher
and then she sent me to her office. I was sitting there waiting
and wanted to cry. I did HeartMath and I was happy again.”
Mother
“I have seen a
great change in Andrew’s behaviour at home. Getting to sleep
has always been a problem. He never used to go to bed himself;
he would stay up until he dropped. Now he uses the CD to get himself
to sleep. Andrew has always had a short fuse; he doesn’t
take no very easily. Now he seems to be on a more even keel, it
has made our home life much easier.”
English Teacher
Andrew appears to be
getting on with others in the classroom more. He has always struggled
with peer relationships and remains quite odd, but he makes more
of an effort now and the others are more willing to sit with him
as a result. He wanders round the classroom less, and seems better
within himself. Andrew is a difficult child, I expect he always
will be, but HeartMath seems to have changed him without him really
knowing.”
Holly, age 11
“When I had my
maths test I did it when we were waiting outside and it got rid
of the butterflies. It made it easier to concentrate. When you
are in trouble and people tell you off, if you keep quiet instead
of shouting out it calms you down.
Before you go to sleep
it helps you relax, say if something has happened like my mum
and my sister have fallen out or my dad has taken my playstation,
and I don’t want to think about it, then the breathing and
thinking helps me get to sleep.”
Mother
“Holly has really
enjoyed doing HeartMath; she talks about it all the time. She’s
a lot calmer and can concentrate more on what she’s doing.
Before she was all over the place, you know, disorganised. Now
when she sits down to do her homework, she’s more focused.”
Science Teacher
Holly has settled down
now, she is less fidgety. She has benefited from it, I’m
sure of that. You can see it round school too – she’s
not as hyper on the playground”
Josh, age 12
“My cousin Grant
winds me up, we’ve been falling out ‘cos he’s
been saying things about me. I used HeartMath that night and I
felt happy; it takes all the bad things out of you. My Nan likes
it too, we listen to the CD sometimes ‘cos she thinks it
calms me down.”
Mother
“Josh is happier
when he sets off for school. He used to always play up to stay
off; you should have heard the excuses. But now he seems more
comfortable with the idea of going, and doesn’t make half
the fuss”
Maths teacher
“Josh is less
likely to shout out silly comments in class, something which he
always used to do. He doesn’t wander around aimlessly and
if I set him a specific task he will now settle down to complete
it. If HeartMath has done this then it really is an excellent
thing.”
Jess, age 12
“HeartMath is
good it makes me happy.”
Mother
“Jessica’s
aggression towards her brother has calmed down a lot and she tends
to remove herself from confrontation, rather than attacking him.
Her sleep pattern has changed, she seems to fall asleep earlier.”
English Teacher
“Jess is doing
much better in lessons since doing HeartMath, her attention and
concentration both seem better. She is less likely to chatter
through the whole lesson, and is more responsive when asked questions.”
Danny, aged 13
“I like it a lot.
I don’t get into fights as much anymore.”
Spanish Teacher
“Danny is less
excitable. He used to squeal out in class and make funny screeching
noises , but there’s less of that now. I think as far as
Danny is concerned he may not notice any differences, as they
are quite subtle. He’s more settled and seems more at ease
in the classroom.”
Mother
“Dan has been
getting me to practice the breathing at home when I get upset,
which I have been a lot recently. He sits down and gets me to
count in for five and out for five, and tells me to think happy
thoughts.
I think as far as he
is concerned it has helped him no end. In the past he has shown
some aggression in school, earlier this year he was always getting
into trouble, and when he bit another schoolmate he got suspended.
The other day though he came home and said he had walked away
from a fight, and he seems less volatile when he is stressed.”
Tom, aged 13
“HeartMath is
great.”
Mother
“Tom is showing
signs of more balanced emotions and does not get as aggressive
when he is frustrated. He is more pleasant to his brother and
sister as he is less angry at home. He used to fly off the handle
and lash out quiet regularly, but I have not seen this side to
him for a while.”
Support Assistant
“Tom worked very
well in his English lesson today. He settled down to work remarkably
quickly and hardly wanted any help off me. He completed all his
work quickly and then his hand up to ask for more. This is unusual
for Tom as he usually needs my help and prompting to keep him
on task. I was really proud of him today.”
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