Heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback training has good support as a way to manage and reduce stress symptoms (Goessl et al., 2017). Stress Check has not been investigated in an RCT, however an experiment tested a similar data collection method via an optical pulse sensor or photoplethysmograph run from a smartphone. Heathers et al. (2013) tested 10 adults at rest, during attentional load, and mild stress, finding the reliability of data collected via smartphone had promising results. When comparing smartphone pulse rate variability (SPRV) with the traditional electrocardiograph (ECG), the accuracy of the SPRV was approximately that of the ECG, and could be used to track changes in stress levels over time.
- Goessl, V.C., Curtiss, J.E., & Hofmann, S. G. (2017). The effect of heart rate variability biofeedback training on stress and anxiety; A meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine, doi:10.1017/S0033291717001003
- Heathers, J. J. (2013). Smartphone-enabled pulse rate variability: An alternative methodology for the collection of heart rate variability in psychophysiological research. International Journal Of Psychophysiology, 89(3), 297-304. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2013.05.017