A 40-year-old woman who is a known case of anxiety disorder and has prominent symptoms of frontal headache is being treated with a procedure in which the tension in the frontalis muscle is measured regularly. The readings are projected on to a computer screen, which patient can see. She is then taught to use mental techniques to decrease tension in this muscle. Which of the following treatment techniques does this example illustrate?

**Core Concept**
Biofeedback is a type of treatment that involves teaching patients to become aware of and control certain physiological processes, such as heart rate, blood pressure, or muscle tension, using real-time feedback from sensors or monitoring equipment.

**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
This example illustrates biofeedback because the patient is being taught to use mental techniques to decrease tension in the frontalis muscle, as measured by the equipment. The feedback from the computer screen allows the patient to become aware of and control her muscle tension, which is a key component of biofeedback therapy. The use of mental techniques, such as relaxation or visualization, to achieve this control is also characteristic of biofeedback.

**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** Implosion is a type of exposure therapy where the patient is asked to imagine the feared situation in vivid detail, but it does not involve the use of equipment or feedback to control physiological processes.

**Option C:** Aversive conditioning involves associating an unpleasant stimulus with an undesired behavior, but it is not relevant to this example where the patient is learning to control her muscle tension using mental techniques.

**Option D:** Flooding is a type of exposure therapy where the patient is exposed to the feared situation in a controlled environment, but it does not involve the use of equipment or feedback to control physiological processes.

**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
Biofeedback can be an effective treatment for a range of anxiety disorders, including tension headaches, by teaching patients to control physiological processes that contribute to their symptoms. It is often used in conjunction with other therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy.

**✓ Correct Answer: B. Biofeedback**

✓ Correct Answer: B. Biofeedback