The Austrian Society for Biofeedback and Psychophysiology was founded in 1989 as an interdisciplinary forum and comprises more than 150 members. The aims of the society are:
to network and disseminate the scientifically founded knowledge about Biofeedback to offer a qualified biofeedback curriculum to function as partner and protector for patients and clients to represent the interests of biofeedback-therapists and biofeedback-trainers. Biofeedback is a scientifically accepted method at the borderline between medicine and psychology. Through measurement and feedback of usually unconscious physiological variables subjects are able to learn to control the related body functions.
Biofeedback is a complex form of treatment and uses adjunct and supportive methods of clinical psychology, psychotherapy, meditative practices and medicine. Biofeedback is used for the treatment of psychosomatic complaints (eg. hypertension, asthma, morbus raynaud), of anxiety and panic disorders and pain (tension headache, migraine, chronic back pain), in the field of neurology (attention deficit disorders, epilepsy) and rehabilitation (paralysis, incontinence, torticollis), in peak performance and generally for relaxation.
The society offers a curriculum, which is acknowledged by the "Austrian Federal Society for Psychotherapy" (ÖBVP) and by the "Austrian Psychological Association" (BÖP). The curriculum comprises 150 hours of theory and practice and guarantees a high standard of biofeedback practice in Austria. The Society keeps a list of acknowledged biofeedback practitioners and sends it at request to patients and clients. The society also offers opportunities for continued learning in the form of workshops.