The Potential Use of HeartMath®’s emWave Technology to Establish Evidence-Based Therapeutic Recreation Practice to Produce Physiological and Psychological Outcomes: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

With the capability of evidence-based therapeutic recreation interventions to produce meaningful emotional/behavioral and cognitive health outcomes, it would be valuable to establish use of HeartMath®’s emWave device as an evidence-based practice to potentially benefit individuals with various disabilities and/or diagnoses. This systematic literature review explores evidence-based practices in various fields that involve use of HeartMath®’s emWave device with individuals with and without disabilities or diagnosed health-related issues to produce and measure psychological and/or physiological change. Twenty-one databases were searched in October 2020, and 13 articles were selected for final review. Specific topics were revealed: use of HeartMath®’s emWave device, suitability and accessibility, need for standardized treatment approach, and need for formal evaluation of participant experiences. Results revealed a variety of implications and future recommendations that support future research to test the use of HeartMath®’s emWave device with individuals with various disabilities and/or diagnoses and establish evidence-based therapeutic recreation practice.