The effectiveness of neural feedback on executive functions, behavioral problems and clinical symptoms of attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder

Abstract

Introduction: Research has shown that neural feedback creates a kind of two-way communication between mind and body that changes abnormal cognitive processes to normal cognitive processes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of neural feedback on executive functions, behavioral problems and clinical symptoms of attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder.

Methods: The research is quasi-experimental design with pre-test post-test and three-month follow-up with experimental and control groups. The statistical population of this study included all children aged 9 to 12 years in Hamedan in 2009-2010. Purposeful sampling method was used and the samples were matched in terms of level of intelligence and type of disorder. Each participant in the experimental group received 24 sessions of neural feedback twice a week. Participants were assessed using the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham-IV Questionnaire -Fourth Edition to assess the clinical symptoms of ADHD, Coolidge Neuropsychological Inventory to assess executive function, and Rutter Children's Behavioral Problems Questionnaire. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to test the research hypotheses.

Results: The results showed that there was a significant difference between the experimental group and the control group in all post-test variables of executive functions, behavioral problems and clinical symptoms and their components (P ≤ 0.05).

Conclusion: According to the results, it seems that neural feedback is an effective intervention for the treatment of these variables.