The Effect of Mobile Neurofeedback Training in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- Author:
Seo Young KWON
1
;
Gyujin SEO
;
Mirae JANG
;
Hanbyul SHIN
;
Wooseok CHOI
;
You Bin LIM
;
Min-Sup SHIN
;
Bung-Nyun KIM
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience 2024;22(1):67-78
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:EN
-
Abstract:
Objective:To examine the effect of mobile neurofeedback training on the clinical symptoms, attention abilities, and execution functions of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Methods:The participants were 74 children with ADHD aged 8−15 years who visited the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Seoul National University Children’s Hospital. The participants were randomly assigned to the mobile neurofeedback (n = 35) or control (sham; n = 39) group. Neurofeedback training was administered using a mobile app (equipped with a headset with a 2-channel electroencephalogram [EEG] sensor) for 30 min/day, 3 days/week, for 3 months. Children with ADHD were individually administered various neuropsychological tests, including the continuous performance test, Children’s Color Trails Test-1 and 2, and Stroop Color and Word Tests. The effects of mobile neurofeedback were evaluated at baseline and at 3 and 6 months after treatment initiation.
Results:Following treatment, both mobile neurofeedback-only and sham-only groups showed significant improvements in attention and response inhibition. In the visual continuous performance test, omission errors decreased to the normal range in the mobile neurofeedback-only group after training, suggesting that mobile neurofeedback effectively reduced inattention in children with ADHD. In the advanced test of attention, auditory response times decreased in the mobile neurofeedback + medication group after training, but increased in the sham+medication group. Overall, there were no significant between-group differences in other performance outcomes.
Conclusion:Mobile neurofeedback may have potential as an additional therapeutic option alongside medication for children with ADHD.
