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Evidence for Efficacy of Neurofeedback in ADHD?

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Check out this Knowledge Base article from StressTherapy Solutions: Evidence for Efficacy of Neurofeedback in ADHD?

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Study at a glance

Area
ADHD & Attention
Study type
Review & meta-analysis
Authors
Arns M, Strehl U
Journal
American Journal of Psychiatry
Year
2013
Population
Children
Protocol
reanalysis of meta-analysis data (standard neurofeedback protocols)

Key findings

  • Questions the choice of control condition for one included trial (Steiner et al.)
  • Argues that nonstandard neurofeedback protocols should not have been pooled with slow cortical potential and theta/beta training
  • Recalculated effect for standard protocols: standardized mean difference 0.58 on parent ratings and 0.39 on teacher ratings, both significant
  • Concludes neurofeedback's efficacy for core ADHD symptoms is supported by the data

DOI 10.1176/appi.ajp.2013.13020208 → PubMed 23820843 →

A letter to the editor responding to a 2013 meta-analysis by Sonuga-Barke and colleagues, which concluded that neurofeedback for ADHD could not yet be recommended because its effect shrank when only probably blinded ratings were counted. Arns and Strehl argue that the analysis mixed in nonstandard protocols and compared one study against a waiting list rather than an active control. Recalculating with standard protocols only, they report significant effects on both parent and teacher ratings, and conclude that the data do not support the original conclusion.