Effects of neurofeedback training on female students with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder

Based on the association between beta (13-30 Hz) and attention and alertness and theta (4-8 Hz) and a hypnagogic state and less attention, the possibility of training attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) individuals in order to enhance their symptoms was investigated. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of neurofeedback training on students with ADHD symptoms.

This interventional study was conducted with an experimental group and a control group. A total of 34 female students with high scores on Conners adult questionnaire and theta/beta ratio in Mohaghege Ardebili University, Iran, were randomly selected and then assigned to neurofeedback training and control groups. Neurofeddback training (NF) was used with an experimental group in twenty sessions and the control group received no training. Data were gathered using the neurofeedback system (NFT), the continuous performance test (CPT), the short diagnostic hyperactivity disorder- Conners adult questionnaire. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used for analyzing the data.

The results indicated that neurofeedback training affected all dimensions of CPT and short diagnostic hyperactivity disorder (P<0.001).

The findings suggest the positive effect of neurofeedback training on treating attention problems and reducing the symptoms of hyperactivity in female students with hyperactivity and attention deficit in comparison with the control group.