Effectiveness of Neurofeedback on Aggression and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms among Children with Attention Deficit- Hyperactivity Disorder

Background and Obsessive-Compulsive symptomes and aggression cause significant impairement in emotional and social function in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and it is necessary to study the appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic methods for this group of children. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of neurofeedback on aggression and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in male students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
The method of this study was quasi-experimental with framework of pre-test and post-test researches. The statistical population in this research consisted of students with attention deficit- hyperactivity disorder that was referred to psychological services and counselling centers in Tehran in 2016. The sample consisted of 24 students aged 10 to 14 years’ old who were selected by conveniant sampling method and were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The research tools including Conner’s ADHD Rating Scale (1999), Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (1989) and Buss and Perry Aggression Questionnaire (1992) were used through pre-test and post-test. The interventional neurofeedback program was performed for for 33 consecutive weeks in 3 half-hour sessions per week. The collected data was analyzed by using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and ANCOVA.
The present research revealed that neurofeedback treatment resulted in a significant reduction in all components of aggression scores and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. (P According to the results of the study, neurofeedback treatment seems to be an effective treatment for obsessive-compulsive symptoms and aggression among students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.