The effectiveness of executive-function training and neuro-feedback on improving students’ academic performance

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of executive-function training and neuro-feedback on improving normal students’ academic performance. Through a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design with a control group, thirty six male students from the fourth grade of primary school were randomly selected and put into three groups of twelve including 1) executive-function training and neuro-feedback group, 2) executive-function training group, and 3) control group. The two groups of executive function training plus neuro-feedback and mere executive-function training participated in 16 sessions of class trainings of executive functions and the group of executive function training plus neuro-feedback attended in 8 sessions of neuro-feedback training in addition to the previous sessions; the control group remained in the waiting list. The results indicated a significant improvement in academic performance of the students attending the training sessions of executive function relative to those of the control group manifested as with an effect size 0f 0.89 an improvement in total score of educational performance and comparison of the groups indicated the higher significance of academic performance in “executive-function training plus neuro-feedback” group relative to the group utilizing the class training alone. The results of this study suggest that through training the executive functions, it is possible to improve students’ academic performance and these trainings would be more influential and effective in association with neuro-feedback.