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Effects of neurofeedback on the dysregulation profile in children with ADHD: SCP NF meets SDQ-DP – a retrospective analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 January 2019

Hartmut Heinrich Open the ORCID record for Hartmut Heinrich [Opens in a new window] ,
Holger Gevensleben ,
Andreas Becker  and
Aribert Rothenberger
Hartmut Heinrich*
Affiliation:
Department of Child & Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany kbo-Heckscher-Klinikum, Munich, Germany Research Institute Brainclinics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands (Research Fellow)
Holger Gevensleben
Affiliation:
Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
Andreas Becker
Affiliation:
Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
Aribert Rothenberger
Affiliation:
Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
*
Author for correspondence: Hartmut Heinrich, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Background

As children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) usually show psychopathological signs beyond their core symptoms (e.g. elevated scores of the dysregulation profile (DP) in 30–40%), treatments with a broader approach to self-regulation skills may be supportive. Neurofeedback (NF) may reflect such an option. Aim of the present analysis was to compare the effects of slow cortical potential (SCP) NF and θ/β NF on the DP using data from a previous trial.

Methods

Thirty children with ADHD (aged 8–12 years) and a DP score in the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-DP) ⩾ 3 were included. NF treatment consisted of one block of SCP NF and one block of θ/β NF (18 units per block) allowing an intraindividual comparison. Effects of the NF protocols were also contrasted to a control group (n = 18) that completed an attention skills training (between-group analysis).

Results

Regarding the SDQ-DP, SCP NF was superior to θ/β NF and the control condition. Effects of SCP NF and θ/β NF on ADHD symptom severity were not significantly different. The SDQ-DP score did not correlate with EEG-related measures previously found to be predictors for SCP NF on ADHD symptoms.

Conclusions

SCP NF may reflect a more general approach to improve cognitive, emotional and behavioral self-regulation skills. If confirmed in a larger sample, the SDQ-DP score could be used as an indication criterion and contribute to the individualization of NF in ADHD. Overall, the differential effect provides further evidence for the specificity of NF effects.

Keywords

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)dysregulation profileneurofeedbackslow cortical potentials (SCPs)Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 50 , Issue 2 , January 2020 , pp. 258 - 263
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019

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