As the office manager at BiofeedbackWORKS, one of the most common phone calls I receive is from a parent who has a son or daughter with symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). They tell me how their child struggles to pay attention in school, has difficulty focusing on tasks, and behaves impulsively at home. Lately, I’ve been receiving similar calls from adults who notice themselves having trouble concentrating on projects at work or at home.
They usually want to know two things: whether Neurofeedback can successfully treat their symptoms and if the results will last.
ADHD is a well-known disorder in youth, and research shows that there has been a global increase in rates of ADHD in adults during the last decade. Neurofeedback treatment for ADHD has been conducted and studied since the 1970’s. In fact, ADHD was one of the first disorders treated with Neurofeedback training. A meta-analysis conducted by Arns et al. (2009) reviewed studies of Neurofeedback’s efficacy in treating symptoms of ADHD including hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. Many studies included a control group whose treatment involved an equal level of cognitive training and client-therapist interaction. Arns et al. (2009) found that Neurofeedback is an efficacious treatment for ADHD as it had medium to large effect sizes on symptoms. That means that the Neurofeedback treatment group effect averages were above 69-79% of the control group averages. Neurofeedback successfully improves ADHD symptoms and the amount of improvement is large.
Along with their results, Arns et al. (2009) included follow-up data from the studies in their meta-analysis. Many authors found that the results gained from Neurofeedback remained stable indicating that the brain continues to regulate its EEG after training has ceased. Not only are benefits maintained, they are increased. Some studies found during a 3-month and 6-month follow-up that all scores on measures of symptoms had continued to improve since treatment had ended. This shows that Neurofeedback is far superior to stimulant medication which does not increase or even maintain symptom improvement after it is stopped.
So the answer is yes – Neurofeedback is an extremely beneficial and long-lasting treatment for children and adults with ADHD. It is so successful that it even continues to improve symptoms after treatment has ended. At BiofeedbackWORKS, I have enjoyed hearing many success stories from individuals with ADHD symptoms. Parents often report that their children’s teachers are amazed by how much better they are behaving and performing in school. Adults share that they are enjoying achievements at work due to their improved focus and attention. If you or someone you care for is experiencing symptoms of ADHD, grab your phone and make that call. Let us help you create your own ADHD success story.
- Karen Van Winkle
- Office manager and EEG Technician
- BiofeedbackWORKS in Virginia, PLLC
REFERENCES
- Arns, M., de Ridder, S., Strehl, U., Breteler, M., & Coenen, T. (2009). Efficacy of neurofeedback treatment in ADHD: The effects on inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity: A meta-analysis. Clinical EEG and Neuroscience, 40(10), 180-189.
- Chung W, Jiang S, Paksarian D, et al. (2019). Trends in the prevalence and incidence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among adults and children of different racial and ethnic groups. JAMA Netw Open, 2(11). doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.14344
