Sustained effects of neurofeedback in ADHD: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Van Doren J, Arns M, Heinrich H, Vollebregt MA, Strehl U, K. Loo S (2018)

Publication Type: Journal article, Review article

Publication year: 2018

Journal

European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Springer Verlag (Germany)

DOI: 10.1007/s00787-018-1121-4

Abstract

Neurofeedback (NF) has gained increasing interest in the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Given learning principles underlie NF, lasting clinical treatment effects may be expected. This systematic review and meta-analysis addresses the sustainability of neurofeedback and control treatment effects by considering randomized controlled studies that conducted follow-up (FU; 2-12 months) assessments among children with ADHD. PubMed and Scopus databases were searched through November 2017. Within-group and between-group standardized mean differences (SMD) of parent behavior ratings were calculated and analyzed. Ten studies met inclusion criteria (NF: ten studies, N = 256; control: nine studies, N = 250). Within-group NF effects on inattention were of medium effect size (ES) (SMD = 0.64) at post-treatment and increased to a large ES (SMD = 0.80) at FU. Regarding hyperactivity/impulsivity, NF ES were medium at post-treatment (SMD = 0.50) and FU (SMD = 0.61). Non-active control conditions yielded a small significant ES on inattention at post-treatment (SMD = 0.28) but no significant ES at FU. Active treatments (mainly methylphenidate), had large ES for inattention (post: SMD = 1.08; FU: SMD = 1.06) and medium ES for hyperactivity/impulsivity (post: SMD = 0.74; FU: SMD = 0.67). Between-group analyses also revealed an advantage of NF over non-active controls [inattention (post: SMD = 0.38; FU: SMD = 0.57); hyperactivity-impulsivity (post: SMD = 0.25; FU: SMD = 0.39)], and favored active controls for inattention only at pre-post (SMD = - 0.44). Compared to non-active control treatments, NF appears to have more durable treatment effects, for at least 6 months following treatment. More studies are needed for a properly powered comparison of follow-up effects between NF and active treatments and to further control for non-specific effects.

Authors with CRIS profile

Jessica Van Doren Lehrstuhl für Klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie

Involved external institutions

Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen DE Germany (DE) University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) US United States (USA) (US) Universiteit Utrecht (UU) / Utrecht University NL Netherlands (NL) Research Institute Brainclinics NL Netherlands (NL)

How to cite

APA:

Van Doren, J., Arns, M., Heinrich, H., Vollebregt, M.A., Strehl, U., & K. Loo, S. (2018). Sustained effects of neurofeedback in ADHD: a systematic review and meta-analysis. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00787-018-1121-4

MLA:

Van Doren, Jessica, et al. "Sustained effects of neurofeedback in ADHD: a systematic review and meta-analysis." European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (2018).

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