Comparing the Effectiveness of Neurofeedback and Transcranial Brain Stimulation on the Executive Functions of Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Moghadasi , Fateme; Taqhvaeinia , Ali; Hosseini Nik , Seyed Soleiman

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Moghadasi F, Taqhvaeinia A, Hosseini Nik S S. Comparing the Effectiveness of Neurofeedback and Transcranial Brain Stimulation on the Executive Functions of Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. MEJDS 2024; 14 :155-155
URL: http://jdisabilstud.org/article-1-3446-en.html

Comparing the Effectiveness of Neurofeedback and Transcranial Brain Stimulation on the Executive Functions of Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Fateme Moghadasi¹

, Ali Taqhvaeinia ^*²

, Seyed Soleiman Hosseini Nik³

1- PhD Student in Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Yasouj Branch, Yasouj, Iran
2- Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Yasouj Branch, Yasouj, Iran
3- Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Yasouj Branch, Yasouj, Iran

Abstract: (257 Views)

Abstract
Background & Objectives: Attention–deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder marked by persistent symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Some people mostly have symptoms of inattention. Symptoms begin in childhood and can interfere with daily life, including social relationships and school or work performance. ADHD is well–known among children and teens, but many adults also have the disorder. Effective treatments are available to manage symptoms. Since the 1970s, numerous studies have identified impairments in executive functioning as the core cause of ADHD in adolescents. These impairments impair essential cognitive abilities for complex goal–oriented behaviors and adjusting to a range of changes and environmental demands. Several authors believed that some, but not all, children with ADHD suffer from significant impairments in several areas of executive functioning. However, other authors discuss that ADHD is fundamentally a developmental disorder that affects executive functions (EFs) in all cases. This research aimed to compare the effectiveness of neurofeedback and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the executive functions of children with ADHD.
Methods: This study was a clinical trial of the quasi–experimental type that employed a pretest–posttest design and a control group. The present study used two experimental groups of neurofeedback (n=15) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) (n=15) and one control group (n=15). After selecting the participants in the study, the implementation steps were as follows: 1) random counting of the subjects; 2) pretest execution and data collection; 3) administration of independent variables, namely neurofeedback and cognitive behavioral therapy, twice a week, 90 minutes per session, and treatment of electrical stimulation of the brain in 15 sessions, 20 minutes in each session; and 4) posttest execution after the end of treatment and data collection. The statistical research community includes all children aged 7 to 11 with ADHD visiting the Tolou Counseling Center in Gachsaran, Iran. The sampling method was random sampling. In this method, 60 children were randomly selected after being diagnosed with ADHD and confirmed by a psychologist with a clinical interview. The research tool included clinical interviews of the subjects participating in the study based on DSM–5 diagnostic criteria for ADHD disorder, and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) Parent Form (Gioia et al., 2000) was implemented. Ethical considerations included obtaining written consent from students and their parents, a shared cultural context, and voluntary participation in the study. The obtained data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance and Bonferroni post hoc test. In the present study, the significance level was set at 0.05. Data analysis was performed in SPSS software version 26.
Results: The results indicated that the effect of the independent variable (neurofeedback treatments and tDCS) on the behavioral regulation skill component (p<0.001), the metacognitive skill component (p<0.001), and the total score of executive functions (p<0.001) was significant after removing the pretest effect. Also, the mean effects of neurofeedback and tDCS in the variable of executive functions had a significant difference (p=0.003). Thus, neurofeedback treatment had a greater impact on executive functions than tDCS.
Conclusions: Both neurofeedback and tDCS, with different mechanisms, help improve executive functions in children with ADHD. However, neurofeedback treatment is more effective in improving executive functions in these children.

Keywords: Neurofeedback, Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), Executive functions, Attention–deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Full-Text [PDF 302 kb] (85 Downloads)

Type of Study: Original Research Article | Subject: Psychology

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