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Neurofeedback Versus Pharmacological Intervention in the Treatment of Childhood Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): First Spanish Clinical Neuropsychological Study

Received: 3 October 2018    Accepted: 6 November 2018    Published: 18 December 2018
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Abstract

In this study, twenty children diagnosed with ADHD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria (DSM-IV) were randomly assigned to receive NFB training or MPH treatment. The participants were evaluated at the beginning of the study and four months later on measures of behavioral (CPRS/CPRT), executive functions (BRIEF, CPT), attention (TOVA), and electrical activity (qEEG, ERPs). Post-intervention results showed improvements in attention, hyperactivity, executive functioning and in continuous performance measurement (CPT).Improvements noted in the NFB group were greater than that of the MPH group. Results of this study suggest NFB training resulted in greater improvements in executive functioning, behavior, attention, and qEEG compared to MPH treatment. Results indicate that neurofeedback may treatcognitive and behavior functions before these functions worsen or decrease. This study suggests future research to compare the efficacy of each of these treatments in larger populations with a greater heterogeneity in gender is warranted.

Published in American Journal of Applied Psychology (Volume 7, Issue 5)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajap.20180705.11
Page(s) 57-66
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

ADHD, Quantitative Electroencephalogram, Event-related Potentials, Continuous Performance Test, Neurofeedback, Methylphenidate

References
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    Denise Medici, Pau Giner Bayarri, Rosa Chilet Chilet, Juan Moliner Ibánez, Maria Morales Suarez-Varela, et al. (2018). Neurofeedback Versus Pharmacological Intervention in the Treatment of Childhood Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): First Spanish Clinical Neuropsychological Study. American Journal of Applied Psychology, 7(5), 57-66. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20180705.11

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    Denise Medici; Pau Giner Bayarri; Rosa Chilet Chilet; Juan Moliner Ibánez; Maria Morales Suarez-Varela, et al. Neurofeedback Versus Pharmacological Intervention in the Treatment of Childhood Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): First Spanish Clinical Neuropsychological Study. Am. J. Appl. Psychol. 2018, 7(5), 57-66. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.20180705.11

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    Denise Medici, Pau Giner Bayarri, Rosa Chilet Chilet, Juan Moliner Ibánez, Maria Morales Suarez-Varela, et al. Neurofeedback Versus Pharmacological Intervention in the Treatment of Childhood Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): First Spanish Clinical Neuropsychological Study. Am J Appl Psychol. 2018;7(5):57-66. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.20180705.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajap.20180705.11,
      author = {Denise Medici and Pau Giner Bayarri and Rosa Chilet Chilet and Juan Moliner Ibánez and Maria Morales Suarez-Varela and Dayana Calvo},
      title = {Neurofeedback Versus Pharmacological Intervention in the Treatment of Childhood Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): First Spanish Clinical Neuropsychological Study},
      journal = {American Journal of Applied Psychology},
      volume = {7},
      number = {5},
      pages = {57-66},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajap.20180705.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20180705.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajap.20180705.11},
      abstract = {In this study, twenty children diagnosed with ADHD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria (DSM-IV) were randomly assigned to receive NFB training or MPH treatment. The participants were evaluated at the beginning of the study and four months later on measures of behavioral (CPRS/CPRT), executive functions (BRIEF, CPT), attention (TOVA), and electrical activity (qEEG, ERPs). Post-intervention results showed improvements in attention, hyperactivity, executive functioning and in continuous performance measurement (CPT).Improvements noted in the NFB group were greater than that of the MPH group. Results of this study suggest NFB training resulted in greater improvements in executive functioning, behavior, attention, and qEEG compared to MPH treatment. Results indicate that neurofeedback may treatcognitive and behavior functions before these functions worsen or decrease. This study suggests future research to compare the efficacy of each of these treatments in larger populations with a greater heterogeneity in gender is warranted.},
     year = {2018}
    }
    

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    AU  - Denise Medici
    AU  - Pau Giner Bayarri
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    AB  - In this study, twenty children diagnosed with ADHD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria (DSM-IV) were randomly assigned to receive NFB training or MPH treatment. The participants were evaluated at the beginning of the study and four months later on measures of behavioral (CPRS/CPRT), executive functions (BRIEF, CPT), attention (TOVA), and electrical activity (qEEG, ERPs). Post-intervention results showed improvements in attention, hyperactivity, executive functioning and in continuous performance measurement (CPT).Improvements noted in the NFB group were greater than that of the MPH group. Results of this study suggest NFB training resulted in greater improvements in executive functioning, behavior, attention, and qEEG compared to MPH treatment. Results indicate that neurofeedback may treatcognitive and behavior functions before these functions worsen or decrease. This study suggests future research to compare the efficacy of each of these treatments in larger populations with a greater heterogeneity in gender is warranted.
    VL  - 7
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Author Information
  • Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Department of Neuropsychology, Hospital Vithas Nisa 9 de Octubre, Valencia, Spain

  • Department of Neurophysiology, Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset, Valencia, Spain

  • Department of Neurophysiology, Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset, Valencia, Spain

  • Department of Neurophysiology, Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset, Valencia, Spain

  • Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Department of Biomedical Research Consortium for Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Valencia, Spain; Center for Public Health Research (CSISP), Valencia, Spain

  • Department of Neuropsychology, James A. Haley Veteran’s Hospital, Tampa, USA

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