| Recently, a parent asked me the following | | | | we have available, Neurofeedback works very |
| question | | | | well for ADHD as well as a number of other |
| | | | conditions. |
| I visited your web site and noticed a section | | | | |
| called How to Read a Scientific Article. I | | | | It's true that the research does not rule out |
| was quite impressed with this article. | | | | other possible explanations for the |
| | | | effectiveness of neurofeedback in ADHD. |
| This special report on your web site is | | | | Researchers have not yet proven that the |
| vitally important for treatment providers and | | | | placebo effect is causing the results. No |
| treatment seekers. It is important for all of | | | | one has proven that it is not the extra |
| us who value the use of the scientific method | | | | therapeutic interaction. |
| in making decisions about what kinds of | | | | |
| services to seek and what kinds of services | | | | However, in my opinion, these other |
| to provide. | | | | explanations are not very likely. We do not |
| | | | see any other placebo getting the results |
| What you mention in that article can serve as | | | | that Neurofeedback gets. Nor do we see |
| reminder to what many of us learned as | | | | intense therapeutic attention in other |
| undergraduates and graduate students in | | | | settings delivering such results. |
| science based programs. It can serve as a | | | | |
| simplified and easy to remember | | | | To the best of my knowledge, there has never |
| scientifically based evaluation tool to help | | | | been a study that shows or even suggests that |
| sort out the different types of | | | | it Neurofeedback does not work. The worst |
| interventions. | | | | complaint the antagonists can level is that |
| | | | it has not yet been proven to work. |
| Within the context of that special report on | | | | |
| your web site about learning to evaluate and | | | | It is true that the studies on Neurofeedback |
| to interpret what is true and expose what is | | | | have not proven that it works. I want to |
| hype, how would you rate the evidence | | | | stress, however, that not proven does not |
| presented for Neurofeedback compared to other | | | | mean disproved. |
| types of interventions?" | | | | |
| | | | Although in the pure scientific sense there |
| Here is my reply: | | | | is something lacking from the Neurofeedback |
| | | | literature, we are dealing with patients' |
| I am glad you enjoyed How to Read a | | | | lives. |
| Scientific Article. Please, download it and | | | | |
| give it out to your friends and colleagues. | | | | It is not fair to our patients not to use |
| | | | what is most probably a very effective |
| As for your question about Neurofeedback: | | | | treatment modality just because we would like |
| | | | more elegant research. With that in mind we |
| There are many leading ADHD researchers who | | | | have to evaluate neurofeedback based upon the |
| come out very strongly against Neurofeedback | | | | evidence that is in front of us. |
| as a treatment for ADHD. Their main | | | | |
| complaint against Neurofeedback is that the | | | | I agree that neurofeedback needs more |
| research is not well done. | | | | scientific work to be proven an effective |
| | | | modality. However, as a clinician I feel |
| There are numerous studies available, but | | | | that I have all the evidence that I need in |
| they all have weaknesses. Most studies lack | | | | order to advise patients to use it. |
| the proper controls to prove that | | | | |
| Neurofeedback works. In many studies, | | | | I still have a lot of questions about it. It |
| Neurofeedback was used in conjunction with | | | | is not really clear to me how effective it |
| other modalities, so it isn't clear why the | | | | is. What percentage of patients fail? What |
| children in these studies got better. | | | | percentage achieves only partial success? I |
| | | | have heard claims of success ranging in the |
| So scientifically, I would have to conclude | | | | 95+%. I don't know how accurate these claims |
| that Neurofeedback has not been proven to be | | | | really are. |
| an effective treatment for ADHD. | | | | |
| | | | I personally don't have enough information to |
| Thank God, I am a clinician and not a | | | | discern between the effectiveness of |
| scientist! | | | | different neurofeedback techniques. I would |
| | | | like to see more research in these areas. |
| In my opinion, based upon the evidence that | | | | |