Neurofeedback

LaResha Lyles.

Final Presentations• Context/crisis/situate the problem

• Conceptual context/literature review– What are your lenses?

• Methods– Interviews/surveys/participant description/school description– Data analysis approach

• Findings– 1 per slide

• Implications for research, policy and practice

Neurofeedback

Why is your project significant?• Develop a better understanding of how pracationers preceive

Neurofeedback • Neurofeedback is direct training of brain function, by which the

brain learns to function more efficiently, it is a growing phenomena throughout the world.

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Conceptual ContextLiterature Review

• Neurofeedback is the process of retraining the brain using non-pharamarcial and pain-free methods. (Gruzelier, Egner, & Vernon, 2006)

• Neurofeedback forces the brain to function at its maximum potential. Neurofeedback is a natural way of training the brain to function at its maximum potential. Neurofeedback has minimal side effects and a long-term result (Alhambra, Flowler and Alhambra, 1995)

• Neurofeedback is an alternative method to pharmocological treatment.

• Neurofeedback as known as Cognitive Rehabilitation or EEG biofeedback is a groundbreaking phenomenon that has drastically affected the life of individuals in a positive facet (Gruzelier, 2009)

• Neurofeedback seems to help the central nervous system more adaptively regulate its states of arousal, alertness, and emotional control Many issues affect an individual’s productivity (Alhambra, Flowler and Alhambra, 1995).

• The computer will feed back brainwaves and other psychophysiological events that make it possible for them to change their physiological activity, which has been shown to improve relaxation and remediation of ADHD symptoms (Hanslmayer, Sauseng, Doppelmayr, Schabus & Klimesch, 2005).

TheoryOperant and Classical Conditioning

• This "feedback" helps you learn to use your mind to develop greater control over your body or in the case of Neurofeedback, your brain.

Methods• Purpose: Determine why people developed a desire

to work in the field of Neurofeedback.

• Techniques: Interviews with 3 different people regarding

• Interviews in time range between 15 mins and 30 mins.

• Location: In the interviewee’s office

• Three Participantso Participant 1: Male, 48, Doctor in Psychologyo Participant 2: Female, 35, Masters in School Counselingo Participant: Female, 32, Bachelors in Social Work

Findings• Research Questions and Hypotheses

The following research questions were explored to determine how individuals who work within the field of Neurofeedback perceive the treatment:

• How do you define Neurofeedback?

Participant 1: Neurofeedback simply put, is training the brain to function at its maximum potential. Neurofeedback is a mental exercise. You can think of it similarly to the way the body is exercised, toned and maintained. So in essence Neurofeedback is training the brain to achieve better self regulation. Brain training exercises the neural pathways that allow the brain to achieve better self regulation.

Participant 2: ……Neurofeedback can be seen as a form of self-regulation. As a process of the body developing more insight about what is taking place within the brain.

Participant 3: I know Neurofeedback as Neurotherapy. Neurotherapy, is a technique that looks at brain activity while a child is going thru self-regulation.

FindingsHow did you get involved in Neurofeedback?

• Participant 1: After reading several articles and attending a seminar I realized the impact that it was making on individuals overall quality of life…..It has been an invaluable asset to my traditional therapy.

• Participant 2: I have always been interest in brain functioning and how it affects our daily functioning. I attended a conference and I started reading more about it.

• Participant 3: I got involved in Neurotherapy as an undergraduate who was teaching foster parents the impact of childhood abuse and trauma on the brain. We showed legal guardian brain images of abused and non-abuse children so they could see how there was a difference between these children. We showed them videos of live brain records of how the brain activity.

FindingsWhy do you believe Neurofeedback is effective? Can you give examples?

• Participant 1: I believe that Neurofeedback is effective because it forces an individual to take notice of the little things that we do such as grinding ones teeth. It allows an individual to feel in control of what is going on internally.

• Participant 2: Neurofeedback is an excellent way for an individual to see a reflection of what is going on in the brain. A child or adult is able to see the changes in their brain waves as the learn to mediate, by training alpha/theta and training beta.

• Participant 3: I personally feel that Neurotheraphy is a very effective way to teach people how live experiences can change a person’s brain and development. I feel that we should have taught this to teachers, social workers, or anyone who works with children. Many times people don’t understand why children behave differently than other and red flag children as “bad”. This new approach of therapy not only helps legal parents to understand Actions and behaviors but to also be more sensitive to children that may have different brain activities that is not normative.

Data Analysis• All three participants viewed Neurofeedback as a form of self-

regulation.• All participants were intrigued by the results of Neurofeedback

and felt the need to pass on the treatment to other social services.

• All participants stated that Neurofeedback that it was a very effective treatment.

Implications• Provides an overall view of the way that

practitioner view Neurofeedback and how they believe it is effective.

• This study can help establish a uniform definition of Neurofeedback.

• Further research should be explored regarding the correlation of Neurofeedback ‘s effectiveness on clients and the practitioners views of its effectiveness in regards to Neurofeedback.