attention regulation

Neurofeedback training as an educational intervention in a school setting: How the regulation of arousal states can lead to improved attention and behaviour in children with special needs

The current choice of treatment for the remediation of attentional and behavioural difficulties among primary school children with special educational needs (SEN) is, increasingly, pharmacological. If neurofeedback can regulate brain arousal states and thereby improve attention, behaviour and readiness to learn, there may be a case for incorporating it into the special needs provision of mainstream primary schools, thus avoiding the use of potentially damaging stimulant medication as a means of controlling behaviour and promoting inclusion. An experimental design was used, employing the TOVA test as a pre-/post-test measure of attention and the TOVA rating scale as parental pre/post measure of behaviour, plus qualitative feedback as a post-treatment measure of attention/behaviour. Results indicate that neurofeedback may make an important impact on emotions and affect of the SEN individual, leading to improved behaviour and improved attentional capability; quality time spent on a no-failure task of any kind on a one-to-one basis may be beneficial to children with SEN, affecting their personal belief system and behaviour; incorporating neurofeedback as part of the school-based special needs provision is feasible and practicable.