The Effectiveness of Neurofeedback Therapy on Executive Functions in 11- and 12-Year-Old Adolescent Boys with Anxiety Disorder

Abstract

Objective: The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of neurofeedback therapy on executive functions in 11- and 12-year-old adolescent boys with anxiety disorder.

Methods and Materials: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest-follow-up design with a control group. The participants were 34 adolescent boys diagnosed with anxiety disorders, selected through convenience sampling from three psychotherapy clinics in Tehran in 2022. They were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 20 sessions of neurofeedback therapy, each lasting 45 minutes. The cognitive abilities of participants were assessed using Nejati's (2013) Cognitive Abilities Questionnaire, which evaluates executive functions across seven domains. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA to compare changes in executive functions across the pretest, posttest, and follow-up stages.

Findings: The results indicated that neurofeedback therapy had a significant positive effect on executive functions, including memory, inhibitory control, decision-making, planning, sustained attention, social cognition, and cognitive flexibility (p = 0.001). Improvements were observed in the experimental group across all stages compared to the control group, suggesting that neurofeedback therapy effectively enhanced cognitive performance in adolescents with anxiety disorders.

Conclusion: Neurofeedback therapy was found to be an effective intervention for improving the executive functions of adolescents with anxiety disorders. The therapy’s ability to regulate brain activity led to significant cognitive enhancements, providing a promising non-invasive treatment option. Future studies should explore the long-term effects and broader applications of neurofeedback in different populations.