Neurofeedback predstavlja jednu od neinvazivnih metoda samoregulacije s ciljem postizanja promjena u području kortikalne aktivnosti posredstvom operantnog uvjetovanja. Cilj ovoga istraživanja odnosio se na procjenu učinka primjene neurofeedback tretmana u djeteta s Aspergerovim sindromom.
Za potrebe istraživanja koncipiran je i proveden neurofeedback trening primjenom Infra Low Frequency metode na uzorku od jednog ispitanika, dječaka s Aspergerovim sindromom (KD = 11). Neurofeedback trening provodio se tijekom 20 seansi u okviru kojih je u 15 seansi korišten jednokanalni trening na područjima zaduženim za kontrolu impulzivnosti, stabilnost, fizičku smirenost, kontrolu pažnje, i emocionalnu reaktivnost, dok je u okviru 5 seansi korišten dvokanalni trening s težištem na prefrontalnu regiju zaduženu za emocionalne procese. U svrhu procjene učinkovitosti provedenog programa roditelji su ispunjavali upitnike EEG Expert i Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) u tri točke procjene: prije, tijekom i po završetku provedenog programa.
Rezultati na upitniku EEG Expert pokazali su smanjenje simptoma na svim varijablama procjene, te statistički značajnu promjenu na varijablama u području emocija, dok su rezultati na ATEC ukazali na tendenciju smanjenja simptoma, ali bez statističke značajnosti. Podaci dobiveni u problemskom području emocije mogu se smatrati vrijednima, budući da je neurofeedback trening bio usmjeren na ublažavanje specifičnih teškoća kao što su: teškoće spavanja, griženje noktiju, sram, strahovi, ljutnja, impulzivnost. Također, rezultati dobiveni u ovom, kao i dosadašnjim srodnim istraživanjima, naglašavaju važnost provedbe daljnjih sustavnih istraživanja u području koncipiranja i evaluacije neurofeedback metode u osoba s Aspergerovim sindromom, ali i u populaciji osoba s drugim neurorazvojnim poremećajima.Neurofeedback is one of the non-invasive methods of self-regulation with the aim of achieving changes in the area of cortical activity by using process operative conditioning. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of neurofeedback training in children with Asperger’s syndrome.
In this study, neurofeedback training was developed using the Infra Low Frequency method on a sample of one boy with Asperger\u27s syndrome (age 11). Neurofeedback training consisted of 20 sessions of which 15 were one-channel training on areas responsible for the control of impulse, stability, physical relaxation, attention and emotional reactivity. Within the next 5 sessions two-channel training was used focused on the prefrontal region in charge of emotional processes. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the applied therapy program, parents completed EEG Expert and Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) questionnaires in three assessment points: before, during and after the therapy program.
Results at EEG Experts have shown a reduction in symptoms on all variables and statistically significant changes in the area of emotion, whereas ATEC results indicate a tendency to reduce symptoms but without statistical significance. The data obtained in the area of emotions can be considered valuable since neurofeedback training was aimed at alleviating specific difficulties such as sleeping difficulties, nail scratching, shame, fear, anger, impulsiveness, etc. Also, the herein obtained results, as well as previous related researches, emphasize the importance of further systematic researches in the area of conceptualization and evaluation of neurofeedback methods in persons with Asperger\u27s syndrome, but also in the population with other neurodevelopmental disorders
