Neurofeedback Treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Adults

Abstract

Diagnosis and treatment of trauma and stress related disorders is challenged by the diverse findings in published research literature and health governing bodies’ clinical practice guidelines, which endorses differing frontline recommended evidence-based treatments. A systematic literature review was utilized that globally examined research articles to analyze neurofeedback as an effective treatment modality for alleviating PTSD symptomology and loss of diagnosis. As a result, the updated Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 was the instrument used to compile this study's collected data. This tool was designed primarily to help review research projects assessing the harms and benefits of healthcare interventions. The targeted populations reviewed in the articles were adults diagnosed with PTSD and mental health providers who treated the disorder. Results found that neurofeedback shows similar effect sizes in the merging evidence categories when compared to other frontline recommended PTSD treatments. Furthermore, the findings of this study revealed neurofeedback has a more significant, longer lasting effect than psychological therapies and pharmacological treatments. The implications of this study include extending the theory of neurofeedback as an effective evidenced-based frontline treatment for PTSD and its associated comorbidities for updated clinical practice guidelines and policy implications.

Alternate abstract:

摘要创伤和压力相关障碍的诊断与治疗面临着已发表研究文献和卫生管理机构临床实践指南中存在多样化研究结果的挑战，这些指南推荐了不同的基于证据的前线治疗方法。本研究采用系统性文献综述方法，对全球范围内的研究文章进行分析，以评估神经反馈作为缓解创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）症状及诊断失效的有效治疗手段。为此，本研究采用更新后的《系统性综述与荟萃分析首选报告项目》（PRISMA）2020版作为数据整理工具。该工具主要设计用于评估医疗干预措施的风险与益处的研究项目。本文所审查的文章中涉及的目标人群为被诊断为创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）的成年人以及治疗该疾病的心理健康专业人员。研究结果显示，神经反馈在合并证据类别中的效应大小与其他一线推荐的PTSD治疗方法相当。此外，本研究的发现表明，神经反馈相较于心理治疗和药物治疗具有更显著且持续时间更长的效果。本研究的启示包括扩展神经反馈作为有效循证一线治疗方法的理论，用于创伤后应激障碍及其相关共病症的临床实践指南更新和政策影响。