Taḥqīqāt-i ̒Ulūm-i Raftārī (Dec 2016)
The Effectiveness of Neurofeedback on Anxiety, Depression, and War Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms
Abstract
Aim and Background: Due to the importance of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Iran, several studies have investigated the effects of different treatments on patients with PTSD. Most of these studies have had a similar theoretical basis along with medical treatments and often their results were unsatisfactory. The purpose of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of neurofeedback on anxiety, depression, and war post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. Methods and Materials: In the present study, 29 patients with PTSD were selected In Kermanshah, Iran, using convenience sampling and were randomly assigned to control (n = 14) and experimental groups (n = 15). The two groups were matched in terms of demographic characteristics. The therapeutic program was carried out for 20-25 sessions in the experimental group. The data collection tools consisted of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), Impact of Event Scale Revised (IES-R), alpha/theta protocol, and the neurofeedback instrument. Findings: Repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant reduction (P < 0.001) depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms after the intervention. In the assessment of variation between subjects, a significant reduction was observed in depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The findings showed that neurofeedback in the form of alpha/theta protocol can involve significant clinical application for patients with PTSD.
