Eric B. Miller, Ph.D. miller@biofeedback.net Abstract p. 1
GETTING FROM PSY-PHY (PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY)
TO MEDICAL POLICY VIA MUSIC AND NEUROFEEDBACK
FOR ADHD CHILDREN
Eric B. Miller
Abstract
Within the backdrop of a societal
healthcare paradigm swing, this study of EEG
neurofeedback
with music therapy protocols added an experimental group (NF-MUS) to
an existing
Philadelphia Office for Mental Health multi-site study of two traditional
neurofeedback
(NF) protocols. Thirty-eight subjects completed the pre- and post
intervention
assessment
comprised of the Stroop, Toni-3, NEPSY Attention/Executive
core domain
score, Conners CPT and ADHD Parent and Teacher Rating Scales Revised
(S). NF-MUS
subjects also received pre- and post-quantitative EEG (QEEG)
topographical
brain-mapping. NF-MUS utilized a Theta/Beta protocol variation,
incorporating
brain-triggered musical tones assigned to Theta amplitude in key with
background
musical selections.
Individual results within the
NF-MUS group showed improvement on NEPSY
core domain
scores and improvement individually on the Stroop Color and Word tests,
but showed
mixed results on the combined Stroop Color/Word test. Three out of four
NF-MUS
subjects improved their TONI quotient. CPT results were mixed, with some
individuals
displaying dramatic improvement on the CPTÕs ADHD index score. A paired
samples
T-test
showed no significant differences between pre- and post-Toni-3 scores or
Stroop
Color/Word scores. Significant improvement was found for the Stroop Color
and
Stroop Word
scores individually and for the NEPSY Executive Function/Attention
subscale
index scores.