Project
Biofeedback and ADHD in the School Setting
Principal Investigator(s) / Contact: Ron Jorgenson, phone: 250-723-7522, email: rjorgenson@sd70.bc.ca
Start/End Date: October 2004 – June 2005
Location: Port Alberni, BC
Brief Description: is a Pilot project at EJ Dunn Middle School looking at the impact of Neurofeedback with ADHD within a Middle school located within the school system in Port Alberni. (Students affected with FASD are a subgroup within the project.)
A Pilot group and control group were assigned with 10 students randomly assigned to each of the two groups who had been diagnosed with ADHD and/or severe attentional problems by at least two sources (teacher and parent). Two graduate students from U Vic carried out pre and post testing in October 2004 and in June 2005. They were unaware of the protocol to be used other than that the screening tools were to be used “to screen for attention and focus” and they in turn were advised and supported by there supervisor who was aware of the studies process.
The students commenced there protocols at the end of January 2005 and will finish in June of 2005. At the beginning a baseline was established using 5 sites (Cz, Fz, Pz, C3, C4). The students attended two sessions a week on average and were actually engaged with the neurofeedback for 30 minutes per session. Generally a few minutes was needed for set up and finish. Every 10 sessions a further baseline was taken indicating progress and or any changes in mapping.
Generally 5 students were engaged per day for Monday through Thursday with the Friday being used to capture any missed sessions. By the 20th sessions teachers, parents and individual students were providing unsolicited comments that were suggesting positive changes. When the Post test is completed the project will be written up.
It is important to note that the project is not being run to verify the effect of neurofeedback on ADHD. That has already been positively and repeatedly reported on. This project is being approached as a look at providing support to students with ADHD in a school setting with a goal to increasing the positive experience of these students with school. Limitations and advantages will be reviewed from this perspective.
The reason this is included here is that 20% of students in the control and pilot group are students affected by FASD. This population provides a sub group of the main study.
Timeframe: ongoing
Kind of Project: implementation
Population served: Students in the Port Alberni School System
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