Moderation of Increased Anxiety in Children and Teenagers with the Use of Neurotherapy: Estimation of the Efficacy

Abstract

We estimated the efficacy of using the technique of feedback (FB) by EEG characteristics (EEG-FB, neurotherapy) with the aim of reducing increased anxiety levels in healthy 10-to 14-year-old children. The anxiety level was estimated using the Prikhojan anxiety test, the Spielberger-Khanin questionnaire, and the House-Tree-Person projective drawing technique. Positive effects of series of neurotherapy sessions were obvious. After training was completed, we observed significant increases in the ratios of the amplitudes of alpha and theta rhythms, semsorimotor and theta rhythms, as well as of the modal frequency of the EEG alpha rhythm in tested persons of the experimental group (n = 7). In the control group (n = 10), changes in these values did not reach the significance level. In the experimental group of tested persons subjected to EEG-FB sessions, the anxiety level decreased appreciably; in addition, the indices "feeling of inferiority" and "frustration" decreased significantly. In the control group, alterations of these psychological indices were not unidirectional. Therefore, modifications of the EEG pattern, which occurred in the course of training and were accompanied by a decrease in the anxiety level in the experimental group, can be indicative of the expediency of EEG-FB for the reduction of high anxiety levels in children and teenagers.

Biofeedback no tratamento de transtornos relacionados ao estresse e à ansiedade: uma revisão crítica

“…Embora técnicas de biofeedback sejam frequentemente utilizadas como instrumentos de medida da atividade do sistema nervoso autônomo e, consequentemente para aferir níveis de estresse/ansiedade, alguns estudos mais recentes tem se voltado para a sua utilização como ferramenta terapêutica. Evidências (Éismont, Lutsyuk, & Pavlenko, 2011;Gervitz & Dalenberg, 2008;Lande, Williams, Francis, Gragnani & Morin, 2010) também sugerem que o emprego dessas técnicas como recurso terapêutico esteja sendo utilizado em particular para o manejo do estresse e da ansiedade. O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar criticamente a literatura científica de 2008 a 2012 sobre o uso e a eficácia do biofeedback como tratamento ou intervenção terapêutica nos transtornos de ansiedade ou em transtornos relacionados ao estresse e à ansiedade.…”