Neurofeedback game for attention training in adults

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder of performance with core symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity or impulsivity. In adults, hyperactivity may decrease, but struggles with inattention or impulsivity may continue. Neurofeedback game can be used as an alternative approach to enhance attention. In this pilot study, we developed a neurofeedback game for attention training in adults. The game was designed with key elements to help users prolong and increase their attention levels. We conducted a pilot study at King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, THAILAND with seventeen adults. Participants were divided into two groups: high-risk and normal, based on their initial assessment of ADHD symptoms using Adult Self-Report Scale V1.1. After 20 sessions of 20-minute neurofeedback game, our results suggest that this type of therapy could be effective as an alternative treatment. We found that the average of attention level, the time retained at elevated attention levels, the time users used to refocus during the game, and their performance on Test of Variables of Attention (T.O.V.A.), which measures person's attention, have been improved by the end of the training for the high-risk group. Hence, our game could be an additional approach to encourage adults to improve their attention in a fun and effective way. We expect that the outcome of our training could benefit the users on their daily life because users have learned to regulate their attention through our neurofeedback game.