Effects of neurofeedback on the self-concept of children with learning disorders. Martínez-Briones et al.

Children with learning disorders (LD) often have a lower self-concept than their typically developing peers. Neurofeedback (NFB) seems to improve the cognitive and academic performance of these children but its effects on self-concept have not been studied. Thirty-four right-handed children (8-11 y.o.) with LD and delayed electroencephalographic maturation responded to the Piers–Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale. One group received NFB (n=20), and another group (n=14), which included 9 children treated with sham-NFB and 5 on waiting-list, served as control. In the NFB group, the scores for reading, math, and global self-concept increased significantly, highlighting the self-concept subdomains of physical appearance, non-anxiety, popularity, and happiness. Additionally, the sham-NFB group showed better outcomes than the waiting-list group, perhaps due to non-controlled factors.