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Is EEG-biofeedback an effective treatment in autism spectrum disorders ? A randomized controlled trial . EEG-biofeedback has been reported to reduce symptoms of autism spectrum disorders ( ASD ) in several studies . However , these studies did not control for nonspecific effects of EEG-biofeedback and did not distinguish between participants who succeeded in influencing their own EEG activity and participants who did not . To overcome these methodological shortcomings , this study evaluated the effects of EEG-biofeedback in ASD in a randomized pretest-posttest control group design with blinded active comparator and six months follow-up . Thirty-eight participants were randomly allocated to the EEG-biofeedback , skin conductance ( SC ) -biofeedback or waiting list group . EEG- and SC-biofeedback sessions were similar and participants were blinded to the type of feedback they received . Assessments pre-treatment , post-treatment , and after 6 months included parent ratings of symptoms of ASD , executive function tasks , and 19-channel EEG recordings . Fifty-four percent of the participants significantly reduced delta and/or theta power during EEG-biofeedback sessions and were identified as EEG-regulators . In these EEG-regulators , no statistically significant reductions of symptoms of ASD were observed , but they showed significant improvement in cognitive flexibility as compared to participants who managed to regulate SC . EEG-biofeedback seems to be an applicable tool to regulate EEG activity and has specific effects on cognitive flexibility , but it did not result in significant reductions in symptoms of ASD . An important finding was that no nonspecific effects of EEG-biofeedback were demonstrated .
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Intervention_Physical
EEG-biofeedback
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Intervention_Physical
EEG-biofeedback
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Intervention_Physical
EEG-biofeedback
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Intervention_Physical
EEG-biofeedback
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Intervention_Physical
skin conductance ( SC ) -biofeedback
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Intervention_Physical
EEG-
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Intervention_Physical
SC-biofeedback
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Intervention_Physical
EEG-biofeedback sessions
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Intervention_Physical
EEG-biofeedback
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Outcome_Mental
parent ratings of symptoms of ASD , executive function tasks
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Outcome_Other
19-channel EEG recordings
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Outcome_Mental
delta and/or theta power
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Outcome_Mental
symptoms of ASD
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Outcome_Mental
cognitive flexibility
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Outcome_Mental
cognitive flexibility
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Outcome_Mental
symptoms of ASD .