The Effect of Neurofeedback Training on Increasing Sustained Attention in Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of neurofeedback training on improving sustained attention of veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods: The research design is quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest and control group. The study population consisted of the veterans with PTSD who were hospitalized in psychiatric wards. Purposeful sampling method was done to select ۳۰ patients in psychiatric hospitals of Sadr, Delaram, and Parsa during spring, summer, and autumn of ۲۰۱۴ by considering their arrivals and departures. Then, they were randomly assigned into ۲ experimental (n=۱۵) and control group (n=۱۵). The neurofeedback training by alpha-theta protocol was administered to the experimental group, but the control group did not receive any neurofeedback training. The sustained attention was measured by continuous performance test (CPT). After that, the data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance. Results: The results showed that neurofeedback training significantly increased the omission errors (P<۰.۰۰۱, F=۱۷.۰۷۴), commission errors (P<۰.۰۰۱, F=۱۸.۵۱۵), and reaction times (P=۰.۰۴۴, F=۴.۵۱۱) in sustained attention and reduced correct detection. Conclusion: According to the findings, the relation between alpha and theta waves, and based on underlying principles, neurofeedback treatment has achieved acceptable results.