This article reports the pilot study of electroencephalogram (EEG) biofeedback to improve focusing and decrease anxiety in 10 adolescent boys diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome attending a therapeutic day school. Five of the boys dropped out of the study before 12 sessions were completed. The analysis of pre- and post-intervention quantitative EEGs for the five students who completed the study showed a trend to ‘normalization’, but did not reach statistical significance. All five boys who completed 24 sessions showed improved behavior as rated by parents and teachers, but other factors, such as maturation could not be ruled out as causes of the improvement. The challenges facing this research and proposals for further exploration are outlined.
Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Recovery, Boston University, Massachusetts, USA
Sponsorship: This study was supported by the Mary Gifford School, Weston, Massachusetts and the Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation for Autism, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
Correspondence and requests for reprints to Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Recovery, Sargent College, Boston University, 940 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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e-mail: scolnick@bu.edu
Received 15 August 2004 Accepted 15 October 2004
