Comparing the efficacy of LORETA neurofeedback versus cognitive rehabilitation on working memory in children with learning disorders: A double-blind clinical trial
Shayan Alamdarifar, Jala KalantariBACKGROUND:
Nowadays, researchers emphasize the use of inexpensive and low-risk methods as preferred treatments for disorders in children and adolescents. The present study was conducted with the aim of comparing the effects of LORETA neurofeedback (NF) and cognitive rehabilitation on the working memory of children with learning disabilities.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
The present research design was a quasi-experimental with pretest, posttest with three-month follow-up. The population were all students with learning disorders and sample was 45 children aged between 7 and 10 with learning disabilities from schools in Shiraz. Three groups of 15 children were selected by convenience sampling. The intervention consisted of cognitive rehabilitation and LORETA NF training sessions. To measure outcomes, they used three assessment tools: the IVA (Integrated Visual Auditory Performance Assessment), Wechsler’s Working Memory Test, and the Children’s Clinical Assessment. Data were analyzed by MANCOVA using SPSS 28.
RESULTS:
The study’s results revealed that participants who received LORETA NF treatment showed more significant improvements in their working memory compared to those who underwent cognitive rehabilitation (
CONCLUSION:
The results suggest that LORETA NF training could be an effective intervention for improving working memory in children who have learning disabilities. Therapists and neuropsychologists can use the results of this study to improve the cognitive functions of affected students.