Effects of Neurofeedback Training on Anxiety Symptoms Among University Students

Abstract

Previous studies reported that university students are a population at risk of that mental health problems. The most common intervention for anxiety disorders are pharmacological and/or nonpharmacological strategies such as psychotherapies. Besides that, there is a growing interest neurofeedback training for various mental health conditions including depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), stress and anxiety. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of neurofeedback training in reducing symptoms of anxiety. A quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design was employed in this study. Thirty eight students (M= 22.47 years, SD= .69 years) with moderate and severe anxiety symptoms based on the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) were randomly assigned to either neurofeedback training or waiting list. The neurofeedback group undergone a total of 20 neurofeedback training (3 sessions per week). The post test results indicated that neurofeedback training significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety in the neurofeedback group than those of in the waiting list group in both BAI and the GAD-7 instruments with effect size ranged from .49 to .62. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was conducted to assess the statistical differences between the pre-scores and post-scores of BAI and GAD-7 measurements within the NFT group. Significant differences within the NFT group was found between the pre-test and post-test scores in the BAI and GAD-7 measurements. In general, the current study suggest that neurofeedback was an effective treatment for anxiety symptoms among university students.

Thematic Analysis to Measure Social Anxiety among Students

“…However, it is important to note that this statistic may not fully capture the true extent of anxiety in Malaysia, as many cases go undiagnosed and unreported. Specifically, a recent study involving 1,821 university students across Malaysia revealed that the prevalence of anxiety among this population was as high as 29% (Mutang et al, 2021). This trend of high anxiety prevalence among university students is not unique to Malaysia, as studies conducted globally have shown similar findings (Lim et al, 2022;Mutang et al, 2021).…”

“…Specifically, a recent study involving 1,821 university students across Malaysia revealed that the prevalence of anxiety among this population was as high as 29% (Mutang et al, 2021). This trend of high anxiety prevalence among university students is not unique to Malaysia, as studies conducted globally have shown similar findings (Lim et al, 2022;Mutang et al, 2021). Anxiety disorders often have their onset during adolescence, a crucial period of development.…”

Evaluation of a manualised neurofeedback training in psychosomatic-psychotherapeutic outpatient treatment (Neuro-pp-out): study protocol for a clinical mixed-methods pilot study

“…Patients will receive two sessions per week over a course of 7 weeks. This is based on previous studies that demonstrated significant success with a frequency of two sessions per week 24–26. A last follow-up session will be conducted after 2 months.…”

“…This is based on previous studies that demonstrated significant success with a frequency of two sessions per week. [24][25][26] A last follow-up session will be conducted after 2 months. The manual comprises the NFB training sessions, the educational session and the diagnostic session to guarantee a standardised procedure for all 14 sessions.…”

Improving Mental Skills in Precision Sports by Using Neurofeedback Training: A Narrative Review

“…Psychometric measures were used to assess anxiety, including the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Sport Anxiety Scale-2 and the General Anxiety Disorder-7, along with measures of sports performance and mental resilience in sport. The authors found that both participants showed significant improvements in their mental resilience, including a greater sense of confidence, perseverance, and control, as well as that, thanks to this training, sport-related anxiety symptoms and general anxiety decreased significantly [ 54 ].…”