Neurofeedback for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
The overall analysis found no meaningful improvement in ADHD symptoms when using probably blinded ratings. Small effects in some protocol and processing-speed analyses warrant further study.
Westwood SJ, Aggensteiner PM, Kaiser A, Nagy P, Donno F, Merkl D, Balia C, Goujon A, Bousquet E, Capodiferro AM, Derks L, Purper-Ouakil D, Carucci S, Holtmann M, Brandeis D, Cortese S, Sonuga-Barke EJS, European ADHD Guidelines Group (EAGG).
JAMA psychiatry · Publication date: 2025-02-01
Added to site: 2026-09-09
DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.3702
Journal issue date from the indexed record; this should not be read as a verified first-online date.
- Modalities
- Neurofeedback
- Clinical focus
- ADHD
- Population
- Participants with ADHD, ages 5–40
- Sample
- 38 randomized trials; 2,472 participants
- Intervention / method
- Neurofeedback protocols across randomized trials
- Comparator
- Control conditions varied
Clinician summary
Probably blinded total-symptom ratings showed no significant benefit: SMD 0.04, 95% CI −0.10 to 0.18. Restricted standard-protocol analyses and processing speed showed small favorable effects.
How to interpret the findings
Protocol and outcome differences matter. Positive subgroup findings should not replace the overall result or be treated as established individual-response predictors.
Equipment and disclosures
Equipment details were not verified from the reviewed abstract.
Funding and competing-interest disclosures were not verified from the reviewed abstract.
Related evidence
Compare findings from the same clinical area, including mixed results.
- Is neurofeedback an efficacious treatment for ADHD? A randomised controlled clinical trial. · Positive with limitations
- Slow Cortical Potential Versus Live Z-score Neurofeedback in Children and Adolescents with ADHD: A Multi-arm Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial with Active and Passive Comparators. · Mixed
- Efficacy and safety of noninvasive brain stimulation for ADHD: a systematic review and meta-analysis of double-blind randomized controlled trials across international English and Chinese databases. · Positive with limitations
- ADHD classification using spherical phase space partitioning and symbolic time series analysis of multi-channel EEG signals · Positive with limitations
Summary prepared with AI assistance. Source verification does not imply an independent replication or a clinician's endorsement. Read our review method.