Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-2017
Abstract
Advocates of neurofeedback make bold claims concerning brain regulation, treatment of disorders, and mental health. Decades of research and thousands of peer-reviewed publications support neurofeedback using electroencephalography (EEG-nf); yet, few experiments isolate the act of receiving feedback from a specific brain signal as a necessary precursor to obtain the purported benefits. Moreover, while psychosocial parameters including participant motivation and expectation, rather than neurobiological substrates, seem to fuel clinical improvement across a wide range of disorders, for-profit clinics continue to sprout across North America and Europe. Here, we highlight the tenuous evidence supporting EEG-nf and sketch out the weaknesses of this approach. We challenge classic arguments often articulated by proponents of EEG-nf and underscore how psychologists and mental health professionals stand to benefit from studying the ubiquitous placebo influences that likely drive these treatment outcomes.
Recommended Citation
Thibault, R. T., & Raz, A. (2017). The psychology of neurofeedback: Clinical intervention even if applied placebo. American Psychologist, 72(7), 679-688. doi: 10.1037/amp0000118
Copyright
American Psychological Association
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Nervous System Commons, Neurology Commons, Neurosciences Commons, Other Mental and Social Health Commons, Other Psychiatry and Psychology Commons, Psychiatric and Mental Health Commons, Psychological Phenomena and Processes Commons
Comments
This is a pre-copy-editing, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in American Psychologist, volume 72. issue 7, in 2017 following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available online at DOI: 10.1037/amp0000118.