Abstract
Anxiety represents one of the most commonly diagnosed mental illnesses among adults in the United States, affecting an estimated 19.1% of the adult population annually, with a lifetime occurrence of 31.1% (NIMH, 2017). This retrospective study intended to assess whether qEEG guided amplitude neurofeedback (NF) is a viable treatment for anxiety symptom reduction. 40 participants were assessed for anxiety using symptom and EEG measures. Demographics include age ranges from 19-62 (M = 37.7, SD =13.87). Gender identification comprised 21 male and 19 female. 15 clients self-identified as White (Non-Latino) (38%), 14 as Latino/Latina (35%), and 11 did not self-report ethnicity (28%). Pre/post-assessments were given to the participants. Symptom assessments included the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and Achenbach (ASEBA) Adult Self Report (ASR). A qEEG was used to determine protocols for each participant. Participants were scheduled to receive 30-minute NF treatment sessions twice a week for one academic semester. The range of attended sessions was 7-19 (M = 12.72, SD = 2.78). Accurate number of session data was unavailable for 4 of the subjects. Symptom measures showed statistically significant improvement. Limitations include small sample size and no control group or sham NF group. Suggestions are included for future studies.
Highlights
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), anxiety disorders rank as the top leading diagnosis by clinicians within the mental health field
The findings indicated a significant increased frontal alpha asymmetry, which correlated with symptom improvements, as compared to the midfrontal alpha group
Clients were screened by master- or doctoral-level students in the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Department of Counseling to determine if they met the criteria for receiving NF treatment, including primary anxiety symptoms, availability, and age requirements
Summary
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), anxiety disorders rank as the top leading diagnosis by clinicians within the mental health field. Anxiety disorders affect approximately 19.1% of the U.S adults annually, with a lifetime prevalence of approximately 31.1% (NIMH, 2017). While the majority of Americans experience stress periodically within their lifespan, individuals diagnosed with anxiety have severe pervasive symptoms that interfere with their daily lives (NIMH, 2018). With the onset frequently developing during childhood, many anxiety disorders can be persistent if not treated and present more frequently in women at a 2:1 ratio (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). A variety of symptoms are reported by individuals with anxiety disorders including sleep problems, fatigue, muscle tension, or intense fear (NIMH, 2018). More severe symptoms can include sudden and repeated attacks of fear, pounding and racing heart, and purposely excluding oneself from certain people or places
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