A Critical Review of: Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial of Neurofeedback for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder With 13-Month Follow-Up
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15540/nr.11.1.92Keywords:
call for retraction, neurofeedback;, pharmaceutical biasingAbstract
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurobehavioral condition affecting children and adolescents impairing academic success, self-esteem, and social interactions. Since there is no cure for ADHD, the public relies on researchers to provide an honest and objective evaluation of treatment options to help those with ADHD manage the disorder. The public’s expectation was thwarted when a study was published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) titled Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial of Neurofeedback for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder with 13-Month Follow-Up (Arnold et al., 2021). The principal investigator and lead author was L. Eugene Arnold, MD, who referred to his coauthors as a collaborative team. The National Institute of Mental Health funded the study with a $2 million grant. This critical review of Arnold et al. examines various aspects of the study to help us understand why the findings and stated conclusion of the study deviated from a substantial body of research and clinical evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of NFB for treating ADHD.
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