CONNECT IT TO YOUR LIFE
Make focus
an everyday question.
“Better focus” becomes more useful when it describes a situation. A parent can describe homework transitions; a professional can describe returning to work after interruptions. Those examples help separate the outcome you want from the broad label of attention.
How the training works.
EEG neurofeedback provides feedback from brain activity during a training exercise. Attention research asks whether practicing selected activity patterns is accompanied by changes on tasks or in everyday ratings.
Background source
Sitaram and colleagues, Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2017. “Closed-loop brain training: the science of neurofeedback.”
Original review (new tab) ↗SELECTED PUBLISHED STUDIES
Attention gains
parents noticed.
Parent-rated gains continued six months after training.
What researchers observed: Children aged 7–11 with ADHD were assigned to neurofeedback, cognitive training or a control condition. Following a 40-session school program, the neurofeedback group maintained improvements in parent-rated inattention, executive functioning and hyperactivity/impulsivity at six months, exceeding gains in the comparison groups on those measures.
In everyday terms: This study is one reason families explore structured attention training: it reported changes in everyday behaviors parents noticed, beyond the training sessions themselves.
How to apply this finding: The improvements were parent-rated, and parents knew their child’s assignment. Use clear goals at home and school to track progress; an individual program should specify its own protocol and schedule.
Study details & source
Steiner and colleagues · Pediatrics, 2014. “In-school neurofeedback training for ADHD: sustained improvements from a randomized control trial.” DOI: 10.1542/peds.2013-2059.
Original paper information (new tab) ↗A small overall improvement in healthy adults’ attention.
What researchers observed: A meta-analysis involving 569 participants found a small overall improvement in attention after neurofeedback. The subset of trials using sham feedback did not show a significant advantage.
In everyday terms: Attention is an active area of training research for healthy adults, including people interested in cognitive performance.
How to apply this finding: Choose a clear attention goal, such as sustaining focus on a task, and review it over time. This research measured attention rather than brain fog or fatigue; persistent symptoms should also be assessed in the context of sleep, medication and health.
Review details & source
Kimura and colleagues · Imaging Neuroscience, 2024. “Efficacy of neurofeedback training for improving attentional performance in healthy adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” The review identified 41 trials; 15 entered the main meta-analysis. DOI: 10.1162/imag_a_00053.
Original review information (new tab) ↗CONNECT RESEARCH TO YOUR GOALS
What the findings
mean for your goals.
Everyday changes families noticed.
The school study followed parent-rated attention and behavior, connecting the research to observations beyond the training session.
A personal focus goal.
Starting a task, staying engaged and returning after an interruption give you clear examples to discuss. Choose the situations most relevant to you or your child.
Progress you can follow.
Agree which observations or measures to use and when to review them. For a child, include the perspectives of the adults supporting them at home and school.
GOAL-SETTING EXAMPLES
Give “better attention”
a practical definition.
Name the situation
“Homework stalls before it starts” or “I lose my place after interruptions.”
Choose the behavior to review
Identify a useful action, such as starting a task, returning to it or completing one agreed step.
Connect the settings
For a child, discuss observations at home and school. For an adult, choose a relevant task and review it consistently.
A training plan should identify the person, the goal and the way it will be reviewed. For a child receiving ADHD care, discuss coordination with the professionals already involved.
BEFORE YOUR CONVERSATION
Your next questions.
Is attention training only for children with ADHD?
The research includes different groups, including healthy adults. Your consultation should start with your goals and circumstances, rather than assuming one study or diagnosis describes everyone.
Can we keep working with our existing care team?
Yes. Discuss neurofeedback alongside the care already in place. Medication decisions belong with the prescribing clinician; your proposed training plan should make coordination and responsibilities clear.
What should a parent ask before starting?
Ask about suitability, equipment setup, supervision, session scheduling, full cost and how observations will be shared. A clear plan should fit your child and your family’s routine.