Application of neurobiofeedback therapy technology on social skills and emotion regulation in children with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social communication, restricted interests, and repetitive stereotyped behaviors. In recent years, the prevalence of ASD has continued to rise, with boys having a significantly higher incidence rate than girls. Children with ASD often have intellectual and language impairments, which seriously affect their social skills, emotional regulation, and daily life. Although traditional treatment methods have shown some effectiveness, they still have limitations in addressing social and emotional regulation. Neurobiofeedback therapy is a noninvasive, drug-free treatment method that helps individuals regulate physiological responses through feedback mechanisms, and it has shown potential in various psychological disorders and emotional regulation. However, there is limited research on the social skills and emotional regulation in children with ASD. Therefore, this study aims to explore the impact of neurobiofeedback technology on children with ASD through a retrospective cohort study, supplementing existing treatment methods and promoting a more comprehensive treatment of ASD.

AIM

To investigate the effects of neurobiofeedback therapy on social skills and emotional regulation in children with ASD.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted on 92 children with ASD who were admitted to our hospital from January 2023 to June 2024. According to their different treatment plans, they were divided into a conventional group (conventional rehabilitation treatment; n = 43) and a combined group (conventional rehabilitation treatment combined with neurobiofeedback therapy; n = 49). The general characteristics, Aberrant Behavior Checklist scores, Chinese version of the Psycho-Educational Profile, Third Edition scores, Social Responsiveness Scale scores, Emotion Regulation Checklist scores, Social Communication Questionnaire scores, and the incidence of adverse reactions were compared between groups.

RESULTS

After intervention, the Aberrant Behavior Checklist and Social Responsiveness Scale scores of the combined group were lower than those of the conventional group. In contrast, scores on the Chinese version of the Psycho-Educational Profile, Third Edition, Emotion Regulation Checklist, and Social Communication Questionnaire were significantly higher in the combined group than in the conventional group (all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

Neurobiofeedback therapy can effectively improve clinical symptoms, emotional regulation, and social skills in children with ASD.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Neurobiofeedback; Social skills; Emotion regulation; Electroencephalogram

Core Tip: By combining electroencephalogram-driven neurofeedback with cartoon-based attention training, this study introduces a child-friendly, noninvasive protocol that directly modulates prefrontal γ-band activity in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder. Unlike conventional rehabilitation alone, this approach strengthens self-regulated cortical networks underpinning social cognition and emotional control, leading to clinically and statistically superior improvements in Social Responsiveness Scale, Aberrant Behavior Checklist, Emotion Regulation Checklist, and Social Communication Questionnaire scores, without increasing adverse events. The strategy offers an easily scalable, low-risk adjunct that can be embedded into existing early-intervention services to enhance long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes.