Dr. J. Michael Griffin, a psychologist who provides
neurofeedback therapy at Jackson-Feild Behavioral Health Services
(JFBHS) recently gave two presentations at the annual conference of the
Southeast Biofeedback and Clinical Neuroscience Association.
Of his two presentations, one - titled "Neurofeedback in an
Adolescent Residential Treatment Program" - was the result of a study
conducted at JFBHS. In his presentation, Griffin noted that "adolescents
in long-term residential facilities often have histories of abuse,
neglect, and family histories of mental illness. Often these youths have
received years of outpatient treatment, multiple in-patient psychiatric
hospitalizations in acute care facilities, foster placements, and
multiple behavioral health residential admissions. Multiple [types of
treatment] have been used, including counseling, psychopharmacology,
recreational therapy, therapeutic horticulture, equestrian therapy, and
others. Despite these interventions, significant acting out behaviors
may persist."
The study at JFBHS sought to determine whether neurofeedback
is an effective treatment to reduce the severity, frequency and duration
of acting-out incidents. Over the course of the study, it was found
that children receiving neurofeedback had at least 50%
fewer incident reports than in prior reporting periods and those who
received an average of four per month had an additional 17% fewer
incident reports than those receiving two per month. In addition, staff
noted that children had improved self-awareness, greater impulse control
and reduced hyperactivity.
JFBHS is constantly striving to provide better services to
help children who have suffered severe emotional trauma, and Griffin's
work and services are much appreciated tremendously beneficial.
