Design and Evaluation of a Children's Brain-Computer Application for Learning Self-Regulation

最近，注意力缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）和焦虑的最佳临床实践涉及正念，瑜伽和其他基于身体的方法与认知方法相结合。神经反馈被认为是学习和练习这些技术的有效辅助手段。神经生物学和计算机科学的进步使这类旨在加强注意力和焦虑调节和控制背后的基本过程的干预成为可能。在以前的工作中，我们的团队为6至10岁的尼泊尔儿童在交互式平板电脑上开发了一系列初步的脑电图（EEG）神经反馈训练游戏。虽然没有明确和一致的经验证据证明这种新方法的有效性，但这种技术可能对儿童工作有用，因为它可以帮助他们可视化内部大脑过程。此外，电脑游戏是熟悉和激励学习自我调节所必需的重复练习类型。该研究计划将专注于设计和实现一系列Android平板电脑神经反馈应用程序，这些应用程序可与消费级EEG耳机一起使用，第二个应用程序可用于校准儿童使用系统时的脑波数据，而不是进行广泛的使用前培训。这些应用程序将与不同的ADHD和焦虑儿童群体进行评估，以确定它们是否能有效地帮助他们学会自我调节注意力和焦虑。* 拟议的研究将揭示新的理论和设计知识，说明研究人员应该如何思考和开发脑机技术，以支持儿童的社会情感发展，一般来说，ADHD和焦虑，特别是。这项研究将对加拿大国内外的公司和机构很有价值，因为它将为他们提供指导方针，帮助他们开发这种技术和应用的下一个版本。它将使从事儿童工作的机构和个人更广泛地了解这些技术的影响和使用情况，以支持儿童的发展。这项研究可以使数百万儿童受益，因为ADHD和焦虑会对儿童的教育和职业成果、自尊和自我效能感、社交能力以及身心健康产生负面影响。

Recently, best clinical practices in attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety have involved mindfulness, yoga, and other body-based approaches in conjunction with cognitive approaches. Neurofeedback has been proposed as an effective aid to learning and practicing these techniques. Advances in neurobiology and computer science make possible these kinds of interventions designed to strengthen basic processes behind attention and anxiety regulation and control. In previous work, our team developed a preliminary series of electroencephalogram (EEG) neurofeedback training games on an interactive tablet for Nepalese children aged 6 to 10 years old. Although there is no clear and consistent empirical evidence demonstrating the efficacy of this type of new approach, this type of technology may be useful for work with children since it helps them visualize internal brain processes. In addition, computer games are familiar and motivate the type of repetitive practice necessary for learning self-regulation.****This research program will focus on the design and implementation of a series of Android tablet neurofeedback applications that can be used with a consumer grade EEG headset, and a second application that can be used to calibrate children's brainwave data as they use the system rather than with extensive pre-use training. The applications will be evaluated with different groups of young children with ADHD and anxiety in order to determine if they can effectively help them learn to self-regulate attention and anxiety. ****The proposed research will uncover new theoretical and design knowledge that illustrates how researchers should think about and develop brain-computer technologies to support children's social-emotional development, generally, and ADHD and anxiety, specifically. This research will be valuable to companies and institutions within Canada and abroad, as it will provide them with guidelines to help them develop the next versions of such technologies and applications. It will provide institutions and individuals who work with children with a broader understanding of the impact and use of such technologies to support children's development. This research can benefit millions of children, since ADHD and anxiety negatively affect children's education and career outcomes, feelings of self-esteem and self-efficacy, social competence, and physical and mental well-being.**