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包括正念、瑜伽和其他基于身体的方法以及认知方法。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干预成为可能，这些干预旨在加强注意力和焦虑调控背后的基本过程。在之前的工作中，我们团队在互动平板电脑上为尼泊尔6至10岁的儿童开发了一系列初步的脑电(EEG)神经反馈训练游戏。尽管没有明确和一致的经验证据表明这种新方法的有效性，但这种类型的技术可能对儿童的工作有用，因为它帮助他们可视化内部的大脑过程。此外，电脑游戏很常见，并激发学习自我调节所需的重复练习。*本研究计划将专注于设计和实现一系列可与消费级EEG耳机一起使用的Android平板电脑神经反馈应用程序，以及第二个应用程序，该应用程序可用于在儿童使用该系统时校准他们的脑波数据，而不是经过广泛的使用前培训。这些应用程序将与不同群体的患有ADHD和焦虑的幼儿进行评估，以确定它们是否能够有效地帮助他们学习自我调节注意力和焦虑。*这项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绪发展，特别是ADHD和焦虑。这项研究将对加拿大国内外的公司和机构具有价值，因为它将为他们提供指导方针，帮助他们开发此类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种技术对支持儿童发展的影响和使用。这项研究可以使数百万儿童受益，因为ADHD和焦虑对儿童的教育和职业成就、自尊和自我效能感、社交能力以及身心健康都有负面影响。

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.**