The effect of a self-guided neurofeedback mindfulness program on selective attention in autism: a feasibility study

Research has found that mindfulness-based meditation practice, when guided by professionals, can improve emotional well-being and attention. This has led to interest in offering meditation practice to autistic people. Indeed, whilst autistic people are able to process more sensory information than non-autistic people, which can lead to strengths in some areas, it can also lead to difficulties concentrating.

Some studies have found that autistic people benefit from meditation programs, both in their mental health and an increased ability to concentrate. These studies involve regular in-person sessions taught by experienced meditation instructors. For this project, we would like to see if the same effects can be obtained using a self-guided program, which the person can complete at home with minimal supervision. The program involves a meditation headset and corresponding phone application. These headsets pick up on brain activity associated with deep relaxation, and are able to detect when a meditative state is achieved, and offer this feedback to the user. Researchers will test autistic and non-autistic participants on a range of attention tasks, as well as measuring brain activity and changes in mood, in order to determine whether this self-guided meditation program is effective to improve attention and well-being in autistic adults.

Faculty Supervisor:

Laurent Mottron

Student:

Partner:

University College London

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education

University:

Université de Montréal

Program: