Systematic review of neurofeedback interventions for dyslexia: Methodological insights and International Classification of Function and Disability-Child and Youth (ICF-CY) framework analysis.

PURPOSE: The present study is a systematic review aimed at examining the impact of neurofeedback interventions on the body structure and function, as well as the activity and participation of children with developmental dyslexia, in accordance with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health-Children and Youth version.

METHOD: Based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, databases including Scopus, Cochrane, Science Direct, PubMed, and Google Scholar were searched using keywords such as "Neurofeedback," "Dyslexia," and related terms based on Mesh terms, without any time restrictions, until January 2024. The inclusion criteria were clinical experimental and randomized controlled trials that investigated the impact of neurofeedback in children with reading and writing disorders, and their full-text articles were available in English or Persian. The studies were screened in two stages, and their data were extracted and analyzed.

RESULTS

Following the two-stage screening process, a total of 39 studies met the inclusion criteria. Among them, there were 4 randomized clinical trials, 19 experimental studies, and 16 case studies, examining the impact of neurofeedback on the body structure and function in 342 children with reading and writing disorders, aged 7 to 15 years.

CONCLUSION

Developmental dyslexia restricts children's performance at all levels of functioning. Therefore, a comprehensive assessment of a child's functioning level and the environmental factors affecting it is necessary. Neurofeedback-based interventions have a significant impact on the body structure and function, as well as the activity and participation of children with developmental dyslexia. These interventions can be used as part of multidimensional approaches in the rehabilitation of these children.