Training adolescents with self-injury to regulate emotions using neurofeedback and biofeedback
Official title: Examining the Effects of Real-time fMRI Neurofeedback and Biofeedback in Adolescents With Nonsuicidal Self-injury
Run by Region Östergötland · NCT05656001 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing whether teaching teens who self-injure to manage their emotions using special brain and body feedback can help them stop hurting themselves.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 15 Years to 19 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Region Östergötland Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Linköping) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 10, 2021 |
| Main results expected | June 2027 |
| Study ends | September 2027 |
| Registry record updated | September 16, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT05656001 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adolescents aged 15 to 19 who have engaged in nonsuicidal self-injury at least five times in the past six months.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with severe psychiatric conditions such as psychosis or those with anorexia in starvation may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This study focuses on adolescents who engage in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and aims to teach them emotion regulation skills through neurofeedback and biofeedback techniques. By targeting the salience network involved in emotional processing, the study seeks to help participants learn to manage their emotions without resorting to self-injury. The interventions include real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback and biofeedback, as well as sham versions for comparison. The goal is to enhance limbic-prefrontal cortex connectivity and improve emotional regulation in these adolescents.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could provide adolescents with effective tools to manage their emotions and reduce self-injurious behaviors.
How similar studies have gone: While the use of neurofeedback and biofeedback in emotion regulation is gaining interest, this specific application in adolescents with NSSI is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * ongoing contact at the child- and adolescent psychiatric clinics in both Linköping and Norrköping, Sweden * ongoing contact at the primary care facilities in Linköping and Norrköping (Ungdomshälsan, Råd, Stöd \& Hälsa) * NSSI, independent of psychiatric diagnosis * between 15 and 19 years of age * having engaged in five or more instances of NSSI during the last six months * the patient is cognitively capable to decide for him- or herself Exclusion Criteria: * anorexia in starvation with BMI 16 or under * substance abuse disorder * psychosis * needing interpreter * intellectual disability * and for those who do the neurofeedback, severe claustrophobia, pregnancy and braces
Where it's running
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Region Östergötland
Linköping, Sweden Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Maria Zetterqvist, PhD — Region Östergötland and Linköping university
- Study coordinator: Maria Zetterqvist, PhD
- Email: maria.zetterqvist@regionostergotland.se
- Phone: +46 10-1034339
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.