A qualitative analysis of participant experience during an EEG-linked auditory targeted cognitive training exercise: Implications for implementation and protocol optimization.

Auditory-based targeted cognitive training (ATCT) is an emerging adaptive neuroplasticity-based intervention. Previous studies have shown that electroencephalographic (EEG) biomarkers of auditory information processing assessed at the start of ATCT have predicted cognitive, clinical, and functional gains from a full 30-40 hour ATCT program, but participant attitudes related to coupling EEG to ATCT are not well-known. This study assessed stakeholder feedback related to EEG biomarker collection as part of ATCT to optimize future EEG-informed ATCT studies. Semi-structured interviews assessed attitudes of ATCT-naïve participants (n=50) living with a range of psychiatric disorders and cognitive function who underwent EEG assessment associated with a 1 hour ATCT exercise. A deductive approach was used to code the data and an iterative approach was employed to identify key emerging themes. Interview data yielded 62 unique themes related to EEG biomarker collection and ATCT. Qualitative analysis identified positive and negative elements of participants' experience of EEG-informed ATCT as well as ways to streamline the EEG experience. Results suggest EEG-informed ATCT studies may be optimized using actionable improvements to current protocols leveraged from themes identified.