Central Executive Training for ADHD (CET)

Florida State University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Treatments: Behavioral: CET: Comparison Executive Training; Behavioral: CET: Central Executive Training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT03042338

R34MH102499 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

Feasibility study of Central Executive Training (CET) for ADHD. The goal of the current project is to develop and assess the feasibility, acceptability, engagement, and usability of a novel, central executive (CE) working memory training intervention.

Full description

The goal of the core study is to develop a central executive training (CET) intervention for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and examine its feasibility, acceptability, engagement, and usability. This will involve early developmental work on software and treatment manuals followed by evaluation of the feasibility of enrolling, retaining, and treating ADHD children with CET. An evidence-informed intervention targeting central executive functioning in children with ADHD has the potential to result in clinically significant improvements in ADHD symptoms relative to extant behavioral treatments and capacity-based (short-term memory) training interventions. The long-term goal is to develop an efficacious and acceptable CET intervention with the potential for generalized improvements in, or normalization of, ADHD-related impairments in peer, family, and academic functioning.

Enrollment: 54 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 8 to 13 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Children ages 8-12 with principal ADHD diagnoses (via K-SADS)
• parent Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) Attention Problems or Hyperactivity subscale or ADHD-5 in clinical/borderline range based on age and gender
• teacher BASC Attention Problems or Hyperactivity subscale or ADHD-5 scale in clinical/borderline range based on age and gender.

Exclusion criteria

• gross neurological, sensory, or motor impairment, history of a seizure disorder, or psychosis, bipolar disorders, substance use, or intellectual disability disorders
• non-English speaking child or parent

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Sequential Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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54 participants in 2 patient groups

Central Executive Training1

Experimental group

Description:

Training tasks targeting working memory

Treatment:

Behavioral: CET: Central Executive Training

Central Executive Training2

Active Comparator group

Description:

Training tasks targeting inhibitory control and response speed

Treatment:

Behavioral: CET: Comparison Executive Training