Efficacy of the Nurtured Heart Approach to Reduce ADHD Behaviors in Children

University of Arizona

Status: Completed

Conditions: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Treatments: Behavioral: Nurtured Heart Approach

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03685279

1707672022

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study evaluates the efficacy of the Nurtured Heart Approach (NHA) to reduce inattention and hyperactivity and impulsivity in children ages 6 - 8 years. Participants are parents or guardians of children diagnosed with, or suspected of, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Participants are randomized into the immediate (NHA) or delayed (Control) group.

Full description

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends evidence-based parent and/or teacher behavioral therapy and/or medication to treat ADHD. A systematic review by Coates and colleagues found behavioral interventions decreased ADHD behaviors in children. The NHA is an intervention designed to teach parents a set of skills and attitudes to decrease ADHD in children. It has been applied in a number of settings from homes, schools, and foster care agencies both in several states in the U.S. and in over 16 countries. While widely accepted, the Approach has not been evaluated using scientifically rigorous methods.

Enrollment: 104 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Parent or guardian of a child diagnosed with ADHD or suspected of ADHD
• Child must be 6 - 8 years of age
• Access to a computer with Internet

Exclusion criteria

• Child with ADHD, or suspected of ADHD, cannot have a diagnosis of autism

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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104 participants in 2 patient groups

NHA Group

Experimental group

Description:

Six-week, online intervention with weekly, sequential, content knowledge and skills practice. Each week included recorded, slide presentations (narrated by the developer of the NHA, Howard Glasser); readings from "The Transforming the Intense Child Workbook" by Howard Glasser with Melissa Lowenstein; participants' skills practice, web postings, and live sessions with Howard Glasser and Advanced NHA Trainers.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Nurtured Heart Approach

Control Group

Other group

Description:

The Control Group received the same intervention after the collection of NHA Group post-intervention surveys.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Nurtured Heart Approach