Skills Training for Adolescents With ADHD

Mass General Brigham

Status: Completed

Conditions: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Treatments: Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT01019252

R34MH083063 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

DDTR B4-TBI (Other Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The proposed study will be an initial test of a cognitive-behavioral intervention for adolescents with ADHD who are receiving medication treatment. It is based on our successful work with adults with ADHD who have been treated with medicines but are still having symptoms. It involves learning skills for organization and planning, attention, and mood.

Full description

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent, distressing, and interfering condition that affects between 2% and 6% of adolescents. Although medications have been widely used as an effective treatment for many years as the sole treatment for ADHD, for many, clinically significant and interfering continued symptoms remain. Even after medication treatment, adolescents still experience residual ADHD symptoms and continue to have problems with inattention, concentration, disorganization, and other symptoms. However, research suggests that adolescents who have received some benefit from medication treatment can then experience further symptom reduction from participation in skills-based cognitive behavioral therapy. This study, adapted from a similar research study for adults with ADHD, will examine whether cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) plus medication is more effective at treating ADHD than medication therapy alone in adolescents with ADHD.

Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to receive twelve weekly treatment sessions either immediately upon enrolling in the study or after a four-month waiting period. Questionnaires (that participants complete and ones that are done with an interviewer) will be used to assess participants' ADHD symptoms at study entry, after receiving the treatment, and at 4 month follow-up. Parents will have some involvement in therapy.

Note: participants must be able to come to Boston or another study location in the Greater Boston area for 4 assessment visits and 12 weekly therapy visits in order for participation to be feasible.

Enrollment: 66 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 14 to 18 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Between the ages of 14 and 18
• In high school
• Principal Diagnosis of ADHD
• Stable prescription of Medications for ADHD
• ADHD has childhood onset
• Clinically significant ADHD symptoms

Exclusion criteria

• Organic Mental Disorders
• Active Substance Abuse or Dependence
• Diagnosis of Conduct Disorder
• Mental Retardation or Pervasive Developmental Disorder
• Active Suicidality
• Previous History of CBT Therapy in adolescence
• Other condition interfering with consent or participation

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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66 participants in 2 patient groups

CBT for ADHD first, then follow-up

Experimental group

Description:

Participants received Cognitive Behavioral Therapy following randomization.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Wait list first, then CBT for ADHD

No Intervention group

Description:

Cross-over: Participants were assigned to a wait list after the initial assessment. They received Cognitive Behavioral Therapy after the 4 month assessment.