Cognitive behaviour therapy in medication-treated adults with ADHD and persistent symptoms: a randomized controlled trial

• Published in: BMC psychiatry Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 116
• Main Authors: Emilsson, Brynjar, Gudjonsson, Gisli, Sigurdsson, Jon F, Baldursson, Gisli, Einarsson, Emil, Olafsdottir, Halldora, Young, Susan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 25-07-2011; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adult; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - drug therapy; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - therapy; Central Nervous System Stimulants - therapeutic use; Cognitive Therapy - methods; Cognitive Therapy - statistics & numerical data; Combined Modality Therapy - methods; Combined Modality Therapy - psychology; Combined Modality Therapy - statistics & numerical data; Female; Humans; Male; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales - statistics & numerical data; Psychotherapy, Group - methods; Psychotherapy, Group - statistics & numerical data; Self Report; United Kingdom; Iceland
• ISSN: 1471-244X; 1471-244X
• DOI: 10.1186/1471-244X-11-116

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adulthood is not fully treated by psychopharmacological treatment alone. The main aim of the current study was to evaluate a newly developed cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) based group programme, the Reasoning and Rehabilitation for ADHD Youths and Adults (R&R2ADHD), using a randomized controlled trial.
54 adults with ADHD already receiving psychopharmacological treatment were randomly allocated to an experimental (CBT/MED) treatment condition (n = 27) and a 'treatment as usual' (TAU/MED) control condition (n = 27) that did not receive the CBT intervention. The outcome measures were obtained before treatment (baseline), after treatment and at three month follow-up and included ADHD symptoms and impairments rated by independent assessors, self-reported current ADHD symptoms, and comorbid problems.
The findings suggested medium to large treatment effects for ADHD symptoms, which increased further at three month follow-up. Additionally, comorbid problems also improved at follow-up with large effect sizes.
The findings give support for the effectiveness of R&R2ADHD in reducing ADHD symptoms and comorbid problems, an improving functions associated with impairment. The implications are that the benefits of R&R2ADHD are multifaceted and that combined psychopharmacological and CBT based treatments may add to and improve pharmacological interventions.
ACTRN12611000533998 (http://www.ANZCTR.org.au/ACTRN12611000533998.aspx).