Parent training for disruptive behavior symptoms in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a randomized clinical trial

• Published in: Frontiers in psychology Vol. 15; p. 1293244
• Main Authors: Paiva, Gabrielle Chequer de Castro, de Paula, Jonas Jardim, Costa, Danielle de Souza, Alvim-Soares, Antônio, Santos, Daniel Augusto Ferreira E, Jales, Julia Silva, Romano-Silva, Marco Aurélio, de Miranda, Débora Marques
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 2024
• Subjects: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; digital interventions; ODD; oppositional defiant disorder; parent training; parent training; oppositional defiant disorder; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; ODD; digital interventions
• ISSN: 1664-1078; 1664-1078
• DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1293244

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects 5% of children and 2.5% of adults worldwide. Comorbidities are frequent, and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) reaches 50%. Family environment is crucial for the severity of behaviors and for prognosis. In middle-income countries, access to treatment is challenging, with more untreated children than those under treatment. Face-to-face behavioral parent training (PT) is a well-established intervention to improve child behavior and parenting.
A clinical trial was designed to compare PT-online and face-to-face effects to a waiting list group. Outcomes were the ADHD and ODD symptoms, parental stress and styles, and quality of life. Families were allocated into three groups: standard treatment (ST), ST + PT online, and ST + Face-to-Face PT. We used repeated measures ANOVA for pre × post treatment analysis corrected for multiple comparisons.
Parent training was effective in reducing symptoms of ADHD (
 = 0.030) and ODD (
 = 0.026) irrespective of modality (
 = 1.000). The combination of ST and PT was also associated with better quality of life in the physical domain for patients (
 = 0.009) and their parents (
 = 0.050). In addition to preliminary data, online intervention seems effective for parenting and improving social acceptance of children. The potential to reach many by an online strategy with a self-directed platform may imply effectiveness with a low cost for public health to support parents' symptoms management.