Organizational Skills Training for Children with ADHD: An Empirically Supported Treatment, by R. Gallagher, H. B. Abikoff, & E. G. Spira

IntroductionIn addition to problems with inattention and hyperactivity, children with ADHD show poor organizational skills required for managing time and materials in academic projects. Poor organizational skills are associated with academic underachievement as well as psychosocial, occupational and economic difficulties. Behavioral approaches for ADHD are effective in reducing hyperactivity symptoms and behavioral problems, but the effects on academic functioning have been modest. An increasing emphasis on treatment of organizational skills has emerged in recent years, as difficulties with time management and organization of materials tend to persist and increase with age despite medication and behavioral treatments.ObjectivesThe primary objective is to investigate whether organizational skills training has a positive effect on organizational skills. The secondary and exploratory objectives are to investigate the effect on ADHD symptoms, adaptive functioning, academic performance and cognitive functions with a 24 weeks follow up.AimsOur goal is to provide cost-effective group-based treatment for children with ADHD and their parents. This will be the first randomized and controlled trial of organizational skills in Denmark.MethodsParticipants are included in two sites in Southern Denmark and will be randomized to Organizational skills training or treatment as usual. Organizational skills training will be provided in a group format for children and parents over 10 weeks.Perspectives Given the strong association between organizational skills and functional outcome, it is very important to address organizational skills in children and adolescents with ADHD as organizational skills deficits hinder the academic performance of even gifted students with ADHD and increase with age.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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Organizational skills training for children with ADHD: study protocol for a randomized, controlled trial

Trials ◽

10.1186/s13063-021-05499-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Aida Bikic ◽

Søren Dalsgaard ◽

Kristoffer Dalsgaard Olsen ◽

Denis G. Sukhodolsky

Keyword(s):

Treatment Response ◽

Outcome Measurement ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Skills Training ◽

Control Group ◽

Children With Adhd ◽

Organizational Skills ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Link Type ◽

Age Range

Abstract Background Problems with sustained attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity are the most prominent symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but many children with this diagnosis also present with poor organizational skills that are important in relation to school. These problems tend to increase from childhood to adolescence and are often not well managed by medication. Organizational skills training (OST) is a range of behavioral interventions that specifically target organizational skills deficits. Evidence supports the effect of OST on improving organizational skills, inattention, and academic performance in children with ADHD. Because previous clinical trials included mostly children above the age of 8 years, this trial includes children in the age range 6–13 years to expand the knowledge on the effects of OST in younger children. Previous OST research has also shown improvement on inattention in parent ratings; we will investigate if a change in inattention can be confirmed with neurocognitive tests. Finally, little is known about predictors of treatment response in OST. Objectives The primary objective is to investigate if OST has positive effects on organizational skills in children with ADHD. The primary outcome measurement is the parent-rated Children’s Organizational Skills Scale (COSS), collected before and at the end of the 10 week intervention. Secondary and exploratory outcomes include inattention ratings, family and school functioning, and cognitive functions measured before the intervention period, immediately after, and at a 6 month follow-up. Additional objectives are to investigate both neurocognitive outcomes and age as predictors of treatment response. Methods This is a randomized clinical superiority trial investigating the effect of OST vs a treatment-as-usual (TAU) control group for children with ADHD in the age range of 6–13 years. All participants (n = 142) receive TAU. OST is administered in a group format of 10 weekly sessions. Adverse events are monitored by study clinicians during weekly therapy sessions and all assessments. Data analyses will be conducted using mixed linear regression models with random intercepts for patients, adjusted for the stratification variables and the baseline value. Perspectives This study will provide important new knowledge and expand on existing research in the field of non-pharmacological treatment of children with ADHD. OST can potentially have a significant impact on the lives of children with ADHD by helping them learn how to cope with their present deficits and to become more independent and self-reliant. It is also important to investigate predictors of treatment response in order to optimize OST. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03160378. Registered on May 19, 2017.

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Importance of Depression Prevention

Preventing Adolescent Depression ◽

10.1093/med:psych/9780190243180.003.0001 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Jami F. Young ◽

Laura Mufson ◽

Christie M. Schueler

Keyword(s):

Adolescent Depression ◽

Community Organizations ◽

Skills Training ◽

Interpersonal Psychotherapy ◽

Afterschool Programs ◽

Empirically Supported Treatment ◽

Depression Prevention ◽

Empirically Supported ◽

Interpersonal Risk ◽

Different Levels

This chapter discusses the development of an interpersonally oriented depression prevention program for adolescents, Interpersonal Psychotherapy–Adolescent Skills Training (IPT-AST). Depression is a common and debilitating illness that rises in prevalence during the teenage years. Adolescence is therefore an opportune time to provide preventive interventions to reduce the burden of depression. IPT-AST is an adaptation of interpersonal psychotherapy, an empirically supported treatment for adult and adolescent depression. The program targets interpersonal risk and protective factors that have been linked to depression in adolescence. IPT-AST is an appropriate program for adolescents with different levels of risk for depression and can be implemented in diverse settings, such as schools, primary care offices, afterschool programs, and community organizations.

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New Developments in Emotion-Focused Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm9092918 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (9) ◽

pp. 2918

Author(s):

Ben Shahar

Keyword(s):

Anxiety Disorder ◽

Social Anxiety ◽

Social Anxiety Disorder ◽

Behavioral Therapy ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Skill Learning ◽

Great Promise ◽

Empirically Supported Treatment ◽

Emotion Focused Therapy ◽

Empirically Supported

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a highly complex, chronic, disabling and costly anxiety disorder. Although cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective for many patients, many others do not respond to CBT or remain considerably symptomatic at the end of treatment. Pharmacological effects are also modest. More empirically-supported treatment options are needed in order to increase patient access to effective treatment. Emotion-focused therapy (EFT) shows great promise in treating SAD effectively and is particularly suitable for treating SAD because pervasive emotional avoidance, difficulties with emotional differentiation, and high levels of self-criticism, which are central psychopathological processes in SAD, are also primary therapeutic targets in EFT. EFT is based on the assumption that the most efficient way to change a maladaptive emotion is not through reason or skill learning, but through the activation of other, more adaptive emotions. EFT aims to access shame-based emotional memories that underlie SAD, and transform them by exposing them to new adaptive emotional experiences, such as empowering assertive anger, grief, and self-compassion. In this paper, the core features of EFT for SAD are presented, as well as the EFT view of dysfunction in SAD and EFT change processes. Research findings regarding the effectiveness of EFT for SAD are presented together with initial findings regarding mechanisms of change occurring during treatment.

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Introduction to Empirically Supported Treatment

Research for the Psychotherapist ◽

10.4324/9781315169545-6 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 43-48

Author(s):

Jay L. Lebow ◽

Paul H. Jenkins

Keyword(s):

Empirically Supported Treatment ◽

Empirically Supported

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How to Bend but Not Break an Empirically Supported Treatment for Anxiety in Youth

Flexibility within Fidelity ◽

10.1093/med-psych/9780197552155.003.0011 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 175-210

Author(s):

Lara S. Rifkin ◽

Lindsay Myerberg ◽

Elizabeth A. Gosch ◽

Lesley A. Norris ◽

Margaret E. Crane ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Behavioral Therapy ◽

Developmental Level ◽

Empirically Supported Treatment ◽

The Core ◽

Empirically Supported ◽

Youth Anxiety ◽

Essential Components ◽

Self Talk ◽

Core Components ◽

Building Rapport

This chapter addresses the treatment of youth anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for youth anxiety, as illustrated by the Coping Cat program, is implemented flexibly based on considerations including age/developmental level, co-occurring disorders, socioeconomic status, and cultural factors to enhance outcomes. For fidelity, the program adheres to key components: building rapport, providing psychoeducation about anxiety, addressing anxious self-talk, conducting exposures, assigning homework, and providing rewards/praise. The essential components, however, are applied with flexibility. Ultimately, research is needed to evaluate strategies to increase continued fidelity to the core components of treatment. Peer consultation and supervision may be valuable for maintaining fidelity while flexibly applying the program to a specific client.

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