A Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for College Students With ADHD

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 388-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingqi Gu ◽  
Guangxing Xu ◽  
Yi Zhu
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Cognitive Therapy ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Neuropsychological Performance ◽  
Adhd Symptoms ◽  
Mental Health Clinics ◽  
Health Clinics ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
Students With Adhd

Objective: Between 2% and 8% of college students meet criteria for ADHD, with increased incidence in recent decades. There are very few clinical trials conducted on the meaningful intervention of ADHD in college. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) effectively treats college students with ADHD and could be more feasibly applied in college mental health clinics. Method: Fifty-four undergraduates with ADHD between ages 19 and 24 were randomized to receive either MBCT or wait-list (WL) during a 6-week intervention phase. ADHD symptoms, neuropsychological performance, and related outcomes were assessed at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up. Results: Participants receiving MBCT group showed greater treatment response rates (57%-71% vs. 23%-31%) and experience less anxiety and depression, and greater levels of mindfulness; MBCT participants show greater improvement on neuropsychological performance. Conclusion: MBCT may be a useful intervention for college students with ADHD, improving participants’ ADHD symptoms, mindfulness, and sustained attention.

Mechanisms of Change in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Adults With ADHD

2020 ◽  
pp. 108705471989686
Author(s):  
Dirk E.M. Geurts ◽  
Melanie P. J. Schellekens ◽  
Lotte Janssen ◽  
Anne E. M. Speckens
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Cognitive Therapy ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Positive Mental Health ◽  
Mechanisms Of Change ◽  
Adhd Symptoms ◽  
Treatment As Usual ◽  
Mindfulness Skills ◽  
Self Compassion

Objective: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) has been demonstrated to be effective in adults with ADHD. The aim of the current study was to examine its possible working mechanisms. Method: In the context of an randomized controlled trial (RCT), MBCT + TAU (treatment as usual) ( n = 43) versus TAU ( n = 51), we used mediation analyses to examine whether reduction of clinician-rated ADHD symptoms and improvement of positive mental health at 6-month follow-up had been mediated by change in mindfulness skills, self-compassion, and executive functioning over the course of MBCT. Results: Increase of self-compassion mediated improvement of positive mental health at 6-month follow-up. Improvement of mindfulness skills or self-compassion did not mediate the reduction in ADHD symptoms. Additional analyses suggest that self-reported inhibition did. Conclusion: The effect of MBCT on ADHD symptoms and positive mental health thus occurred via different mechanisms of change, that is, by improvements in inhibition and self-compassion, respectively.

scholarly journals Computer-Assisted Avatar-Based Treatment for Dysfunctional Beliefs in Depressive Inpatients: A Pilot Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Kocur ◽  
Martin Dechant ◽  
Christian Wolff ◽  
Caroline Nothdurfter ◽  
Thomas C. Wetter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Therapy ◽  
Symptom Severity ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Dysfunctional Beliefs ◽  
Treatment As Usual ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
The University

Dysfunctional cognitions are a crucial part of depression. Cognitive therapy aims to modify dysfunctional beliefs. Typically, dysfunctional beliefs are questioned, and patients are trained to think of alternative functional beliefs. We developed a computer-assisted, avatar-based adjunct for cognitive therapy that aims to reduce dysfunctional beliefs and symptom severity. Besides, it aims to promote alternative functional beliefs. In a randomized controlled trial with 34 patients diagnosed with major depression currently undergoing inpatient treatment at the university psychiatric hospital in Regensburg, Germany, participants were randomly assigned to receive either treatment as usual (TAU) or computer-assisted avatar-based treatment for dysfunctional beliefs (CAT-DB) in addition to TAU. In CAT-DB participants are faced with a virtual avatar expressing their personal dysfunctional beliefs. Participants are asked to contradict these and express alternative functional beliefs. Assessments of conviction of dysfunctional beliefs, functional beliefs and symptom severity were done shortly before the intervention (pre-treatment), right after the intervention (post-treatment) and 14 days later (follow-up). The reduction in conviction of dysfunctional beliefs and symptom severity, and the increase in conviction of alternative functional beliefs at post-treatment and follow-up were significantly greater for the group receiving CAT-DB. Our study provides an indication in favor of the effectiveness of CAT-DB for depressive patients. It is a simple tool that could support classical cognitive therapy. Further studies at different centres, with larger sample sizes and varying therapeutic contexts are required to prove the effectiveness of our intervention.

scholarly journals The Feasibility, Effectiveness, and Process of Change of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Adults With ADHD: A Mixed-Method Pilot Study

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 928-942 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lotte Janssen ◽  
Alicia M. de Vries ◽  
Sevket Hepark ◽  
Anne E. M. Speckens
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Cognitive Therapy ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Adult Adhd ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Adhd Symptoms ◽  
Process Of Change ◽  
Mindfulness Skills ◽  
Self Compassion

Objective: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a promising psychosocial intervention for adult ADHD. The feasibility and effectiveness of an adapted MBCT program is explored, together with the possible process of change. Method: Mixed-method study with 31 ADHD patients participating in an adapted MBCT program. Self-report questionnaires on ADHD symptoms, executive functioning, mindfulness skills, self-compassion, patient functioning, and health status were administered before and after MBCT. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 patients. Results: A modest drop-out of n = 5 (16%) was found. MBCT resulted in a significant reduction of ADHD symptoms and improvements of executive functioning, self-compassion, and mental health. Qualitative analysis provided insight in facilitators and barriers participants experienced, and their process of change. Conclusion: The adapted MBCT program seemed to be feasible for adults with ADHD and preliminary evidence for the effectiveness is shown. An adequately powered Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) is needed to further examine the effectiveness of MBCT for ADHD.

scholarly journals Subclinical ADHD-Symptoms Are Associated with Executive-Functioning and Externalizing Problems in College Students without ADHD-Diagnoses

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allen J. Brown ◽  
Beth M. Casey
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Problem Behaviors ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Behavioral Problems ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Adhd Symptoms ◽  
Oppositional Defiant ◽  
Students With Adhd ◽  
Inattentive Type

<p>This study investigated whether problem behaviors,<strong> </strong>typically associated with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD, would also be associated with subclinical ADHD symptoms within a non-clinical college sample. These are symptoms characteristic of ADHD, which are insufficient to warrant a DSM-IV diagnosis of ADHD. Self-ratings of behaviors known to be comorbid with ADHD (Oppositional-Defiant Disorder (ODD) behaviors, risk-taking, and Executive-Functioning (EF) problems) were examined as predictors of self-ratings of ADHD symptoms. Measures of ODD symptoms, risk-taking, and EF behavioral problems (related to poor management of time) significantly predicted ADHD symptoms, as measured by Barkley’s ADHD Combined Subscale. These predictors accounted for 26% of the variance. The same measures predicted symptoms of ADHD, Inattentive type, as measured by Barkley’s Inattentiveness (IA) Subscale, and accounted for 30% of the variance. For the Hyperactivity-Impulsivity Subscale (HI), the ODD measure significantly entered the equation, while the other two measures were borderline significant, accounting altogether for 10% of the variance. As hypothesized, the EF measure was the strongest predictor for IA, and the ODD measure was the strongest predictor for HI. In conclusion, problem behaviors comorbid with a formal clinical ADHD diagnosis were found to be significantly associated with subclinical ADHD symptoms within a non-clinical sample of college students, as indicated by the substantial proportion of the variance they accounted for in predicting the Barkley’s’ Combined and Inattentiveness Subscales, and to a lessor extent for the Hyperactivity/Impulsivity Subscale. This indicates that college students with ADHD symptoms may have substantial problems not only with their ADHD symptoms, but also with executive functioning and externalizing behaviors associated with these symptoms.</p>

Preventing Relationship Abuse Among College Students: A Controlled Trial of the Skills for Healthy Adult Relationships (SHARe) Program

2020 ◽  
pp. 088626052093303
Author(s):  
Aliya R. Webermann ◽  
Christopher M. Murphy ◽  
Rupsha Singh ◽  
Rebecca L. Schacht
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Healthy Adult ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Psychological Aggression ◽  
Wait List ◽  
Adult Relationships ◽  
Negative Communication

Intimate partner violence (IPV), which includes emotional, physical, and sexual violence in casual/dating and committed relationships, occurs at disproportionately high rates among college students. Prevention in college-age years is developmentally crucial, as college is associated with IPV risk. Relationship skills training has shown preliminary efficacy in decreasing IPV among college students. This article presents data from a controlled trial of Skills for Healthy Adult Relationships ( SHARe), a weekly eight-session (12-hr) group program for college students, which aims to prevent interpersonal conflict and IPV through enhancing positive communication, reducing negative communication, promoting positive relationship attitudes, and strengthening ability to self-regulate in interpersonal contexts. Sixty-two college students (54.8% female) were allocated to the SHARe group or a wait-list control by randomizing to condition and then reassigning some individuals to control based on schedule availability to attend groups. Participants completed self-report measures of positive and negative communication, interpersonal confidence, and perpetration of physical, emotional, psychological, injurious, and sexual violence at baseline, post-group, and at a 3-month follow-up. At baseline, participants reported low levels of recent severe IPV perpetration, but controls reported higher levels of emotional abuse. Analyses controlled for baseline IPV. SHARe participants reported significantly higher confidence in their ability to manage conflicts at post-intervention and significantly lower psychological aggression at the follow-up compared with wait-listed controls. At the 3-month follow-up, self-reported perpetration of psychological abuse was 1.5 times higher for wait-list controls versus SHARe participants. The findings indicate that SHARe can help college students improve their interpersonal skills and develop healthy, non-abusive relationships.

Personalized attention control therapy for PTSD: effectiveness and moderators of outcome in a randomized controlled trial

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Adva Segal ◽  
Daniel S. Pine ◽  
Yair Bar-Haim
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Outcome ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Attention Control ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Control Therapy ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
Attentional Interference

Abstract Background Previous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) suggest that attention control therapy (ACT), targeting aberrant fluctuations of attention toward and away from threats in patients with PTSD, may be effective in reducing symptoms. The current RCT examined whether the use of personalized-trauma stimuli enhances ACT efficacy in patients with PTSD. Additional moderators of treatment outcome were tested on an exploratory basis. Methods Sixty patients with PTSD were randomly assigned to either personalized ACT, non-personalized ACT, or a control condition. Changes in symptoms were examined across pre-treatment, post-treatment, and a 3-month follow-up. Attentional interference was examined pre- and post-treatment. Baseline clinical and cognitive indices as well as the time elapsed since the trauma were tested as potential moderators of treatment outcome. Results A significant reduction in clinical symptoms was noted for all three conditions with no between-group differences. Attention bias variability decreased following ACT treatment. Personalized ACT was more effective relative to the control condition when less time had elapsed since the trauma. Baseline clinical and cognitive indices did not moderate treatment outcome. Conclusions In this RCT of patients with PTSD, ACT was no more effective in reducing PTSD symptoms than a control condition. The data also suggest a potential benefit of personalized ACT for patients who experienced their trauma more recently.

Visuospatial Working Memory Capacity in the Brain After Working Memory Training in College Students With ADHD: A Randomized Controlled Trial

2019 ◽  
pp. 108705471987948 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Woltering ◽  
Chao Gu ◽  
Zhong-Xu Liu ◽  
Rosemary Tannock
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Working Memory Capacity ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Students With Adhd ◽  
The Brain

Objective: ADHD has been associated with persistent problems of working memory. This study investigated the efficacy of an intensive and adaptive computerized working memory treatment (CWMT) at behavioral and neural levels. Method: College students ( n = 89; 40 females) with ADHD were randomized into a standard-length CWMT (45 min/session, 25 sessions, n = 29), shortened-length CWMT (15 min/session, 25 sessions, n = 32), and a waitlist group ( n = 28). Both CWMT groups received treatment for 5 days a week for 5 weeks. Lab sessions before and after CWMT assessed electroencephalography (EEG) indicators of working memory, behavioral indicators of working memory performance, and ADHD symptomatology. Results: No evidence was found for neural or any other behavioral transfer effects of improvement for the CWMT treatment groups over the active control or waitlist group. Conclusion: Our study does not provide evidence for the benefits of CWMT at neural or behavioral levels.

Duration of relapse prevention after cognitive therapy in residual depression: follow-up of controlled trial

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. S. PAYKEL ◽  
J. SCOTT ◽  
P. L. CORNWALL ◽  
R. ABBOTT ◽  
C. CRANE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Therapy ◽  
Relapse Prevention ◽  
Controlled Trial
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