Psychosocial Treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults

February 16, 2017 updated by: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Treatment of Meta-Cognitive Deficits in Adults With ADHD

This study will determine the effectiveness of group cognitive-behavioral therapy as compared to a problem-solving social support group in treating problems of time management, organization, and planning in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Study Overview

Detailed Description

ADHD is a chronic neurobiological condition that affects people of all ages, genders, and races. Symptoms of ADHD may include, but are not limited to, the following: poor attention span; physical restlessness or hyperactivity; excessive impulsivity; chronic procrastination; frequently losing things; poor organization, planning, and time management skills; and excessive forgetfulness. Not every person with ADHD exhibits all of these symptoms, and the severity of the disorder can range from mild to severe. While there is no cure for ADHD, the condition can be managed with an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment. Left untreated, individuals with ADHD may experience significant impairment in social, emotional, occupational, and academic functioning. Stimulant and non-stimulant medications are usually effective in alleviating symptoms of ADHD in adults. However, some research suggests that medications may not effectively treat self-management functioning problems and that as many as one-third of adults with ADHD have inadequate responses to medication treatment. Additional research on the benefits of psychosocial treatments for ADHD in adults is needed. This study will determine the effectiveness of group cognitive-behavioral therapy as compared to a problem-solving social support group in treating problems of time management, organization, and planning in adults with ADHD.

Individuals interested in participating in this study will first undergo an assessment of their eligibility for inclusion in the study. The assessment will last approximately 6 hours, but can be broken up into as many as 4 separate visits. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to either receive group cognitive-behavioral therapy or join a problem-solving social support group. Both groups will meet once a week for 12 weeks. Each session will last roughly 2 hours and will focus on building time management, organizational, and planning skills. Time management, planning, and organizational skill levels will be assessed at the treatment mid-point, immediately following the intervention, and at 3 and 6 months following the treatment. Self-esteem and symptoms of depression and anxiety will also be measured at these visits.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

88

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • New York
      • New York, New York, United States, 10029
        • Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Suspected of having or have been diagnosed with ADHD
  • May potentially benefit from the ADHD group treatment

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Any overt cognitive disability (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, mental retardation)
  • Deemed not to potentially benefit from the proposed ADHD group treatment

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Meta-Cognitive Therapy
Cognitive behavioral group. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on changing patterns of thinking and behavior. Each group consists of 6 to 8 members and sessions are led by a psychologist.
Cognitive Behavioral Group Treatment
Other Names:
  • Cognitive Behavioral Group
Active Comparator: Supportive Therapy
Social support problem-solving group. Social support problem-solving focuses on general support, problem solving, and information sharing. Each group consists of 6 to 8 members and sessions are led by a psychologist.
Social Support Problem-Solving Group Treatment
Other Names:
  • Social Support Problem-Solving Group

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Inattention Subscale
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Investigator Symptom Rating Scale (AISRS) Inattention subscale. Mean change score at 12 weeks as compared to baseline. Each item is scored as follows: 0 (none), 1 (mild), 2 (moderate), 3 (severe); the maximum total score with 27 points being the most severe.
12 weeks
Time Management, Organization, and Planning Subscale
Time Frame: baseline and at 12 weeks

Time management, organization, and planning subscale at posttreatment at 12 weeks as compared to baseline.

The mean difference On Time Management Organization and Planning scale which is a 24-item self-report questionnaire that uses a 7-point Likert-type scale ranging from -3 (far below average) to +3 (far above average) and subsequently totaled to obtain a composite index of proficiency (possible scores range from -102 to +102), which was developed and previously used at the ADHD program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

baseline and at 12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
CAARS-O:L
Time Frame: baseline and at 12 weeks
Change in the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scales-Observer: Long Version (CAARS-O:L), inattention/memory subscale at 12 weeks as compared to baseline. 12 items subscale. T-score of at least 63 gives risk or possible diagnosis of ADHD. This number, lower or higher, does not indicate severity.
baseline and at 12 weeks
Beck Depression Inventory
Time Frame: baseline and at 12 weeks

Mean change in the Beck Depression Inventory Scale at 12 weeks as compared to baseline.

The Beck Depression Inventory, 2nd edition to assess Depression symptoms. BDI-II scores range between 0 and 63, with categorical depression ratings of "minimal" (0-13), "mild" (14-19), "moderate" (20-28), and "severe" (29-63).

baseline and at 12 weeks
Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale
Time Frame: baseline and at 12 weeks
Mean Change in Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale at 12 weeks as compared to baseline. It consists of 14 items, each defined by a series of symptoms. Each item is rated on a 5-point scale, ranging from 0 (not present) to 4 (severe), with a total score range of 0-56, where <17 indicates mild severity, 18-24 mild to moderate severity and 25-30 moderate to severe.
baseline and at 12 weeks
Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory
Time Frame: baseline and at 12 weeks
Mean change in Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory score at 12 weeks as compared to baseline. The scale is a ten item Likert scale, ranging from 0-30. Scores between 15 and 25 are within normal range; scores below 15 suggest low self-esteem.
baseline and at 12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Mary V. Solanto, PhD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

May 1, 2005

Primary Completion (Actual)

October 1, 2008

Study Completion (Actual)

October 1, 2008

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 13, 2006

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 13, 2006

First Posted (Estimate)

January 18, 2006

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 4, 2017

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 16, 2017

Last Verified

February 1, 2017

More Information

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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