Central Executive Training and Parent Training for ADHD

Evaluating the Efficacy of Sequenced Central Executive and Behavioral Parent Training for Children With ADHD

The goal of the current project is to combine two evidence- based treatments for school-aged children with ADHD: Central Executive Training (CET) and Behavioral Parent Training (BPT). CET is a computerized training intervention that improves ADHD symptoms and academic functioning by improving children's working memory abilities. BPT is a therapeutic intervention that improves family functioning and child oppositional-defiant (ODD) symptoms by changing parenting behaviors. Their combined use is expected to provide complementary and additive benefits, particularly if CET is delivered before BPT.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: ADHD
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Central Executive Training (CET); Behavioral: Behavioral Parent Training (BPT)

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 200
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Children's Learning Clinic; Phone Number: 8506457423; Email: clc@psy.fsu.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Florida
    • Tallahassee, Florida, United States, 32306
      • Recruiting
      • Florida State University
      • Contact: Children's Learning Clinic; Phone Number: 850-645-7423; Email: clc@psy.fsu.edu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 8 years to 13 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion:

1. Children ages 8-12 with principal ADHD diagnoses (via K-SADS); and
2. parent AND teacher ratings in clinical/borderline range based on age and sex on ADHD Rating Scale (ADHD-5) or Behavior Assessment Scale for Children (BASC-3) Attention Problems/Hyperactivity subscales (i.e., 90th percentile or higher based on both informants).

All DSM-5 ADHD presentations will be eligible.

Exclusion:

1. gross neurological, sensory, or motor impairment;
2. history of seizure disorder, psychosis, bipolar, or severe dysregulation disorders that may interfere with participation (e.g., disruptive mood dysregulation, intermittent explosive, reactive attachment, substance use);
3. intellectual disability or Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V) short-form standard score <70;
4. conditions requiring acute intervention, e.g., active suicidality; and
5. non-English speaking child or parent.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Triple

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: CET-then-BPT; Families receive CET in Phase 1 followed by BPT in Phase 2	Device: Central Executive Training (CET); Central Executive Training (CET); Behavioral: Behavioral Parent Training (BPT); Behavioral Parent Training (BPT)
Experimental: BPT-then-CET; Families receive BPT in Phase 1 followed by CET in Phase 2	Device: Central Executive Training (CET); Central Executive Training (CET); Behavioral: Behavioral Parent Training (BPT); Behavioral Parent Training (BPT)
Experimental: Waitlist then CET+BPT; Families do not receive either intervention in Phase 1 and then receive both CET and BPT concurrently in Phase 2	Device: Central Executive Training (CET); Central Executive Training (CET); Behavioral: Behavioral Parent Training (BPT); Behavioral Parent Training (BPT)
Experimental: CET+BPT then 'waitlist' (follow-up); Families receive CET and BPT concurrently in Phase 1, and then are followed in Phase 2 with not additional intervention	Device: Central Executive Training (CET); Central Executive Training (CET); Behavioral: Behavioral Parent Training (BPT); Behavioral Parent Training (BPT)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Rapport visuospatial/phonological working memory test	Administered during a 3 hour post-treatment testing session occurring within 2 weeks of last intervention session
Alabama parenting scale	Parent questionnaire requiring approximately 15 minutes to complete, administered to parent while child is completing the 3 hour post-treatment testing session occurring within 2 weeks of last intervention session
Parenting sense of competence scale	Parent questionnaire requiring approximately 15 minutes to complete, administered to parent while child is completing the 3 hour post-treatment testing session occurring within 2 weeks of last intervention session
Parent stress index	Parent questionnaire requiring approximately 15 minutes to complete, administered to parent while child is completing the 3 hour post-treatment testing session occurring within 2 weeks of last intervention session

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Behavior Assessment System for Children	Parent and teacher questionnaire requiring approximately 15 minutes to complete, administered to parent and mailed to teacher while child is completing the 3 hour post-treatment testing session occurring within 2 weeks of last intervention session
ADHD Rating Scale	Parent and teacher questionnaire requiring approximately 15 minutes to complete, administered to parent and mailed to teacher while child is completing the 3 hour post-treatment testing session occurring within 2 weeks of last intervention session
ODD symptoms (DSM-based checklist)	Parent and teacher questionnaire requiring approximately 15 minutes to complete, administered to parent and mailed to teacher while child is completing the 3 hour post-treatment testing session occurring within 2 weeks of last intervention session

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Academic performance rating scale	Teacher questionnaire requiring approximately 15 minutes to complete, mailed to teacher within 2 weeks of last intervention session
Parent relationship questionnaire	Parent questionnaire requiring approximately 15 minutes to complete, administered to parent while child is completing the 3 hour post-treatment testing session occurring within 2 weeks of last intervention session
Dyadic parent-child interaction coding system (DPICS)	Structured parent-child interaction conducted during the post-treatment testing session within 2 weeks of final intervention session

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Florida State University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 3, 2022
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 1, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 4, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): August 8, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 7, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 5, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
• Other Study ID Numbers: 1R01MH125893 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: Yes
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No