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Does ACT-Group Training Improve Cognitive Domain in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder? A Single-Arm, Open-Label Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2020

Laura Vanzin ,
Alessandro Crippa Open the ORCID record for Alessandro Crippa [Opens in a new window] ,
Valentina Mauri ,
Angela Valli ,
Maddalena Mauri ,
Massimo Molteni  and
Maria Nobile
Laura Vanzin
Affiliation:
Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, LC, Italy
Alessandro Crippa*
Affiliation:
Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, LC, Italy
Valentina Mauri
Affiliation:
Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, LC, Italy
Angela Valli
Affiliation:
Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, LC, Italy
Maddalena Mauri
Affiliation:
Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, LC, Italy PhD Program in Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
Massimo Molteni
Affiliation:
Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, LC, Italy
Maria Nobile
Affiliation:
Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, LC, Italy
*
*Corresponding author: Alessandro Crippa, Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Via Don Luigi Monza 20, Bosisio Parini, LC23842, Italy. Email: alessandro.crippa@lanostrafamiglia.it
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Abstract

This single-arm, open-label study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioural group training based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on cognition in drug-naïve children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Thirty-six children with ADHD aged 8–13 were invited to participate in the 9-month ACT training programme, which consisted of 26 weekly sessions of group therapy lasting 90 min each. Their parents also received 12 sessions of ACT-based parent training, every 2 weeks. The outcome measure for the present study was the change in the cognitive performance assessed by a battery of computerised task. The cognitive outcome of children receiving ACT-group intervention was compared to that of an external untreated control group of children with ADHD. No significant improvements were observed in any of the cognitive measures. This preliminary study suggests that the 9-month ACT-group training programme might not have positive effects on cognitive difficulties usually occurring in ADHD. Future randomised controlled trials with larger sample sizes are required to shed more light on this issue.

Keywords

ADHDACTmindfulnessexecutive functionrehabilitation
Type
Standard Paper
Information
Behaviour Change , Volume 37 , Issue 1 , April 2020 , pp. 33 - 44
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

†

The first two authors contributed equally to this work.

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