Psychological Treatment for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) - Pilot Evaluation of a New Treatment Manual Based on CBT and DBT

Approximately one-third of children with ADHD continue to be fully symptomatic into adulthood and many of the remainders often retain some residual problems that require treatment. Thus ADHD is a prevalent and chronic disabling disorder. Drugs provide first line treatment for adults with ADHD but are not enough for everybody, while we still lack proper evidence for promising psychological treatment. In addition to core symptoms of ADHD including regulatory difficulties of attention, activity level and impulses, difficulties with emotional regulation are common.

Follow-up studies of adults with ADHD have shown that only a few patients were offered sufficient treatment and support after the neuropsychiatric assessment and testing. The majority of adults diagnosed with ADHD are offered pharmacological treatment (stimulant medication) as the sole treatment. However, stimulant medication is not effective for up to 20-50 percent of adults as they may not experience symptom reduction or they are unable to tolerate the medication.

Consequently, the possible benefits of identifying and treating individuals with ADHD are extensive. Treatment of ADHD is preferably multimodal, i.e. consisting of more than one intervention.

There has been limited research to date concerning psychosocial treatments for adult ADHD. Studies of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) show that structured short-term therapies are promising in reducing ADHD related symptoms and increasing life quality. Focus in the CBT treatment is to build skills, increasing and compensating for deficits in the executive functioning due to impairments of the frontal lobe. DBT combines change-oriented skills from CBT with acceptance-oriented skills and core mindfulness skills. DBT skills have been tried out and validated as a promising intervention package for adults with ADHD through the research of Steven Safren and Bernd Hesslinger.

The objective of the planned study is to evaluate a new manual for group treatment, with a combination of treatment methods from Safrens and Hesslingers evidence-based treatment manuals. The aim of the pilot project is to create a clinically effective combination of the different methods of treatment, with a high degree of understanding, acceptance, use and perceived usefulness of the patients undergoing treatment. Both qualitative and quantitative data about patients' perceptions and use of the different methods will be collected during and after treatment to increase knowledge of how treatments can be developed and combined in order to better match the needs of patients.