Abstract
Objective: Executive functioning is impaired in children with ADHD and putatively related to the pathogenesis of ADHD. The authors developed an innovative treatment teaching parents to administer a metacognitive executive function training intervention with children, promoting positive interactions during activities designed to improve attention and self-regulation. Method: A total of 24 young children with ADHD and their parents participated in an 8-week open trial of the intervention designed to assess feasibility and initial efficacy. Results: The intervention is feasible and accepted by parents as shown by high attendance/adherence, low attrition, and satisfaction ratings. Improvements in executive functions (visual/auditory attention, working memory, and cognitive flexibility) with corresponding improvements in parent ratings of executive functioning were observed. Reduced inattention symptoms were reported. Conclusion: Executive functioning training is a promising approach to treating young children with ADHD and holds promise for generalizability because parents are trained to be interventionists and coached to apply the strategies to alternative domains.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 551-559 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Attention Disorders |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 2014 |
Keywords
- ADHD
- executive function
- intervention
- metacognition
- preschool
- psychosocial
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Clinical Psychology