The most effective intervention for attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder: using continuous performance test

Abstract

Background: This study compares the effectiveness of three treating methods including behavioral mother training (BMT), Verbal self-instruction to the children (VSI), and pharmacotherapy in children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using the continuous performance test (CPT).

Subjects and methods: In this semi-experimental study, 51 elementary students were identified in a boys' school in Shiraz (age 8-10) with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder in a pilot study (among 1760 students). They were randomly divided into three groups; BMT, VSI, and control group. Moreover, 22 students were selected with ADHD among the clients in Hafez hospital. They were chosen by the availability method and they were put into the Pharmacotherapy group. Data collection tools were the Child Symptoms Inventory (CSI-4) and the continuous performance test. All of the groups were evaluated after the intervention and in post-test and also 2 months later in follow up.

Results: The treatment type (group) showed statistically significant difference in the result of CPT on severity of attention-deficit and in the number of correct responses (P=0.01), yet on the hyperactivity symptoms, there was no significant difference between the different treatment groups (P=0.08). The time factor shows a significant difference among the different groups (p<0.001).

Conclusions: Comparison of the various treatments of ADHD indicates that pharmacotherapy can improve the severity of attention deficit and the number of correct answers of children with ADHD.