Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Treatment of Adults With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Lily Hechtman200 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of the project is to evaluate the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with and without stimulant medication and compare it to medication alone. Subjects will be randomly assigned to stimulant medication only, CBT only and combined CBT and stimulant medication group. Patients will be evaluated at baseline, following mediation optimization (for medicated groups), following 12 months of treatment, after 3 months of follow up, and after 6 months of follow up. The investigators hypothesize that the combined group will have the best outcome at all evaluation points. ADHD in adults is associated with significant morbidity and impaired academic, occupational, social, and emotional functioning. Developing optimal treatment approaches for this population is key in improving their functioning.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

200

Conditions

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Interventions

Medication is titrated over a 4-week period with stepwise increments each week. Patients and significant others complete ADHD symptom scales at baseline and before each medication visit. Patients also complete side effects scales at baseline and before each medication visit. The gradual increase will continue until there is no further improvement in symptoms and in the Clinical Global Improvement Scale or side effects are such that further increases are not indicated. Once the optimal dose is reached, the subjects remain on this dose for the remainder of the study.

Cognitive behavioral therapyBEHAVIORAL

12 sessions of group cognitive behavioral therapy. Participants also receive individual coaching 3 times a week (twice over telephone and once in person). Coaching sessions are 15 minutes each in duration and are aimed at implementation, practice, and generalization of skills acquired in therapy.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 60 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria for adult ADHD of any of three subtypes via Conners' Adult ADHD Diagnostic Interview for the DSM-IV (CAAR-D) and clinician's assessment; * Barkley Childhood and Current Symptom of ADHD (1998) completed by self and informants (parents or siblings). Required cut off's on these scales are scores 1.5 Standard Deviation above relevant gender and age norms; * Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale (1999). Required cut off's on these scales are scores 1.5 Standard Deviation above relevant gender and age norms; * Between 18 and 60 years old * Be able to give informed consent and comply with study procedures; * I.Q. of 80 or above on Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, 3rd edition (WAIS-III) subtests of three verbal and three nonverbal subtests * Adequate command of English to be able to participate in CBT group. Exclusion Criteria: * Psychotic symptoms, past or current * Current psychiatric comorbidity, e.g. bipolar disorder, depression, suicidality, current substance use disorder (must be free of substance abuse for 6 months) * Medical condition that preclude use of the stimulant medication, e.g. hypertension, cardiac disease, Tourette's Syndrome, etc. * Organic mental disorders or other significant neurological disorders, e.g. epilepsy, head injury, chorea, multiple sclerosis, deafness, blindness.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Self-reported ADHD symptoms (measured via Barkley's Current ADHD Symptoms Scale) - Change from baseline

Time frame: At baseline

Self-reported ADHD symptoms (measured via Barkley's Current ADHD Symptoms Scale)

Time frame: For patients in a medication or combined group - after medication has been optimally titrated, approximately 5 weeks.

Self-reported ADHD symptoms (measured via Barkley's Current ADHD Symptoms Scale)

Time frame: After 12 weeks of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Self-reported ADHD symptoms (measured via Barkley's Current ADHD Symptoms Scale)

Time frame: Three months after the end of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Self-reported ADHD symptoms (measured via Barkley's Current ADHD Symptoms Scale)

Time frame: Six months after the end of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Secondary Outcomes

Global psychological distress (measured via the Symptom Checklist 90) - Change from baseline

Time frame: At baseline; once optimally titrated, takes approximately 5 weeks to reach this dose (for medicated participants); after cognitive behavioural therapy; 3 months of follow up; 6 months of follow up

Depression symptoms (via the Beck Depression Inventory) - Change from baseline

Anxiety symptoms (measured via the Beck Anxiety Inventory) - Change from baseline

Time frame: At baseline; once optimally titrated, approximately 5 weeks (for medicated participants); after cognitive behavioural therapy; 3 months of follow up; 6 months of follow up

Global functional impairment (measured via the Sheehan Disability Scale) - Change from baseline

Dyadic adjustment (for those married or cohabiting, measured via the Dyadic Adjustment Scale) - Change from baseline

Organizational skills (measured via the Organization and Activation for Work Scale) - Change from baseline

Self-esteem (measured via the Index of Self-Esteem) - Change from baseline

Anger Expression (measured via the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory - II) - Change from baseline

Observer-Rated ADHD symptoms (measured via the Barkley's Current ADHD Symptoms Scale -- observer version) - Change from baseline

Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Treatment of Adults With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Overview

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (1)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes