The study is developed to validate a new short psychotherapeutic group treatment for adults with ADHD diagnosis. The participants will be treated in a monocentric, parallel group randomized superiority study - one group with the new treatment and one group with well established relaxing treatment.
Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD(H)D) symptoms are often assumed to decease in adolescence, however in up to 60% of children, AD(H)D persists into adulthood. Currently, pharmacological therapy is the number-one choice AD(H)D treatment. Despite its evidenced effects of pharmacological interventions there are side effects, contraindications and non-responders, which send some patients disliking the use of medication and asking for alternative treatments. In previous studies mindfulness-based interventions already have shown similar effects in neural regions as pharmacological treatment and positive changes in AD(H)D symptoms, quality of life, awareness and concentration. The following study wants to improve mindfulness-based treatment approaches in AD(H)D with a new therapy concept. Methods: Mindfulness, acceptance, commitment and cognitive behavioral group therapy (MAC-CBT) combines 3rd wave therapies with focus on mindfulness meditation, acceptance of unchangeability, commitment to new goals with elements of cognitive behavioral therapy. The design of this study is a single-center, parallel-group, randomized superiority trial. The aim is to compare MAC-CBT group with progressive muscle relaxation training (PMR by Jacobson). Both groups will be held over a period of eight weeks. Participants will be assessed two times before treatment to determine natural course of adult AD(H)D and two times after treatment to evaluate short and long term effects. A questionnaire battery and neuropsychological tests are to be used to obtain results regarding a possible change in the symptoms and attention, including selective attention. Discussion: This trial will offer new knowledge about the effects of third wave therapies on AD(H)D. Furthermore, the following study is one of few studies that will compare AD(H)D treatment to relaxation training instead of comparison to waiting list. The aim of the following study is to verify previous outcomes of mindfulness-based treatments on AD(H)D and to evaluate superiority of mindfulness towards relaxation programs.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
180
Psychotherapeutic intervention to treat adult patients with ADHD to be mindful, accept the symptoms and disturbances and commit with the situation or the possibility to change.
Relaxation treatment in technique of Jacobson in 8 sessions
Neuropsychiatric Center of Hamburg
Hamburg, Germany
RECRUITINGChange of Symptoms measured by the Connors ADHD Adult Rating Scale (CAARS)
The long version of the CAARS (Conner's Adult AD(H)D Rating Scales (Christiansen et al., 2012)) combines self-report and observer rating questionnaires to assess current AD(H)D symptoms in adulthood. This instrument consists of 66 items based on a 4-point Likert scale and four subscales: Inattention/ Memory Problems, Hyperactivity/ Restlessness, Impulsivity/ Emotional Lability and Problems with Self-Concept. With regard to the scientific quality criteria, Christiansen (2012) reports internal consistencies with a Cronbach's α of .74 to .95 and a test-retest reliability from .71 to .93, range min. 66 to max. 264 points.
Time frame: Measurement 1 at inclusion date, Measurement 2 two months later measurement 1, then measurement 3 immediately after intervention, measurement 4 as catamnestic follow up 6 months after intervention
Measure of the quality of life of the participants measured by World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire
Quality of life will be assessed by the short version of WHOQOL-BREF (World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire (Group, 1998)). The questionnaire consists of 26 items that were extracted from the complete version consists of 100 items (WHOQOL-100) based on a 5-point Likert scale. For the German short version, Cronbach's alpha scores between .76 and .88 (Skevington, Lotfy, O'Connell, \& Group, 2004). Range from 26 to 105 (min.-max).
Time frame: Measurement 1 at inclusion date, Measurement 2 two months later measurement 1, then measurement 3 immediately after intervention, measurement 4 as catamnestic follow up 6 months after intervention
Changes of attention functioning measured by change detection task and trail making test A and B of the computer based test setting Psychology Experiment Building Language (PEBL)
The change detection task, modeled paradigm by Luck and Vogel, examines the visual working memory and covers sustained and selective attention. Patients will see a first pattern of differently colored squares for 300ms followed by a 1000ms pause and then a second pattern of squares. The task is then to determine whether the colors of every square are identical, will be repeated 120 times and takes approximately 12 minutes in total. Reaction times and the amount of mistakes made will then give information on the level of functioning. In addition, a TMT-A and B (Reitan, 1992) will be conducted. Patients will be asked to first connect numbers ranging from 1 to 30 in increasing order and then numbers from one to 15 and letters from A through O alphabetically alternating. Reaction times, times between clicks and the amount of correct and incorrect clicks will provide insight to the level of attentional functioning. Measurement of single individual scores, no qualified range described.
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Time frame: Measurement 1 at inclusion , Measurement 2 is 2 months after inclusion, measurement 3 immediately after intervention, measurement 4 as catamnestic follow up 6 months after intervention
Changes of mindfulness measured by Mindful Attention Awareness Scale
In order to assess mindfulness as well as the perception of the "here and now", the German version of the MAAS (Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (Brown \& Ryan, 2003)) is used. In total, it consists of 15 items on a 6-point Likert scale. Since non-mindful behaviors are described, high scores mean a higher level of mindfulness. The internal consistency, represented by Cronbach's alpha, amounts α = .83 for the German version (Michalak, Heidenreich, Ströhle, \& Nachtigall, 2008).Range form 15 to 90 points.
Time frame: Measurement 1 at inclusion date, Measurement 2 two months later measurement 1, then measurement 3 immediately after intervention, measurement 4 as catamnestic follow up 6 months after intervention
Changes of acceptance, measured by Acceptance and Action Questionnaire
The FAH II Questionnaire (Acceptance and Action Questionnaire), the German version of AAQ (Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (Bond et al., 2011; Hoyer \& Gloster, 2013)), aims to measure acceptance and psychological flexibility. The questionnaire consists of seven items, based on a 7-point Likert scale. Hoyer and Gloster found Cronbach's alpha between.84 and .97 and a test-retest reliability of rtt = .74 - .85 for the German version (2011). Range from 7 to 49 points.
Time frame: Measurement 1 at inclusion date, Measurement 2 two months later measurement 1, then measurement 3 immediately after intervention, measurement 4 as catamnestic follow up 6 months after intervention
Affective state measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire PHQ-9
The PHQ (Patient Health Questionnaire, (Gräfe, Zipfel, Herzog, \& Löwe, 2004)) is used for psychodiagnostic screening and a possible change in patient depression. It is a self-assessment tool based on the diagnostic criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV (Saß \& Association, 1998)) and includes modules on somatoform disorders, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, and eating disorders, alcohol abuse, psychosocial functioning, stressors, critical life events and for participants to menstruation, pregnancy and childbirth. In total, it contains 78 items, which are based on a 2- to 5-point Likert scale depending on the module. For the depression scale of PHQ-D the internal consistency according to Cronbach's alpha is α = .88, for the somatization scale α = .79. Different subscales, no combined score, individual ranges and scores.
Time frame: Measurement 1 at inclusion date, Measurement 2 two months later measurement 1, then measurement 3 immediately after intervention, measurement 4 as catamnestic follow up 6 months after intervention
Measuring of satisfaction and willingness to change with visual analogue scales
Visual analogue scales (VAS) with regard to satisfaction with mental health and the willingness to change are going to be evaluated.Range from 0 to 10 per scale, no combined scores.
Time frame: Measurement 1 at inclusion date, Measurement 2 two months later measurement 1, then measurement 3 immediately after intervention, measurement 4 as catamnestic follow up 6 months after intervention
Measuring of five individual parameters during every of the single treatment session
Each time before and after the therapy sessions, five visual analogue scales are to be filled in, on which patients evaluate their current mood, stress, restlessness, trust in effectiveness of psychotherapy and their energy level. Range from 0 to 10 per scale, no combined scores.
Time frame: Measurement before and after every treatment session, 2-6 weeks after inclusion date, every week for the 8 weeks treatment period