Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 21, 2025
The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients
Published on: June 12, 2020
Parent-administered pediatric Tuina for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in preschool children: A
Shu-Cheng Chen1, Juan Yu2, Hao-Sheng Wang2
1School of Nursing, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 11 Yuk Choi Road, Hung Hom, Kowloon, HKSAR, China.
Insights
Parent-administered pediatric tuina is a feasible intervention for improving hyperactivity and impulsivity in preschoolers with ADHD. This pilot study showed positive effects on core ADHD symptoms and perceived improvements in sleep and appetite.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric medicine
- Complementary and alternative medicine
- Child psychology
Background:
- Previous studies suggested benefits of parent-administered pediatric tuina for ADHD in children.
- However, rigorously designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility of parent-administered pediatric tuina for ADHD symptoms in preschoolers.
- To evaluate the preliminary effects of this intervention.
Main Methods:
- A pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 64 preschoolers diagnosed with ADHD.
- Participants were randomized into either a parent-administered tuina group or a parent-child interaction group.
- Interventions were conducted at home over two months, with outcomes assessed using parent scales (SNAP, anxiety, sleep, stress).
Main Results:
- The study demonstrated good feasibility with high recruitment and consent rates, and good adherence.
- No severe adverse events were reported.
- Both groups showed improvements in ADHD symptoms (SNAP scores), with minimal between-group differences. Qualitative data indicated perceived improvements in appetite, sleep, and parent-child relationships.
Conclusions:
- Parent-administered pediatric tuina is a feasible intervention for preschoolers with ADHD.
- The intervention showed beneficial effects on core hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms.
- Further large-scale RCTs are warranted to confirm these findings.
Background:
Beneficial effects of parent-administered pediatric tuina on ADHD in children have been reported in previous studies, but no rigorously designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been conducted on it.
Objective:
To assess the feasibility and preliminary effects of parent-administered pediatric tuina for ADHD symptoms in preschoolers.
Methods:
This project was a two-arm, parallel, open-label, pilot RCT. Sixty-four participants were randomized into two groups at a 1:1 ratio. Parents in the parent-administered tuina group (n = 32) attended an online training program on pediatric tuina for ADHD and conduct this intervention on their children at home. Parents in the parent-child interaction group (n = 32) attended an online training about progressive muscle relaxation exercise and carried out parent-child interactive physical activities with their children at home. Both interventions were carried out every other day during a two-month intervention period, with each manipulation for at least 20 min. Feasibility outcomes included recruitment rate, consent rate, participants' adherence, retention rate, and adverse event. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, week 4, and week 8. The primary outcome measure was the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham parent scale (SNAP); the secondary outcomes included preschool anxiety scale, children's sleep habits questionnaire, and parental stress scale. A mixed-method process evaluation embedded within the outcome evaluation was performed.
Results:
The recruitment rate was 12.8 per month. The consent rate was 98.5%. Good adherence was shown from the parent logbook. Four participants withdraw from the study. No severe adverse event was reported. For the SNAP total score, both groups showed improvement with moderate within-group effect size (Cohen's d > 0.5, all p < 0.001) and the between-group effect size was minimal (dppc2< 0.2, p > 0.05). Perceived improvements on children's appetite and sleep quality, and parent-child relationship was observed from the qualitative data.
Conclusions:
The study design and the parent-administered pediatric tuina intervention were feasible. Parent-administered pediatric tuina provided beneficial effects on improving core hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms in preschool children. Parents perceived improvements on children's appetite and sleep quality. Further large-scale are warranted.
