Effectiveness of a group-based time-management intervention: a pragmatic randomised controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Occupational Therapy
• Clinical Research

Background:

• Effective time management is crucial for daily functioning.
• Adults with ADHD, autism, or mental disorders often experience impaired time management.
• Occupational therapy is a common treatment approach for these challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the Swedish version of the Let's Get Organised (LGO-S) intervention.
• To compare LGO-S effectiveness against treatment as usual (TAU) for time management.
• To assess outcomes in adults with impaired time management due to ADHD, autism, or mental disorders.

Main Methods:

• A multi-centre, open-label, pragmatic randomized controlled trial.
• 75 adult participants (aged 19-61) with impaired time management.
• Comparison between LGO-S intervention and individual occupational therapy (TAU).

Main Results:

• Both LGO-S and TAU groups showed significant improvements in time management, organization, emotional regulation, and self-efficacy.
• Most within-group improvements were maintained at 3-month follow-up.
• No statistically significant difference in time management skills between LGO-S and TAU at post-intervention or 3-month follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Both LGO-S and individual occupational therapy are clinically effective interventions for improving time management skills.
• The pragmatic nature of the trial supports applicability in real-world clinical settings.
• Participants completing the LGO-S program showed better long-term time management skills.