Eight-Week Mindfulness Training Effectively Improves Performance in Children with ADHD: A Comparison with...

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) significantly impacts children's academic and social functioning.
• Children with ADHD often experience comorbid challenges, including test anxiety and low self-concept.
• Identifying effective interventions for these multifaceted issues is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of mindfulness training (MT) and cognitive-behavioral training (CBT) for children with ADHD.
• To assess the impact of MT and CBT on ADHD symptoms, test anxiety, and self-concept.
• To explore potential differential pathways of change associated with MT and CBT.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 63 children diagnosed with ADHD.
• Participants were allocated to either an 8-week MT program, an 8-week CBT program, or a control group.
• Assessments of ADHD symptoms, test anxiety, and self-concept were conducted pre- and post-intervention, with statistical analyses including repeated-measures ANOVA and cross-lagged analyses.

Main Results:

• Both MT and CBT groups demonstrated statistically significant reductions in ADHD symptoms and test anxiety.
• Improvements in self-concept were observed in both the MT and CBT groups.
• The control group showed no significant changes in the measured outcomes.
• Exploratory analyses indicated potentially distinct patterns of change between ADHD symptoms and test anxiety for MT versus CBT.

Conclusions:

• Mindfulness training and cognitive-behavioral training are both effective interventions for improving ADHD symptoms, test anxiety, and self-concept in children with ADHD.
• Preliminary findings suggest that MT and CBT may influence these outcomes through different underlying mechanisms.
• Further research is warranted to confirm these differential pathway findings and elucidate the specific mechanisms of change.