[Behavior medicine indications and evaluation of cognitive-behavioral therapy with attention-deficit/hyperkinetic...

The president study evaluates the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral intervention for children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders. Twenty-seven children (mean age: 9 years, 9 months) took part in the study. They had been diagnosed as having attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder according to the DSM-III-R criteria. Of these 27 children, 14 were treated individually (15 sessions each) and 13 were assigned to an untreated control group. The children were evaluated before and after the intervention. Dependent measures included parent and teacher ratings, measures of cognitive performance and event-related potentials during attentional tasks. The intervention resulted in improved ratings of the children's behavior at home and at school by parents and teachers, respectively, and improved attentional performance. Furthermore, the intervention enabled the children to use their central nervous system activation (event-related potentials) more adequately. These effects are interpreted with reference to a multifactorial model of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The results also provide evidence for the influence of cognitive-functional behavior preconditions on central nervous system activation.