AUTHOR=Chu Liting , Zhu Peiying , Ma Chenhuan , Pan Lizhu , Shen Li , Wu Danmai , Wang Yu , Yu Guangjun 

TITLE=Effects of Combing Group Executive Functioning and Online Parent Training on School-Aged Children With ADHD: A Randomized Controlled Trial

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pediatrics

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2021.813305

DOI=10.3389/fped.2021.813305

ISSN=2296-2360

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Objective</title><p>The acceptance of drug treatment for younger children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in China remains low. Here, we explored the clinical benefits of a non-pharmaceutical intervention method combining a group and executive function training and an online parent training program, termed group executive functioning and online parent training (GEF-OPT), for school-aged students with ADHD through a randomized controlled trial.</p></sec><sec><title>Method</title><p>A total of 145 children (aged 6–8 years) were formally registered and randomized to the intervention group (<italic>n</italic> = 73) and waitlist group (<italic>n</italic> = 72). The enrolled children received eight sessions of GEF-OPT treatment, which consists of a hospital-based children executive function (EF) training program and an online parent training program. Treatment outcome was assessed by a parent/teacher report questionnaire and neurophysiological experiment.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>After eight sessions of intervention, children in the intervention group showed a significant improvement in inattentive symptom compared to the waitlist group (14.70 ± 4.35 vs. 16.03 ± 2.93; <italic>p</italic> = 0.024), but an insignificant difference in hyperactive-impulsivity (9.85 ± 5.30 vs. 10.69 ± 5.10; <italic>p</italic> = 0.913). Comorbid oppositional defiant disorder was significantly reduced in the intervention group (7.03 ± 4.39 vs. 8.53 ± 4.41; <italic>p</italic> = 0.035). Children in the intervention group had greater reduction in the scores of behavioral regulation index (inhibition, emotional control) and metacognition index (working memory, planning/organization, monitoring) in executive function than those in the waitlist group (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05). Significant effects were also found in learning problem of Weiss Functional Impairment Scale–Parent form and parental distress between two groups at post-treatment (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05). In line with this, the result of go/no-go task showed significant improvements in accuracy change (4.45 ± 5.50% vs. 1.76 ± 3.35%; <italic>p</italic> = 0.001) and reaction time change (47.45 ± 62.25 s vs. 16.19 ± 72.22 s; <italic>p</italic> = 0.007) in the intervention group compared with the waitlist group.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>We conclude that participants in the GEF-OPT program improved outcomes for inattentive symptom, executive function, learning problems, and parental distress. GEF-OPT is a promising non-pharmaceutical therapeutic option for younger children.</p></sec><sec><title>Trial Registration</title><p>ChiCTR2100052803.</p></sec>