Behaviour Therapy for ADHD Children

Plain-language summary

Research suggests that behavioral therapy, especially involving parents, can be a helpful approach for children with ADHD. While there are various types of behavioral interventions, their effectiveness can vary, and some newer digital or mindfulness-based approaches are showing promise, though more research is always valuable to fully understand their impact.

Key findings

• Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) is a well-supported intervention for school-aged children with ADHD, as highlighted by systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based parenting programs show promise for children with ADHD, especially when co-occurring with other conditions like asthma, suggesting a holistic approach can be beneficial.
• Newer digital cognitive-physical interventions are being explored as a way to help children with ADHD, indicating that technology may play a growing role in support strategies.
• Mindfulness-based training can positively influence attention, impulsivity, and emotional regulation in children with ADHD, and family involvement appears to be an important factor in its success.
• Mindfulness-based interventions like "MYmind" show comparable benefits to traditional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for improving attention and reducing behavioral problems in children with ADHD and their parents.

Studies cited (8)

1. Behavioral Parent Training for School-Aged Children With ADHD: A Systematic Review of Randomized Control Trials — Marquet-Doléac J, Biotteau M, Chaix Y (2024, Journal of attention disorders, systematic-review)

   DOI: 10.1177/10870547231211595

2. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-Based Parenting Program in Children With Co-Occurring Asthma and ADHD: A Randomized Clinical Trial — Chong YY, Chien WT, Fung KP (2025, JAMA pediatrics, rct)

   DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.1313 PMCID: PMC12131174

3. A Digital Cognitive-Physical Intervention for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Randomized Controlled Trial — Zhao L, Agazzi H, Du Y (2024, Journal of medical Internet research, rct)

   DOI: 10.2196/55569 PMCID: PMC11127175

4. Mindfulness-based training effect on attention, impulsivity, and emotional regulation among children with ADHD: The role of family engagement in randomized controlled trials — Elzohairy NW, Elzlbany GAM, Khamis BI (2024, Archives of psychiatric nursing, rct)

   DOI: 10.1016/j.apnu.2024.10.001

5. The Effects of Mindfulness for Youth (MYmind) versus Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Improving Attention and Reducing Behavioral Problems among Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Their Parents: A Randomized Controlled Trial — Wong SYS, Chan SKC, Yip BHK (2023, Psychotherapy and psychosomatics, rct)

   DOI: 10.1159/000534962 PMCID: PMC10794968

6. Sensory integration therapy for children with autism and sensory processing difficulties: the SenITA RCT — Randell E, Wright M, Milosevic S (2022, Health technology assessment (Winchester, England), rct)

   DOI: 10.3310/TQGE0020

7. Social skills training for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children aged 5 to 18 years — Storebø OJ, Elmose Andersen M, Skoog M (2019, The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, other)

   DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD008223.pub3 PMCID: PMC6587063

8. Parent training interventions for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children aged 5 to 18 years — Zwi M, Jones H, Thorgaard C (2011, The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, other)

   DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003018.pub3 PMCID: PMC6544776