CBT Group for Adolescents With ADHD: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Group Therapy for Adolescents With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: a Randomized Multicenter Controlled Trial

This is the first randomized controlled study that tests the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral group therapy (CBT) on adolescents with ADHD who were in pharmacological treatment but still presented persistent symptoms.

A multicenter, randomized rater-blinded controlled trial was carried out in a sample of 119 adolescents (15-21 years) and was conducted between April 2012- May 2014. Patients were randomly assigned to 12 group manualized cognitive-behavioural group therapy sessions (n=45) or a waiting list control group (N=44). Primary outcomes were assessed by a blind evaluator (ADHD Rating Scale, Clinical Global Impression Scale for Severity, Global Assessment Functioning) before and after treatment as well as by self-report and parent informant ratings.

Inclusion Criteria:

• DSM-IV ADHD diagnosis
• age between 15 and 21 years
• stabilized doses of medication for ADHD for at least 2 months prior to the study
• agreement not to seek out any other psychiatric or psychological treatment during the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• affective disorders
• anxiety disorders
• psychotic disorders
• personality disorders
• substance use disorders in the past 6 months
• pervasive developmental disorder
• patients with an IQ lower than 85
• patients receiving concurrent psychological interventions.