The Effect of a Brief Educational Intervention for Adults With ADHD

The Effect of a Brief Educational Intervention for Adults With ADHD: a Randomized Control Trial

This RCT-study proposes the evaluation of an intensive educational intervention tailored for adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in community mental health centers (CMHCs). Given the prevalent challenges of prolonged waiting lists and low patient engagement in CMHCs, the research seeks to assess the efficacy of this intervention in enhancing patient engagement, self-efficacy, satisfaction with the information and overall health outcomes. The intervention, developed collaboratively with user representatives, combines a brief group-based educational sessions with standard clinical care. The primary hypotheses posit that this approach will lead to increased patient satisfaction with the treatment, patient self-efficacy, and activation compared to conventional treatment. Additionally, it aims to improve patients' satisfaction with information received. The study will employ a ITT analysis to assess the intervention's effects against usual treatment practices in outpatient settings. The anticipated outcome is a significant improvement in level of patient satisfaction, level of self-efficacy and level of satisfaction with the received information for patients with ADHD, potentially informing clinical practices and optimizing care for adults with ADHD.

Community mental health centres (CMHCs) face significant challenges in meeting the needs of individuals with mental health issues. For example, due to high demand there are long waiting lists and low engagement rates. To address these challenges, innovative interventions are urgently needed to improve patient engagement, coping skills, and overall health outcomes. Educational and self-management interventions have shown promise in enhancing patient satisfaction and patient activation in other contexts and may therefore be potential solutions to reduce the identified challenges in the mental health service. To bridge these knowledge and practice gaps, this application proposes the evaluation of one educational intervention tailored specifically for adults with ADHD. This intervention aims to enhance patient engagement, treatment satisfaction, activation and overall outcomes.

The main hypotheses are that the new educational approach, developed in cooperation with user representatives, will result in higher patient engagement, increase patient satisfaction with the treatment, self-efficacy and patient activation.

The researchers hypothesized that the new educational intervention, through a brief group-based approach and in conjunction with standard clinical care, will improve patients' satisfaction, patients' self-efficacy, satisfaction with the information, as well as patient activation, compared to the usual treatment, in outpatient mental health settings.

This intervention has the potential to empower patients, increase their engagement in treatment, and improve their overall functioning. By demonstrating the efficacy of this approach, this research will inform clinical practice and contribute to the optimization of care for adults with ADHD.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Confirmed ADHD-diagnosis
• Speaking a Scandinavian language
• Willing to participate

Exclusion Criteria:

• Unable to give informed consent
• In-patient on a acute psychiatric ward
• Severe learning difficulties
• Involvement in other research studies