Effectiveness oof parent training program for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

บทคัดย่อ

Objective This experimental study examined the effectiveness of parent training program for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), based on a congnitive behavioral concept.

Materials and methods The sample consisted of 90 caregivers of ADHD chidren attending treatment at out-patient service of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Rajanagarinda Institution. A randomized controlled trial was performed on the caregivers togethe with per-test and post-test. The subjects were randomly and equally assigned into 3 groups: a for 6-week sessions parent training program, group b for attending psycho-education, and group c for routine care. The instrument was a set of questionnaire including: knowledge, attitude, skills for behavioral management in ADHD, and symptoms of ADHD. Data were collected at one month prior to the beginning of theprogram, immediately after the intervention, and at 3-mont follow-up. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA.

Results The pattern of treatment in each group effects knowledge, attitude, skills and symptom of ADHD children. The subjects in parent training training program were able to help reducing ADHD core symptoms of their children at 3-month follow-up significantly, and achieved higher score in terms of knowledge, attitudes, and skills for behavioral management in ADHD than those of the psycho-education group and routine care group at 3-month follow-up, according to the post-test. However, difference in knowledge between the parent training program and the psycho-education were not statistically significant.

Conclusion The parent training program for ADHD children based on a cognitive behavioral concept can help them to acknowledge, alert their awareness, problem recognition, and improving behavioral management of ADHD's caregivers. Moreover, following-up to review skills, monitoring the progress, and encouraging motivation shoulld be done regularly.