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Efficacy and acceptability of a second dose of ecological executive skills training for children with ADHD: a randomized controlled study and follow-up

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Abstract

To explore the efficacy and acceptability of a second dose of the 12-session ecological executive skills training (EEST) 1 year after the initial training in children with ADHD. A total of 97 children (aged 6–12) with ADHD who finished the first dose for about 1 year were recruited in the current study. 70 children who agreed to participate the second dose were randomized to the second dose or waitlist group. Both groups were followed up 1 year after the second dose. Executive function, core symptoms were assessed at the time of pre-intervention first dose, pre-intervention second dose, post-intervention second dose and follow-up 1 year after second dose (phase 0–3). For the immediate efficacy, the improvements in the second dose group were greater than the waitlist group on planning by Stockings of Cambridge and delay aversion by Cambridge gambling task (P = 0.02–0.04, η2 = 0.07–0.08). The parent rating of symptoms assessed by ADHD-RS-IV of the second dose group were also greater than the waitlist group rated by self-report. For long term efficacy, Linear mixed model indicated that there was significant time effect for both groups between phase 3 and phase 1, phase 1 and phase 0 on Behavior Rating Scales of Executive Function and ADHD-RS-IV (F = 2.849–21.560, P = 0.001–0.048). The compliance rate was 94.3% for the second dose group and 49% for waitlist group. A second dose of EEST program might bring further efficacy of EF and core symptoms for children with ADHD and it was well accepted.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission (Grant number Z191100006619047), the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (973 Program, 2014CB846100), and Capital Health Development Research Fund (2011-4024-04).

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Author notes

  1. Ying Qian and Zili Fan are contributed equally.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Peking University Sixth Hospital (Institute of Mental Health), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders and NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University Sixth Hospital), 51 HuayuanBei Road, Beijing, 100191, China

    Ying Qian, Zili Fan, Bingling Gao, Qingjiu Cao, Fei Li & Li Yang

  2. Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development, Seattle Children’s Hospital, University of Washington, 2001 8th Ave., Suite 400, Seattle, WA, 98121, USA

    Sibley Margaret

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  1. Ying Qian
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Correspondence to Li Yang.

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Qian, Y., Fan, Z., Gao, B. et al. Efficacy and acceptability of a second dose of ecological executive skills training for children with ADHD: a randomized controlled study and follow-up. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 30, 921–935 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-020-01571-y

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