Research forum on psychological treatment of adults with ADHD.
BACKGROUND
A literature search found five empirical studies of psychological treatment for adults with ADHD, out of 1,419 articles on ADHD in adults. Practice guidelines to date all recommend multimodal intervention, given that a significant number of patients cannot tolerate, do not respond to, or fail to reach optimal outcomes with medication alone.


METHODS
This article provides a literature review and the recommendations of a forum of experts in the psychological treatment of adults with ADHD.


RESULTS
Empirical studies of brief, structured, and short-term psychological interventions for adults with ADHD to date demonstrate moderate to large effect sizes. Methodological challenges include selection of control groups, broad-based measures of outcome, and the need for larger samples.


CONCLUSIONS
Psychological treatment may play a critical role in the management of adults with ADHD who are motivated and developmentally ready to acquire new skills as symptoms remit.
Weiss
Margaret
M
University of British Columbia and Children's and Women's Health Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada. mweiss@cw.bc.ca
Safren
Steven A
SA
Solanto
Mary V
MV
Hechtman
Lily
L
Rostain
Anthony L
AL
Ramsay
J Russell
JR
Murray
Candice
C
D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011584:Psychology; D012106:Research / Q000592:standards*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome