title: Effectiveness of cognitive-functional (Cog-Fun) intervention with children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a pilot study.
abstract: The executive function (EF) deficits of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) hinder their performance of complex daily functions. Despite the existing evidence-based pharmacological interventions for ADHD symptoms, no intervention has yet been found that deals directly with EFs in daily tasks. Fourteen children and their parents participated in the Cognitive-Functional (Cog-Fun) program in occupational therapy, which is tailored to the executive dysfunction of ADHD and focuses on enabling cognitive strategies for occupational performance. The study included initial assessment of EFs (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functions; Tower of London(DX)), occupational performance (Canadian Occupational Performance Measure), 10 sessions of Cog-Fun intervention with each child-parent dyad, and postintervention and 3-month follow-up assessments. We found significant improvements with medium to large effects on outcome measures after intervention, and most effects were maintained at follow-up. The findings warrant controlled studies examining the effectiveness of this intervention for children with ADHD.
authors.affiliation: School of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Hadassah and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, PO Box 20246, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem 91240, Israel. jerihahnmarkowitz@gmail.com
authors.forename: Jeri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hahn-Markowitz
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Manor
authors.forename: Adina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maeir
mesh_terms: D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D010290:Parents; D010865:Pilot Projects