Effects of Narrative Therapy and Computer-Assisted Cognitive Rehabilitation on the Reduction of ADHD Symptoms in Children

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurobehavioral condition in children, which adversely affects the psychological function of children in educational, social, and emotional areas. Use of non-pharmacological treatment methods, such as narrative therapy and computerassisted cognitive rehabilitation, is necessary for ADHD patients due to lack of side effects and concerns regarding medication therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of narrative therapy and computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation on the symptoms of ADHD in children. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in Sari, Iran during June-February 2015 using the pretestposttest approach with a control group. In total, 30 children aged 7-12 years diagnosed with ADHD were selected and divided into three groups. Children of the first group received eight sessions of narrative therapy, while the second group received 10 sessions of computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation, and the third group received no training. Data were collected using the Raven’s colored matrices, Conners' Parent Rating Scale (CPRS-48), and CogniPlus software. FINDINGS: Mean post-test scores of ADHD symptoms were 20.1±5.21 and 20±3.55 in the narrative therapy and computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation groups, respectively; however, no significant difference was observed between the groups in this regard. Moreover, these scores were 37.4±9.84 and 38.95±9.06 in the control group, which showed a significant difference compared to the experimental groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, narrative therapy and computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation could remarkably reduce ADHD symptoms in children.