Effects of a Cognitive-Functional Intervention Method on Improving Executive Function and Self-Directed Learning in School-Aged Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Single-Subject Design Study.
Mi Ji Kim, Hae Yean Park, Eun-Young Yoo and 1 others
PMID 32728351WHAT IT FOUND
Children with ADHD improved on executive function tests and homework reports after an occupational therapy programme teaching stop, plan, and review.
With no comparison group, this shows possible change, not proof of effectiveness.
Key findings
01Stroop color-word scores increased during intervention, with mean increases of 10.3 for participant 1, 19.33 for participant 2, and 9.2 for participant 3 compared with baseline.
02BRIEF Global Executive Composite T-scores decreased after intervention: from 77 to 72 for participant 1, from 74 to 67 for participant 2, and from 79 to 67 for participant 3.
03Homework Problem Checklist scores decreased after intervention: 12 points for participant 1, a 2-point decrease for participant 2, and a 7-point decrease for participant 3.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Only three participants were studied, all boys aged 9 to 10, so the results cannot be generalised to girls, other ages, or more diverse children. The study used a single-subject A-B-A design and did not include a comparison group. Two participants were taking methylphenidate, and the programme also included parent education and environment modification, so the contribution of Cog-Fun alone cannot be separated. Parent-report tools such as BRIEF and Homework Problem Checklist were used for key outcomes, and the authors noted a Hawthorne effect. The authors said objective analysis was not fully ensured and suggested triangulation or goal attainment measurement.
The easy way to misread this
Do not use this to decide Cog-Fun works for children with ADHD. It followed only three children, had no comparison group, and some participants were also taking methylphenidate.