Occupational Therapy for Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Part 2: A Multicentre Evaluation of an Assessment and Treatment Package

Abstract

A family-centred occupational therapy assessment and treatment package for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was evaluated. The package involves a multidimensional evaluation and a multifaceted intervention, which are aimed at achieving a goodness-of-fit between the child, the task demands and the environment in which the child carries out the task. The package lasts for 3 months, with 12 weekly contacts with the child, parents and teacher. A multicentre study was carried out, with 20 occupational therapists participating. Following a 3-day training course, they implemented the package and supplied the data that they had collected from 20 children. The outcomes were assessed using the ADHD Rating Scales, pre-intervention and post-intervention. The results showed behavioural improvement in the majority of the children. The Measure of Processes of Care – 20-item version (MPOC-20) provided data on the parents' perceptions of the family-centredness of the package and also showed positive ratings. The results offer some support for the package and the guiding model of practice, but caution should be exercised in generalising the results because of the small sample size, lack of randomisation, absence of a control group and potential experimenter effects from the research therapists. A larger-scale randomised controlled trial should be carried out to evaluate the efficacy of an improved package.