Mindfulness Training as an Adjunct to Evidence-Based Treatment for ADHD Within Families

Abstract

Objective: Individuals with ADHD face significant neurodevelopmental hurdles with inattention and/or hyperactive/impulsive behavior through their life span. Mindfulness training may be one self-regulatory method for strengthening attentional processes (orienting, alerting, and executive attention). This review’s goals are to (a) argue for the use of mindfulness training as an adjunct to evidence-based treatment for ADHD and (b) call for improving psychosocial intervention for ADHD within families by integrating mindfulness training with behavioral parent training. Method: EBSCOhost was utilized to search 29 psychology-related research databases through Athabasca University. Results: Mindfulness training should be incorporated into current treatment guidelines as a psychosocial option for families with ADHD. Conclusion: Preliminary findings suggest significant improvements in attentional processes, and prominent mindfulness-based approaches have been successfully adapted for ADHD.