Effects of Structured Skills Training Group in Treatment of ADHD in Adults

NCT ID: NCT02685254

Last Updated: 2018-05-31

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

120 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2016-02-01

Study Completion Date

2018-05-15

Brief Summary

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This study aims to examine if structured skills training group therapy for ADHD in adults has beneficial effects superior to 'treatment as usual' including medication in a controlled outpatient setting on clinically relevant outcomes including symptoms, functioning and quality of life measures.

The trial is designed as a multicenter randomized controlled, parallel group study. Patients are randomized into 1 of 2 treatment arms with 14-week duration: one arm with initial intervention by structured skills training groups by weekly sessions or one with control condition (treatment as usual). Then after 15 weeks patients in the control condition arm are switched to the active intervention by 14 weeks of structured group therapy. All patients are assessed for defined outcomes after six months.

Detailed Description

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Background: The focus in recent years on evidence for non-pharmacological treatment in adults with ADHD raises the question of potential effects of structured group therapy. Structured skills training groups have shown beneficial effects in some studies in an outpatient psychiatric context by reduction in ADHD symptoms in individuals who remained stable regarding medication status.

Aims: The main objective for the trial is to investigate the potential effects of structured skills training groups in a clinically relevant but still controlled setting on broader outcomes including both symptomatic, functional and health related quality of life measures.

Methods/Design: The trial is designed as a multicenter randomized controlled parallel group design. At each outpatient site the enrolled patients are randomized into two groups for either Group 1 (G1) with start of weekly treatment in active structured skills training group lasting for 14 weeks or allocated to Group 2 (G2) with treatment as usual/clinical management and with 15 weeks delayed start of their group treatment for comparison wth patients in the other arm. Those patients in the control condition arm receiving treatment as usual or clinical management of individual patients (G2), are thereafter switched to active structured skills training group therapy.All patients are followed up after six months with assessments of primary and secondary outcomes.

Conditions

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Initial group therapy

'Structural skills training group' - Start up with weekly structured skills training group for 14 weeks supplemented by homework training

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Structural skills training group

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Weekly 2-hours sessions for 14 weeks follow the Norwegian translation of the Swedish version of the ADHD skills training manual/workbook (Hesslinger 2010; Hirvikoski 2011; Morgensterns 2015) which is based on an adaption of Marsha Linehan's dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for borderline personality disorder into a group-based skills training program for adults with ADHD (Hesslinger 2002; Philipsen 2007). The groups embrace 7 - 10 participants, and two group leaders trained in group therapy, cognitive-behavioral treatment or DBT. Each session contains an initial short repetition and feedback on the previous session, followed by review of the homework during the first hour. After a break, a new topic with exercises and homework for the following week is introduced.

Initial control condition

Treatment as usual/clinical management the first 15 weeks pending deferred start of group therapy (partially cross-over)

Group Type OTHER

Treatment as usual

Intervention Type OTHER

Treatment as usual includes clinical management and/or medication, and or supportive counselling by physician or nurse

Interventions

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Structural skills training group

Weekly 2-hours sessions for 14 weeks follow the Norwegian translation of the Swedish version of the ADHD skills training manual/workbook (Hesslinger 2010; Hirvikoski 2011; Morgensterns 2015) which is based on an adaption of Marsha Linehan's dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for borderline personality disorder into a group-based skills training program for adults with ADHD (Hesslinger 2002; Philipsen 2007). The groups embrace 7 - 10 participants, and two group leaders trained in group therapy, cognitive-behavioral treatment or DBT. Each session contains an initial short repetition and feedback on the previous session, followed by review of the homework during the first hour. After a break, a new topic with exercises and homework for the following week is introduced.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Treatment as usual

Treatment as usual includes clinical management and/or medication, and or supportive counselling by physician or nurse

Intervention Type OTHER

Other Intervention Names

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Dialectic behavioural group therapy

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Diagnosis of ADHD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th. Edition (DSM-IV) persisting in adulthood

Exclusion Criteria

* Any psychotic disorder
* Recently suicidal behaviour
* Substance or alcohol abuse or dependence within three months prior to screening for inclusion
* Pervasive developmental disorder
* Intellectual disability
* Seizures or any neurological diseases causing mental handicap
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Haukeland University Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Oslo University Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

The Hospital of Vestfold

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Oslo

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Mats Fredriksen

Chief Attending Physician

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Ellen K Munkhaugen, MSED

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Hospital of Oslo

Locations

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Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Vestfold Hospital Trust

Tønsberg, , Norway

Site Status

Countries

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Norway

References

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Philipsen A, Richter H, Peters J, Alm B, Sobanski E, Colla M, Munzebrock M, Scheel C, Jacob C, Perlov E, Tebartz van Elst L, Hesslinger B. Structured group psychotherapy in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: results of an open multicentre study. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2007 Dec;195(12):1013-9. doi: 10.1097/NMD.0b013e31815c088b.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 18091195 (View on PubMed)

Philipsen A, Graf E, Jans T, Matthies S, Borel P, Colla M, Gentschow L, Langner D, Jacob C, Gross-Lesch S, Sobanski E, Alm B, Schumacher-Stien M, Roesler M, Retz W, Retz-Junginger P, Kis B, Abdel-Hamid M, Heinrich V, Huss M, Kornmann C, Burger A, van Elst LT, Berger M. A randomized controlled multicenter trial on the multimodal treatment of adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: enrollment and characteristics of the study sample. Atten Defic Hyperact Disord. 2014 Mar;6(1):35-47. doi: 10.1007/s12402-013-0120-z. Epub 2013 Oct 17.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24132867 (View on PubMed)

Philipsen A, Jans T, Graf E, Matthies S, Borel P, Colla M, Gentschow L, Langner D, Jacob C, Gross-Lesch S, Sobanski E, Alm B, Schumacher-Stien M, Roesler M, Retz W, Retz-Junginger P, Kis B, Abdel-Hamid M, Heinrich V, Huss M, Kornmann C, Burger A, Perlov E, Ihorst G, Schlander M, Berger M, Tebartz van Elst L; Comparison of Methylphenidate and Psychotherapy in Adult ADHD Study (COMPAS) Consortium. Effects of Group Psychotherapy, Individual Counseling, Methylphenidate, and Placebo in the Treatment of Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry. 2015 Dec;72(12):1199-210. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.2146.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26536057 (View on PubMed)

Hirvikoski T, Waaler E, Alfredsson J, Pihlgren C, Holmstrom A, Johnson A, Ruck J, Wiwe C, Bothen P, Nordstrom AL. Reduced ADHD symptoms in adults with ADHD after structured skills training group: results from a randomized controlled trial. Behav Res Ther. 2011 Mar;49(3):175-85. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2011.01.001. Epub 2011 Jan 14.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21295767 (View on PubMed)

Morgensterns E, Alfredsson J, Hirvikoski T. Structured skills training for adults with ADHD in an outpatient psychiatric context: an open feasibility trial. Atten Defic Hyperact Disord. 2016 Jun;8(2):101-11. doi: 10.1007/s12402-015-0182-1. Epub 2015 Sep 26.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26410823 (View on PubMed)

Hesslinger B, Tebartz van Elst L, Nyberg E, Dykierek P, Richter H, Berner M, Ebert D. Psychotherapy of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults--a pilot study using a structured skills training program. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2002 Aug;252(4):177-84. doi: 10.1007/s00406-002-0379-0.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 12242579 (View on PubMed)

Halmoy A, Ring AE, Gjestad R, Moller M, Ubostad B, Lien T, Munkhaugen EK, Fredriksen M. Dialectical behavioral therapy-based group treatment versus treatment as usual for adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a multicenter randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychiatry. 2022 Nov 28;22(1):738. doi: 10.1186/s12888-022-04356-6.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 36443712 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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2015/1523 A

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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