Adult ADHD
Visual Abstract
Efficacy of Meta-Cognitive Therapy (MCT) for Adult ADHD
Mary V. Solanto, Ph.D., David J. Marks, Ph.D., Jeanette Wasserstein, Ph.D., Katherine Mitchell, Psy.D., Howard Abikoff, Ph.D., Jose Ma. J. Alvir, Dr.P.H., and Michele D. Kofman, Ph.D.
Summarized by:
April 23, 2023
study source
Am J Psychiatry
Aug 2010
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What they studied
Researchers wanted to see whether Meta-Cognitive Therapy (MCT), a skill-focused therapy program, could reduce symptoms in adults with ADHD.
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What they found
Adults who received MCT were much more likely to show significant improvement than those who received supportive therapy.
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What this means
Both therapies were effective in reducing ADHD symptoms. These results suggest that teaching skills and coping mechanisms as part of therapy may improve the effectiveness of therapy in adult ADHD.
Efficacy of Meta-Cognitive Therapy (MCT) for Adult ADHD
Objectives
This study wanted to evaluate whether Meta-Cognitive Therapy could help improve outcomes in adults with ADHD.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy has been previously shown to improve outcomes in ADHD.
This study wanted to test the effectiveness of a specific type of therapy designed to provide skills that help those withADHD accomplish tasks in their daily life.
What is meta-cognitive therapy?
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The sequence of treatment sessions ... is hierarchical in nature, beginning with training in specific skills (e.g., mechanics of planner use) and progressing to higher-order skills that encompass both time-management and organization
Study Quote
To examine the efficacy of a 12-week manualized Meta-Cognitive Therapy (MCT) group designed to enhance time-management, organization, and planning in adults with AD/HD.
Methods
Researchers recruited 88 adults with ADHD and conducted a randomized trial to test the effectiveness of Meta-Cognitive Therapy.
They provided MCT to a randomly selected subset of participants and supportive psychotherapy to the rest of the participants as a comparison control group.
By doing so, researchers can test whether meta-cognitive therapy provides benefits above and beyond supportive therapy.
Study Quote
Eighty-eight clinically referred adults who met DSM-IV criteria for ADHD based on clinical and structured diagnostic interviews and standardized questionnaires were stratified vis-à- vis ADHD medication use and otherwise randomly assigned to receive MCT or supportive psychotherapy in a g...
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Results
Researchers found that both groups experienced a significant reduction in their ADHD symptoms after therapy. This is consistent with previous studies that have shown the effectiveness of therapy in ADHD.
There was a significantly greater reduction in ADHD symptoms in the meta-cognitive therapygroup compared to the supportive therapy group, suggesting that meta-cognitive therapy carries benefits beyond psychological support.
Those in the meta-cognitive therapy group were far more likely to experience a significant response to therapy as well
A small study found that adults with ADHD were much more likely to respond to Meta-Cognitive Therapy than supportive psychotherapy.
It is important to note that even supportive therapy, without the specific structure of Meta-Cognitive Therapy, was still found to reduce ADHD symptoms. This is consistent with other studies that have demonstrated the effectiveness of therapy in ADHD.
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Although the magnitude of change on the primary outcome measures strongly favored the MCT group, it is noteworthy that individuals in the Support group also reported improvement. It may be that the support in the group reduced demoralization and improved hopefulness, which in turn motivated Support participants to tackle their own difficulties and/or discover solutions through reading, talking to others, or trial and error.
Study Quote
General linear models, comparing change from baseline between treatments, revealed statistically significant effects for independent evaluator, self-report, and collateral ratings of DSM-IV inattentive symptoms. Employing dichotomous indices of therapeutic response, a significantly great...
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