Mindfulness Training for Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Implementation of Mindful Awareness Practices in a French-Speaking Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Unit
R. Nicastro, Françoise Jermann, Sophie Bluteau Blin, C. Waeber, Nader Perroud
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine December 10, 2020 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2020.0216 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational pre-post study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 38 |
| Population | Adults with ADHD in a French-speaking unit |
| Intervention | Mindful Awareness Practices (MAPs) program |
| Duration | 8-week program with assessments before (T1) and after (T2) the eight sessions and at 2-month follow-up (T3) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The 8-week MAPs program was completed by most of the 38 adults with ADHD. ADHD, depression, and anxiety symptoms decreased significantly from before to after the program, and Observing, Describing, and Nonreactivity mindfulness skills increased significantly, while Acting with awareness and Nonjudging did not. No significant changes appeared between program end and the 2-month follow-up. The authors call the effects promising. |
Abstract
Introduction: Mindfulness-based programs are a promising option for patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), who face attention, hyperactivity, and emotion dysregulation issues in their daily life.
Objective: To examine the implementation and impact of specific mindfulness training for adults with ADHD in a French-speaking unit.
Methods: Thirty-eight adults with ADHD were included in an 8-week Mindful Awareness Practices (MAPs) program. Patients were assessed for ADHD symptoms, anxiety, depression, and mindfulness skills, before (T1) and after (T2) the eight sessions, and then 2 months later (T3).
Results: The patients adhered to the program as the majority of them completed it. A significant decrease in ADHD, depression, and anxiety symptoms was found between T1 and T2. Regarding mindfulness skills, a significant increase was observed between T1 and T2 in Observing, Describing and Nonreactivity to inner experience cores, but not Acting with awareness and Nonjudging of inner experience scores. There was no significant change between T2 and T3.
Conclusion: The MAPs program was successfully implemented and showed promising effects on ADHD symptomatology and related symptoms.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cites 9
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
- Neural mechanisms of attentional control in mindfulness meditation Frontiers in Neuroscience 2013
- Behavioral and Cognitive Impacts of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Adults with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review Behavioural Neurology April 21, 2019
- Mindfulness vs psychoeducation in adult ADHD: a randomized controlled trial. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience June 2018
and 4 more in the library