Mindfulness for children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting (MindChamp): Protocol of a randomised controlled trial comparing a family Mindfulness-Based Intervention as an add-on to care-as-usual with care-as-usual only

BMC Psychiatry. 2018 Jul 25;18(1):237. doi: 10.1186/s12888-018-1811-y.

Abstract

Background: Self-control in childhood has been linked to long-term and cascading effects on health, academic, criminality, wealth and parenting outcomes. Hence it is important to target self-control deficits early in life. Self-control deficits are a hallmark of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Even after receiving care-as-usual (CAU) for ADHD, impaired self-control often remains. Pharmacotherapy can be hampered by side-effects, low adherence and short-term effectiveness. Other limitations of CAU are decreased effectiveness when parents have ADHD and little effect on parental well-being. Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) are an emerging non-pharmacological approach with potential to improve self-control and well-being in both children and parents. However, there is a lack of sufficiently powered randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to establish their effects in families with ADHD. This study protocol describes an RCT to investigate the effectiveness of a family MBI as an add-on to CAU in treatment of youth with ADHD, and is described in accordance with Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT).

Methods/design: An RCT will be conducted in N = 100 children (aged 8-16 years) with ADHD and their parents. The experimental condition will consist of a family MBI (MYmind): 8-week group-based MBI for youth combined with parallel group-based Mindful Parenting for their parents, as an add-on to CAU. The control condition will consist of CAU-only. Assessments will take place at baseline, end of treatment (3 months later), 2 and 6 months' follow-up. Primary outcome measure will be an ecologically valid assessment of child self-control with the parent-rated Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). Secondary child outcome measures will be teacher-rated BRIEF, computerised self-control tasks and questionnaires on psychological symptoms (e.g. ADHD, symptoms of autism), well-being and mindfulness. For parental outcomes, secondary measures will be self-rated BRIEF, computerised self-control tasks and questionnaires on psychological symptoms, well-being and mindful parenting.

Discussion: The proposed RCT will take account of methodological limitations of previous studies on MBIs in child ADHD populations. The current study will provide valuable information on family MBI as a potential effective intervention in targeting self-control deficits for youth with ADHD and their parents.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03220308 . Retrospectively registered 18 July 2017.

Keywords: ADHD; Adolescent; Attention; Executive function; Mindfulness; Parents; Self-control.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial Protocol
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / psychology
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / therapy*
  • Child
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Family Therapy / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mindfulness / methods*
  • Parenting / psychology*
  • Parents / psychology
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Self-Control / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Treatment Outcome

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT03220308