Pilot Study of the Cognitive–Functional Intervention for Adults (Cog-Fun A): A Metacognitive–Functional Tool for Adults With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Libby Kastner, Yifat Velder-Shukrun, Omer Bonne, Ruthi Traub Bar-Ilan, Adina Maeir
Abstract
IMPORTANCE: Adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often experience chronic challenges in their life roles. There is a need for evidence-based occupational therapy interventions to help enhance their functioning. OBJECTIVE: To determine the preliminary effectiveness of the Cognitive-Functional Intervention for Adults (Cog-Fun A), a metacognitive-functional occupational therapy tool for the improvement of occupational performance (OP) and quality of life (QoL) in adults with ADHD. DESIGN: One-group pretest-posttest design with a 3-mo follow-up. SETTING: Community setting in Jerusalem, Israel. PARTICIPANTS: Fourteen adults, ages 18-60 yr, with a valid diagnosis of ADHD and an indication of executive function (EF) impairment. INTERVENTION: Participants received 15 1-hr weekly sessions that addressed self-awareness of strengths and challenges through education and guided discovery as well as strategy acquisition and implementation within a context of occupational goal attainment. OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult version, an adult ADHD QoL measure, the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, and the Self-Regulation Skills Interview were administered. RESULTS: Twelve participants completed the intervention. Posttreatment scores revealed statistically significant improvements in EF, awareness, OP, and QoL. Gains in QoL showed a modest reduction at the 3-mo follow-up. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The Cog-Fun A is a promising intervention for improving OP and QoL among adults with ADHD and should be investigated further. What This Article Adds: The Cog-Fun A offers an effective nonpharmacological, metacognitive-functional, occupation-centered treatment option for adults with ADHD.