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Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Training for Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder : A Pilot Study

Landin, Irina LU ; Perrin, Sean LU orcid ; Tallberg, Pia LU ; Borell, Jonas LU orcid and Gustafsson, Peik LU orcid (2025) In Scandinavian Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology 13(1). p.22-29
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a commonly occurring neurodevelopmental disorder associated with impairments in numerous aspects of functioning and quality of life. There is a growing recognition that brief and effective psychosocial interventions are needed for youth with ADHD.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a dialectical behavioral therapy-based skills training group for adolescents with ADHD in a routine clinical care setting.

METHODS: Ten adolescents with ADHD/ADD (Attention Deficite Disorder) commenced a 10-week training group including psychoeduction, mindfulness and other self-regulatory skills training. Primary outcomes... (More)

BACKGROUND: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a commonly occurring neurodevelopmental disorder associated with impairments in numerous aspects of functioning and quality of life. There is a growing recognition that brief and effective psychosocial interventions are needed for youth with ADHD.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a dialectical behavioral therapy-based skills training group for adolescents with ADHD in a routine clinical care setting.

METHODS: Ten adolescents with ADHD/ADD (Attention Deficite Disorder) commenced a 10-week training group including psychoeduction, mindfulness and other self-regulatory skills training. Primary outcomes were pre- to post-treatment changes in guardian-rated ADHD-symptoms and participant-rated quality of life. Secondary outcomes were pre- to post-treatment changes in participant-rated executive functioning, depression, anxiety, and treatment satisfaction, as well as parent/guardian-rated executive functioning. All symptom/functioning scales were administered at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and a 12-week follow-up.

RESULTS: Eight of the ten participants completed treatment, with > 80% attendance for treatment completers and high ratings for treatment satisfaction. Based on the intention-to-treat analyses, there were improvements from pre-treatment to follow-up in primary and secondary outcomes except quality of life. Based on the completer's analyses, there were improvements from pre-treatment to follow-up for guardian rated ADHD symptoms and executive functioning, depression, anxiety, and quality of life. Uncontrolled effect sizes for pre-treatment to 12-week follow-up for treatment completers were medium for inattention, executive functioning, and quality of life, and large for depression and anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that the DBT-based skills group training was feasible and, for treatment completers, yielded significant improvements across a range of symptom domains and quality of life assessed at the 12-week follow-up. However, this is only an exploratory finding and could be attributed to natural improvement or regression toward the mean. Therefore, further studies are warranted.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
ADHD, dialectical behavior therapy, clinical trial, Routine care
in
Scandinavian Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology
volume
13
issue
1
pages
8 pages
external identifiers
  • pmid:40330599
ISSN
2245-8875
DOI
10.2478/sjcapp-2025-0003
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
© 2025 Irina Landin et al., published by Sciendo.
id
817bbbd2-d12c-426e-8937-3cae3db30ac3
date added to LUP
2025-05-19 11:17:21
date last changed
2025-08-18 09:04:27
@article{817bbbd2-d12c-426e-8937-3cae3db30ac3,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a commonly occurring neurodevelopmental disorder associated with impairments in numerous aspects of functioning and quality of life. There is a growing recognition that brief and effective psychosocial interventions are needed for youth with ADHD.</p><p>OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a dialectical behavioral therapy-based skills training group for adolescents with ADHD in a routine clinical care setting.</p><p>METHODS: Ten adolescents with ADHD/ADD (Attention Deficite Disorder) commenced a 10-week training group including psychoeduction, mindfulness and other self-regulatory skills training. Primary outcomes were pre- to post-treatment changes in guardian-rated ADHD-symptoms and participant-rated quality of life. Secondary outcomes were pre- to post-treatment changes in participant-rated executive functioning, depression, anxiety, and treatment satisfaction, as well as parent/guardian-rated executive functioning. All symptom/functioning scales were administered at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and a 12-week follow-up.</p><p>RESULTS: Eight of the ten participants completed treatment, with &gt; 80% attendance for treatment completers and high ratings for treatment satisfaction. Based on the intention-to-treat analyses, there were improvements from pre-treatment to follow-up in primary and secondary outcomes except quality of life. Based on the completer's analyses, there were improvements from pre-treatment to follow-up for guardian rated ADHD symptoms and executive functioning, depression, anxiety, and quality of life. Uncontrolled effect sizes for pre-treatment to 12-week follow-up for treatment completers were medium for inattention, executive functioning, and quality of life, and large for depression and anxiety.</p><p>CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that the DBT-based skills group training was feasible and, for treatment completers, yielded significant improvements across a range of symptom domains and quality of life assessed at the 12-week follow-up. However, this is only an exploratory finding and could be attributed to natural improvement or regression toward the mean. Therefore, further studies are warranted.</p>}},
  author       = {{Landin, Irina and Perrin, Sean and Tallberg, Pia and Borell, Jonas and Gustafsson, Peik}},
  issn         = {{2245-8875}},
  keywords     = {{ADHD; dialectical behavior therapy; clinical trial; Routine care}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{22--29}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology}},
  title        = {{Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Training for Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder : A Pilot Study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/sjcapp-2025-0003}},
  doi          = {{10.2478/sjcapp-2025-0003}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}