Randomized Controlled Trial
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. May 16, 2023; 11(14): 3238-3247
Published online May 16, 2023. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i14.3238
Effect of non-pharmacological treatment on the full recovery of social functioning in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Ying-Bo Lv, Wei Cheng, Meng-Hui Wang, Xiao-Min Wang, Yan-Li Hu, Lan-Qiu Lv
Ying-Bo Lv, Wei Cheng, Meng-Hui Wang, Xiao-Min Wang, Yan-Li Hu, Lan-Qiu Lv, Pediatric Health Care Section, Ningbo Women and Children’s Hospital, Ningbo 315000, Zhejiang Province, China
Author contributions: Lv YB and Cheng W proposed concepts for this study; Wang MH and Lv LQ collected data; Lv YB, Wang XM, and Hu YL contributed to formal analysis; Lv YB and Lv LQ contributed to the survey; Lv YB, Lv LQ, and Wang XM contributed to this method; Lv YB, Lv LQ, Hu YL, and Wang MH supervised the study; Lv LQ validated this study; Lv YB and Cheng W contributed to the visualization of research; Lv YB and Lv LQ initially drafted this manuscript; Lv YB, Cheng W, Wang MH, and Wang XM reviewed and edited the manuscript.
Supported by Ningbo Science and Technology Plan Project Public Welfare Plan (Municipal Level), No: 2019C50099; Ningbo Medical Key Supporting Discipline Child Health Science, No: 2022-F26.
Institutional review board statement: The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Ningbo Women and Children’s Hospital.
Informed consent statement: All study participants, or their legal guardian, provided informed written consent.
Conflict-of-interest statement: We declare that there are no conflicts of interest.
Data sharing statement: No additional data are available.
CONSORT 2010 statement: The authors have read the CONSORT 2010 statement, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CONSORT 2010 statement.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Lan-Qiu Lv, MD, Attending Doctor, Pediatric Health Care Section, Ningbo Women and Children’s Hospital, No. 339 Liuting Street, Haishu District, Ningbo 315000, Zhejiang Province, China. lulanqiunb@sina.com
Received: March 2, 2023
Peer-review started: March 2, 2023
First decision: March 14, 2023
Revised: March 25, 2023
Accepted: April 7, 2023
Article in press: April 7, 2023
Published online: May 16, 2023
Processing time: 75 Days and 1.2 Hours
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Research background

Long-term treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with adverse events. Therefore, non-pharmacological treatment has attracted a lot of attention as a new treatment, but its impact on the full recovery of social functioning of ADHD patients is still unknown.

Research motivation

Clarifying the effects of non-pharmacological treatments on the social functioning of ADAH patients is of great value and long-term significance to ADHD patients and their families.

Research objectives

This study aimed to investigate the impact of non-pharmacological treatments on the full recovery of social functioning in patients with ADHD.

Research methods

A total of 90 patients diagnosed with ADHD were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to either the pharmacological group or the non-pharmacological group, with 45 cases in each group. Treatment adherence, Swanson, Nolan and Pelham Fourth Edition (SNAP-IV) scores, Connors Parental Symptom Questionnaire (PSQ) scores, and Weil Functional Impairment Rating Scale (WFIRS) scores were measured.

Research results

Non-pharmacological interventions resulted in significantly higher compliance in patients compared to pharmacological intervention. No significant differences in the SNAP-IV scores, PSQ scores, and the learning/school, social activities, and adventure activities of the WFIRS scores were observed between the two groups. Patients in the non-pharmacological group showed higher WFIRS scores of family, daily life skills, and self-concept compared to those in the pharmacological group.

Research conclusions

In contrast to the potential risks of adverse events after long-term medication, non-pharmacological interventions improve patient treatment compliance, alleviate patients' behavioral symptoms of attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, and improve their cognitive ability, thereby improving family relationships and patient self-evaluation.

Research perspectives

This study demonstrates the positive impact of non-pharmacological treatment compared to long-term medication on the full recovery of social functioning in patients with ADAH.