The Effect of Group Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy on the Problem Solving Skills of Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Research has shown that children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) lack problem-solving skills to face with problems in different situations. Different techniques have been used to treat and rehabilitate these children. This study aimed to investigate the effect of group cognitive rehabilitation therapy on problem-solving skills of students with ADHD.   

This research was a quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest control group design. The study population included all the students with ADHD who were studying in District 12 of Tehran during the first semester of academic year 2017-2018. A sample of 30 students was selected by convenience sampling based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and then randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group (15 per group). The experimental group underwent ten 30-45-min sessions of group cognitive rehabilitation therapy, while the control group received no intervention. Child Symptom Inventory (Sprafkin & Gadow, 1994) and London Tower Test (Shalis, 1984) were used to collect the data. Data were analyzed by ANCOVA. 

Findings showed that group cognitive rehabilitation therapy had a significant effect on improving the problem-solving skills of students with ADHD (p<0.01).

Based on the results of this study which indicated the effect of group cognitive rehabilitation therapy on problem-solving skills of students with ADHD, it can be concluded that via reinforcing the brain areas related to attention and concentration, this therapeutic method can improve the academic and behavioral performance of these children.