Effects of Occupational Therapy Interventions on Improving Play Performance in Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A Systematic Review

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common disorder among neurodevelopmental disorders. Children with ADHD have serious difficulties in their playing patterns. This review aims at seeing occupational therapy interventions using to improve play among children with ADHD.

Four databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Elsevier) were searched. Rayyan QCRI online application was used for managing and screening the obtained data. The included articles were reviewed for their quality based on the Centre of Evidence-Based Medicine, research pyramid, CONSORT (CONsolidated Standards Of Reporting Trials), and STARD (Standards for Reporting Diagnostic Accuracy) statement.

A total of 104 articles were found after the search. After the screening and review process, six articles were included for the main review. Data extraction was done for these six articles (two randomized trial control and four non-randomized trial control studies).

Play-based interventions could be effective for improving social play in ADHD when delivered by a therapist. For parent-delivered interventions, more studies with larger sample sizes are required.