The Effects of Peer Co-led Educational Group Intervention for Adults With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

The Effects of Peer Co-led Educational Group Intervention for Adults With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

The Effects of Peer Co-led Educational Group Intervention for Adults With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity/Impulsivity Disorder

Peer co-led education describes educators who are expert patients, user representatives or former patients, participating and teaching in educational interventions in cooperation with health care professionals. Peer co-led education is included in the Norwegian national guidelines for treatment of mental disorders, but despite some promising results for the treatment of other conditions, still little is known about the efficacy of peer co-led educational group interventions interventions for adults with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This pilot trial will evaluate patient satisfaction with and preliminary efficacy of a 2-session peer co-led educational group program designed to address specific challenges faced by adults diagnosed with ADHD at an outpatient clinics in mid-Norway.

Patients randomized to the intervention group will start with a group-based educational program immediately after the randomization.

Participants randomized to the waiting list control group receive no educational intervention for the duration of the 10 weeks. During this period participants can receive standard treatment, consisting of diagnostic treatment with medication.

The group-based educational program consists of two sessions that run over two consecutive weeks. Each session consists of a lecture from a recruited expert on the topic of the session and by expert patients with a following discussion of the topic facilitated by the course leader.

No educational intervention for the duration of the 10 weeks. During this period participants can receive standard treatment.

Diagnostic treatment with medication. In addition, some patients receive cognitive behavioral therapy (not systematically given to every patient). If needed, patients are also offered assistance with regard to economy, housing, education, and work as well as contact with family and network.

Client satisfaction will be measured with Client Satisfaction Questionnaire, short form (Attkisson & Zwick, 1982). The scale consists of 8 items scored on a Likert scale from 1 (low satisfaction) to 4 (high satisfaction). Total scores range from 8 to 32, with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction.

Patient activation will be measured with the Norwegian version of the Patient Activation Measure Mental Health (PAM-MH) (Green et al 2010))

General Self-Efficacy Scale, 6-item scale ranging from 1 ('not at all true') to 4 ('exactly true'). Total scores range from 6 to 24, with higher scores indicating greater self-efficacy. (Romppel et al 2013)

Hopkin's Symptom Checklist (SCL), 9-items scale with high scores on SCL-9 indicating ADHD-related symptom burden (Eich et al 2011)

Adult Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Quality of Life Scale, AAQoL short Form (Brod et al 2006)

Self-reported work participation and received services: 3 questions about both work status and received treatment

Inclusion Criteria: Confirmed ADHD-diagnosis speaking a Scandinavian language Exclusion Criteria: Unable to give informed consent Psychosis Severe learning difficulties