CT Özcan, F Oflaz, İ Durukan

Contribution of teaching an interpersonal cognitive problem-solving strategy to children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder treated with a psychostimulant drug

Objective: This study was performed to evaluate the effects of the “I Can Solve the Problem” training program based on “Interpersonal Cognitive Problem-Solving Strategy (ICPS)” in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treated with a psychostimulan drug.

Method: The sample consisted of 8 children with ADHD who ranged from 7 to 10 years. The study was semi-experimentally designed as pre and post test with one group. The Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 6-18 (Teacher Report Form: TRF/6-18) and the DSM-IV Based Disruptive Behavior Disorders Screening and Rating Scale (parent and teacher forms) were used in order to evaluate the efficacy of the program. The ICPS program was performed to 8 children with ADHD during 14 weeks. After that, the scales were given to all the subjects.

Results: The problems of “oppositional defiant”, “attention”, “hyperactivity” problems, “anxious/depressed”, “withdrawn/ depressed”, “rule breaking behavior”, and “aggressive behaviors” were significantly decreased after the ICPS Program. The sum score subscale significantly increased and improving of “adaptive functioning profile” in TRF/6-18 were observed after the ICPS. The competence level of the children increased and the emotional and behavioral problems in children with ADHD decreased.

Conclusion: We suggest that ICPS Program make an additional contribution into children with ADHD treated with a psychostimulan drug to deal with their assumed problems.(Bulletin of Clinical Psychopharmacology Volume 20, Issue 2, 2010)

Keywords : Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, interpersonal cognitive problem-solving