Investigating the Effects of the Temporal Adaptation Approach in Children With ADHD

Summary

This study investigates the impact of temporal adaptation interventions on children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), focusing on activity self-efficacy, time perception, daily activity routines, and executive functions. The intervention aims to address the challenges ADHD children face in time processing abilities, which include understanding the concept of time, being punctual, initiating and completing daily activities independently, planning and completing long-term projects, using a calendar, and hurrying when necessary.

The research will be conducted at the Hacettepe University Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Occupational Therapy's educational and research units. Participants will be children diagnosed with ADHD by a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. These children will then be randomly assigned to control and training groups. A total of 60 individuals, 30 for each group, will be included in the study based on power analysis. The effectiveness of the study will be shared, and should it prove effective, the same study will be replicated with the control group.

The intervention consists of activities designed to enhance temporal adaptation, adapted for ADHD from models in the literature. Over 10 weeks, the children will engage in weekly 60-minute sessions, each week focusing on different activities to improve temporal adaptation skills. Activities include teaching concepts of calendars and clocks, rhythm exercises with metronomes, time estimation games, daily and weekly planner preparation, time matching games, and exercises to improve time management and planning abilities.

Data will be collected using various tools including a demographic information form, time perception threshold measurement tasks, temporal production tasks, Child Activity Self-Assessment Scale (COSA), and Executive Functions and Occupational Routines Scale (EFORTS). The study's hypotheses test the null hypothesis that temporal adaptation intervention does not affect activity self-efficacy, time perception, daily activity routine, and executive functions in children aged 9-12 with ADHD.

This comprehensive approach aims to enhance the daily lives of children with ADHD by improving their ability to manage time effectively, thereby positively affecting their education, self-care, social relationships, and overall quality of life.

Conditions

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Temporal Adaptation Intervention

The research on temporal adaptation intervention will be conducted through activities and individual sessions within the framework of temporal adaptation intervention. The activities included in the temporal adaptation intervention used in our research have been adapted for ADHD by referencing temporal adaptation training models in the literature.

BEHAVIORAL

Conventional Occupational Therapy

The control group will be given a 10-week-long conventional occupational therapy intervention by the investigator (Fatma Temizkan). The intervention will consist of occupational therapy approaches such as; obstacle courses, sensory integration, motor skills training, cognitive skills training, sequenced activities and so on.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hacettepe University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Gonca Bumin, PhD. · Hacettepe University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

9 Years

Max Age

12 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2021-02-03

Primary Completion

2024-10-10

Completion

2025-01-31

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations