Empowering Caregivers in ADHD Treatment: Standard Care Vs. Decision Aid, Coaching, and AI Support

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate different decision-support interventions to help parents make informed treatment decisions for their children with ADHD. The study will compare four approaches to assess their impact on decision-making quality, decisional conflict, and treatment adherence among parents of children aged 6-17 years diagnosed with ADHD.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does providing parents with decision-support tools improve decision-making quality compared to standard care? Do decision aid, decision aid + decision coaching, and AI-driven support further enhance parental self-efficacy, knowledge, and adherence to treatment decisions?

Standard care (physician consultation only) A written decision aid (structured booklet) Decision aid + decision coaching (booklet + one-on-one coaching session) AI-driven support (interaction with an AI tool)

Participants will:

Complete a baseline questionnaire before the intervention Receive their assigned decision-support intervention (if applicable) Complete follow-up questionnaires at 2 weeks and 3 months after the intervention Report on treatment decisions and medication adherence over 3 months This study will determine whether structured decision aids, coaching, or AI-driven tools improve parental decision-making and treatment adherence in ADHD care.

Conditions

• ADHD
• ADHD, ADD
• Shared Decision Making

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Written Decision Aid

Participants will receive a structured booklet developed based on IPDAS guidelines to support informed decision-making regarding medication vs. no medication for ADHD treatment. The booklet provides a clear explanation of ADHD, the role of medication, and the option of not using medication, including the potential benefits, risks, and uncertainties of each choice. It presents evidence-based information in a balanced manner, helping parents understand possible outcomes such as symptom management, side effects, and long-term considerations. The booklet also includes value clarification exercises to help parents align their decision with personal preferences and concerns.

BEHAVIORAL

Decision Aid + Decision Coaching

Participants will receive the written decision aid booklet, developed based on IPDAS guidelines, along with a one-on-one decision coaching session. The decision coaching will follow a structured script based on the Ottawa Personal Decision Guide (OPDG), refined through training with the principal investigator (PI). The decision coach will not give medical advice but will help parents clarify their values, address uncertainties, and weigh the benefits and risks of medication vs. no medication. Through guided value clarification exercises, parents will explore their concerns and preferences to make a well-informed decision.

BEHAVIORAL

AI-Driven Support

Participants will interact with a large language model-based AI tool (Claude) to assist in their decision-making process regarding medication vs. no medication for ADHD treatment. This AI-driven intervention is designed to provide structured, personalized decision support while maintaining an unbiased, evidence-based approach. Participants will receive 10 structured prompts to ask the AI, covering key aspects of ADHD treatment (e.g., benefits and risks of medication, long-term outcomes, alternatives). Following this structured phase, participants will have 15 minutes of free interaction with the AI to explore any remaining questions or concerns. At the end of the session, they will receive a summary output of their AI interactions to review. The AI tool is designed to translate complex medical information into user-friendly language, provide comparative treatment insights, and help parents clarify their values and concerns. However, it will not offer direct medical recommendations.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Tel Aviv University

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Ottawa

  collaborator OTHER

• Ariel University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Yulia Gendler, PhD · 'MyHealthAid' research lab - Ariel University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-11-19

Primary Completion

2025-11-01

Completion

2025-11-01

Countries

• Israel

Study Locations