Abstract

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder whose development and intensity are closely dependent on the child’s environment. This is why parental guidance is considered the most effective psychological treatment for ADHD disorder among children (NICE, 2018).  

Current forms of parent training (PT) are often insufficient. Many families drop out of training, and treatment gains are often not maintained.  Nonviolent resistance (NVR) PT focuses on helping parents resist the child’s externalizing symptoms and improve child and parent well-being.  NVR serves the anchoring function, supporting the child through presence, self-regulation, and support network.  This study applied a randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of NVR PT in the treatment of child ADHD ,compared to medication treatment (Ritalin etc.).

Method Participants were children and parents of children with ADHD (N=186; 5-14 years old) randomly assigned to one of two groups. Measures were administered before and after treatment and at one-year follow-up.

Results Participants in the NVR group reported significant improvements in the child’s internalizing, externalizing, and ADHD symptoms, as well as parental helplessness, and emotional regulation. Most of the results maintenance at follow-up revealed.  The result of the NVR PT didn’t fall from the medication group and in some measures even show better results.  

 Dropout rates in NVR group were low (10-5%), while in the medication group it reached up to 35%.

Conclusion NVR is an efficient treatment for childhood ADHD, with benefits extending beyond the child’s symptoms to the entire family. NVR’s special focus on parental distress may have contributed to low dropout, high paternal engagement, and maintenance of change.

This is the first study that compare NVR parent training to the use of medication, in treating ADHD. 

In the workshop we will learn the NVR principals for treating ADHD, and discuss the need to use NVR parental guidance as a first line to treat ADHD in children, instead of medication.