Barkley behavioral therapy, Minuchin structural family therapy, and neurofeedback effect on children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare some types of behavioral and family therapy on children suffering from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS: The population in this research consisted of all students in a primary school located in Karaj City, Iran, in 2019. Forty (10 for each group) students and their mothers participated. Available samples were randomly selected for each group. A semi-structured diagnostic interview [Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS) ], the short diagnostic scale for hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder, and the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children were used to obtain information. Barkley behavioral therapy (9 sessions of 90 minutes), Minuchin structural family therapy (8 sessions of 90 minutes), and neurofeedback (25 sessions of 30 minutes) were performed on the experimental groups. There were no therapies in the control group. SPSS software along with multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and dependent t-test were performed for data analysis. RESULTS: All three treatment methods had a significant role in anxiety (P > 0.05). Post-hoc test revealed that there was a significant difference between therapies on the anxiety of the experiment and control groups (P > 0.05). Three-month follow-up showed the resistance to therapies (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Behavioral and family therapy had a prominent and positive role in the reduction of anxiety among children suffering from ADHD.