Medication has proved highly efficacious as a means of alleviating general symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, many patients remain functionally impaired by inappropriate behavior. The present study analyzed the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with the Token-Economy (TE) technique to alleviate problem behavior for 25 participants with ADHD, all children (19 boys, mean age 10.11) on long-term methylphenidate medication, who were given 20 CBT sessions with 10 weeks of TE introduced as of session 5. Their ten most acute problem behaviors were selected and written records kept. On weekdays, parents recorded each inappropriate behavior and provided a suitable model for their actions. At weekly sessions, problem behaviors were counted and incident-free participants rewarded with a token. To analyze improvement (less frequent problem behavior), a list of 11 behavioral categories was rated: inattention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, disorganization, disobeying rules and routines, poor self-care, verbal/physical aggression, low frustration tolerance, compulsive behavior, antisocial behavior, lacking in initiative and distraction. Two CBT specialists categorized behaviors and an ADHD specialist ruled on discrepancies. Statistical analyses used were Generalized Estimating Equations with Poisson distribution and autoregressive order correlation structure. In the course of the sessions, problematic behaviors decreased significantly in seven categories: impulsiveness, hyperactivity, disorganization, disobeying rules and routine, poor self-care, low frustration tolerance, compulsive behaviors, and antisocial behaviors. Caregiver attitudes to children’s inappropriate behavior were discussed and reshaped. As functional improvement was observed on applying TE for 10 weeks, this type of intervention may be useful as an auxiliary strategy combined with medication.

The present study analyzed the use of group CBT protocol to treat ADHD by comparing two types of treatment, unimodal (medication only) and multimodal (medication combined with CBT), in terms of their effects on cognitive and behavioral domains, social skills, and type of treatment effect by ADHD subtype. Participants were 60 children with ADHD, subtypes inattentive and combined, aged 7 to 14, 48 boys. Combined treatment included 20 CBT sessions while all children were given Ritalin LA® 20 mg. Cognitive and behavioral outcome measures showed no differences between treatment groups. On social skills, multimodal showed more improvement in frequency indicators on empathy, assertiveness, and self-control subscales and in the difficulty on assertiveness and self-control subscales. Using a group CBT protocol for multimodal ADHD treatment may improve patient adherence and ADHD peripheral symptoms.

ResumoEste estudo descreve o processo de tradução, adaptação e análise de aplicabilidade clínica do Programa Pay Attention! ao português do Brasil. O processo seguiu as etapas recomendadas internacionalmente para adequação de instrumentos a outros idiomas: tradução/adaptação baseado em normas que preservassem características originais bem como as da cultura; análise por juízes especialistas; estudos--piloto; análise de aplicabilidade clínica em um grupo de 10 crianças com TDAH. Os resultados dos estudos-piloto foram analisados qualitativamente na fase de tradução/adaptação. No grupo clínico, o programa foi aplicado em 20 sessões individuais analisando-se a evolução individual, conforme estabelecido no manual. Os resultados demonstraram que a versão em português do Pay Attention! está adequada, tornando-se um importante instrumento de intervenção nos Transtornos de Défi cit de Atenção em crianças. Palavras-chave: Atenção, reabilitação cognitiva, intervenção, Transtorno do Défi cit de Atenção e Hiperatividade. AbstractThis research report describes the translation, adaptation and analysis of clinical applicability process related to the Pay Attention! Program to Brazilian Portuguese. The process followed all the steps internationally recommended to adequate instruments to other languages: translation/adaptation based on rules that preserve original features and cultural characteristics; analysis by expert judges; pilot studies, and analysis of clinical applicability in a group of 10 children with Attention Defi cit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Results of pilot studies were qualitatively analyzed in the phase of translation/adaptation. In the clinical group, the program was implemented in 20 individual sessions analyzing the individual evolution, as stated in the manual. Results showed that the Portuguese version of the Pay Attention! Program is appropriate, becoming an important tool for the interventions in attention defi cits in children. Keywords: Attention, cognitive rehabilitation, intervention, Attention Defi cit and Hyperactivity Disorder. A atenção é um dos sistemas mais importantes e complexos da cognição, do qual dependem outras tantas funções essenciais para a adaptação do organismo ao ambiente, como a memória e a aprendizagem. Devido a essa complexidade o sistema atencional tem sido amplamente estudado em modelos clínicos e experimentais (Driver, 2001;Hampshire, Chamberlain, Monti, Duncan, & Owen, 2010;Nahas & Xavier, 2004) Sohlberg e Mateer (1987) propuseram um dos modelos clínicos da atenção. Em seu "Modelo Clínico Atencional", o sistema é dividido em cinco níveis de processamento de complexidade crescente: (a) atenção focalizada; (b) atenção sustentada; (c) atenção seletiva, que incorpora o conceito "resistência à distração"; (d) atenção alternada; (e) atenção dividida.Para outros autores, a atenção também se encontra sob o conceito das Funções Executivas (FEs). Segundo as teorias neuropsicológicas, uma disfunção executiva interfere na capacidade de controlar o comportamento, resultando em pro...