In the treatment of adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) the importance of psychological interventions in combination with pharmacotherapy is widely accepted in contemporary clinical routine. The natural course of the disorder seems to justify additional psychological interventions because even in patients who are highly compliant to pharmacotherapy full remission is not always achieved. The aim of the present study was to analyze the contribution of psychotherapy to the treatment of adult ADHD patients. In a randomized controlled study, the efficacy of a combined treatment of psychotherapy with pharmacotherapy is compared to pharmacological intervention alone. After initiation and stabilization of treatment with methylphenidate (MPH) in all subjects randomization to the two different treatment conditions was done. Afterwards both groups underwent treatment for about 10–12 weeks, the experimental group receiving sessions of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) whereas the control group only received medication and standard clinical management (SCM). ADHD symptoms differed statistically during time but not between the two different treatment conditions. This result was the same for the single ADHD symptoms—inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and emotional symptoms—and also for impairment. Individual standardized ADHD specific CBT program was not able to outperform SCM.

Although depression occurs frequently during early motherhood, specific psychotherapy relevant to the needs of mothers of small children is still rare. Therefore, a group therapy programme for depressive mothers with children from pregnancy up to preschool age was developed and implemented. This manualised group therapy consisted of 12 group sessions and one session with each couple. The main therapeutic method was cognitive behavioural therapy. In addition, educational and systemic therapy components were used. Five consecutive treatment groups with 31 participants were evaluated by using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Symptom Checklist (SCL-90-R), and several other scales. Depressive symptom decrease was significant in all groups, and mother-child interaction improved as perceived by the mothers. This newly conceptualised group therapy proved to be effective and well accepted by the participants. Further investigations such as comparing group therapy with standard therapy are necessary to confirm these preliminary results.

Background: Studies on specific psychotherapy for depressed mothers of small children are rare. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of a newly developed cognitive-behavioral group intervention for depressed mothers compared to standard individual therapy. Sampling and Methods: In a naturalistic design, 31 mothers suffering from depressive disorders with children aged ≤4 years who had consecutively been admitted to our specialized clinic for mentally ill mothers were assigned to the group treatment, and the following 21 were admitted to the control group receiving standard individual therapy. The group treatment consisted of 12 group sessions and 1 couple session and was administered to five consecutive groups. Participants completed interviews and questionnaires – the Beck Depression Inventory and the Symptom Checklist- 90-R – before and 3 months after therapy. Results: The treatment group and the control group showed a significant improvement in their depression, with no significant differences between the two treatment strategies. The women in group therapy, however, required fewer antidepressants, and group treatment was observed to be more effective in reducing anger and hostility. Conclusion: This form of group treatment for depressed women in early motherhood may have some important advantages over individual therapy; effects were small, however, and should be replicated in a further study.

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