What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder? What is Mindfulness? Have you heard of Mindfulness in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
At NP Feneryolu Medical Center, we offer Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is based on paying attention to the present moment without judgment and accepting whatever is happening in this moment.
Mindfulness is rooted in Eastern culture and philosophy. In this approach, which includes awareness and consciousness, acceptance, non-judgment, self-observation and focus are essential components. When a person is in a state of mindfulness, he or she can be aware of where his or her attention is directed every second and what his or her mind is occupied with.
What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition common in childhood, characterized by attention deficit, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Of course, all children are somewhat mischievous and have difficulty focusing their attention on a task for long periods of time compared to adults. However, a child with ADHD symptoms may be more active and have attention problems than children of the same age and gender. Each child may experience ADHD differently. Some may have more attention problems, while others may be more active and impulsive. Which type of ADHD is more predominant in a child can be decided by a specialist. But to summarize, here are examples of each sub-category of ADHD;
Attention Deficit predominant type:
- The child has difficulty sustaining attention for a certain period of time, especially on boring tasks,
- Fails to pay attention to the details involved in the task, often makes mistakes,
- He/she cannot complete the tasks assigned at school and the responsibilities assigned at home,
- They have difficulty in organizing their responsibilities and duties,
- His/her attention is easily distracted by many environmental factors such as sound and images,
- They are forgetful in their daily work,
Hyperactivity and Impulsivity predominant type:
- Difficult to stay still, fidgety all the time,
- He/she has difficulty sitting at school or in places where he/she has to sit and gets up all the time,
- It runs and climbs in a way that is incompatible with the space,
- Cannot play or do activities in silence,
- Talks a lot, talks fast, cannot wait while others are talking
- He has difficulty waiting for his turn,
Attention Deficit, Hyperactivity and Impulsivity predominant type:
Symptoms in both categories above are present in the child at the same time.
How should Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder be treated?
Since ADHD is a neurobiological condition with a genetic background, medical treatment is one of the most important options. Therapy methods including cognitive behavioral therapy and other attention-enhancing techniques that can be applied simultaneously with medical treatment allow for faster and more permanent responses in treatment. When we look at the therapy techniques, it is seen that mindfulness-based therapy techniques, which are spreading rapidly in the world, are used in many psychological disorders, and recently this therapy model has started to be applied in attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder.
How is Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy applied in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
Mindfulness is a philosophy that can be taken as a basis in all areas of life. Recently, its use has increased in psychotherapy and in the treatment of various psychological problems. While it can be applied in individual therapy sessions, it is also quite common to apply it in the form of group therapy. Mindfulness-based group therapies were first applied with a group of people with chronic pain. After proving its effectiveness in individuals with chronic pain, it has been used in the treatment of psychological problems such as depression, anxiety disorders and eating disorders, and its effectiveness on these diseases has been investigated through scientific studies. This approach, which has recently been used in the treatment of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, helps to reduce primary problems such as attention, hyperactivity and impulsivity experienced by children and to reduce the problems that arise due to these problems within the framework of family, friends and school.
Are there scientific publications proving the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Group Therapies in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
Mindfulness-Based Group Therapies are one of the therapy techniques that can be evaluated scientifically. According to studies, the effectiveness of group therapies based on this approach on ADHD symptoms has started to be scientifically proven.
What is the "My Brain, My Body" mindfulness-based group therapy program?
This group program is based on the mindfulness approach. The program was developed by experts from the UvaMinds Institute at the University of Amsterdam for children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The aim of this program is "Brain Training". The frontal region of our brain is responsible for important life skills such as attention skills, self-control, managing emotions and making healthy decisions. It is known that these skills are difficult in children with ADHD symptoms. In addition, due to these difficulties, these children may frequently criticize themselves, have low self-esteem, high anxiety, anger control problems and deterioration in peer relationships. ADHD is known to be a lifelong condition. Regardless of which method is preferred in the treatment of ADHD, the main treatment goals include reducing the symptoms of ADHD, enabling the child and family to cope with this condition and ensuring psychosocial order. With this group program, it is aimed to raise awareness about the mind and body of the child diagnosed with ADHD, to teach him/her to control his/her own behavior, to increase attention skills, self-confidence level, anger control skills, adaptation to social environments and to make interpersonal relationships healthier.
Bögels, S., Hoogstad, B., Dun, L., Schutter, S. and Restifo, K. (2008). Mindfulness training for adolescents with externalizing disorders and their parents. Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 36, 193-209.
- Bögels, S., Hellemans, J., Deursen, S., Römer, M. and Meulen, R. (2014). Mindful parenting in mental health care: Effects on parental and child psychopathology, parental stress, parenting coparenting and marital functioning. Mindfulness, 5, 536-551.
- Bögels, S., Lehtonen, A. and Restifo, K. (2010). Mindful parenting in mental health care. Mindfulness, 1, 107-120.
- Haydicky, J., Shecter, C., Wiener, J. and Ducharne, J. M. (2013). Evaluation of MBCT for adolescents with ADHD and their parents: Impact on individual and family functioning. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24, 76-94.
- Oord, S., Bögels, S. and Peijnenburg, D. (2012). The effectiveness of mindfulness training for children with adhd and mindful parenting for their parents. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 21, 139-147.
- Bergsma, E., Formsma, A., Bruin, E. and Bögels, S. (2012). The effectiveness of mindfulness training on behavioral problems and attentional functioning in adolescents with adhd. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 21, 775-787.
