A comparative study of effectiveness of medicinal therapy and combined therapy (cognitive‑behavioral and drug) of students diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent disorder affecting 5-10% of children. ADHD is particularly characterized in the start of primary school, making some educational, behavioral, and social problems for the individuals and families. Therefore, this article aimed to study the effectiveness of two methods, drug therapy and combined therapy (cognitive-behavioral and drug). The statistical population consisted of 176 male students aged 7-13 referred to the Consultation Committee in 2015. A total of 45 students diagnosed with ADHD were enrolled as the sample using the convenience sampling method. Data were collected using psychiatric diagnostic interviews and CSI-4 Questionnaires. The students were randomly divided into three 15-member groups. Pretests were employed before any treatment. The independent variable was therapy held in 10 sessions. The dependent variable was ADHD symptoms. The first group underwent drug therapy using Ritalin prescribed by the physician. The second group received combined therapy (Ritalin and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)) using training. Control group had no treatment. A week after treatment, posttest was carried out. The data were analyzed using covariance, ANOVA, and LA-Metric post hoc tests. The results showed that drug and combined therapy were effective (P 0.01 and F1.41=118.313). LA-Metric post hoc test showed that both drug therapy (P 0.01) and combined therapy (P 0.01) had a significant relationship with the control group. Drug therapy had no significant relationship with the combined therapy (P 0.05).