Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: There has been growing interest in determining whether cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is an effective intervention measure for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Korea. The evidence so far has varied based on past research, so that now it is clearly necessary to synthesize the findings to allow for evidence-based decision making regarding the issue.
Objectives: This study is a meta-analysis designed to identify the effects of CBT interventions on the main symptoms of ADHD among school-aged children in Korea.
Methods: Using several databases and handsearched article references, 12 studies meeting the inclusion criteria were selected from 1298 documents published from 2000 to 2013. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) version 3.0 was used to analyze effect sizes, to explore for possible causes of heterogeneity, and to check publication bias with a funnel plot and its trim-and-fill analysis.
Results: The overall effect size of the CBT intervention was large (Hedges’ g = 1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65 to 1.58) and statistically significant at the 95% CI. The proportion of true variance to the total variance (I-squared) was 65.9% along with a Q statistic of 32.27 (df = 11; P value < 0.001), which is considered substantial. For heterogeneity, moderator analysis was performed, but no significant differences were found between theses and journal articles, or among grade levels such as lower versus upper grades. In addition, meta-regression was performed using sample size, number of sessions, and session time as predictors, but none of these was found to be a statistically significant moderator. Finally, a funnel plot along with trim-and-fill analysis was produced to check for publication bias, but no significant bias was detected.
Conclusions: Based on these findings, there is clear evidence that CBT has a significant positive effect on the main symptoms of school-aged children suffering from ADHD. Thus, the result confirmed the need for a CBT intervention to address the problem. Further research is needed to target diverse age groups with ADHD to improve the effectiveness of the CBT intervention.
Objectives: This study is a meta-analysis designed to identify the effects of CBT interventions on the main symptoms of ADHD among school-aged children in Korea.
Methods: Using several databases and handsearched article references, 12 studies meeting the inclusion criteria were selected from 1298 documents published from 2000 to 2013. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) version 3.0 was used to analyze effect sizes, to explore for possible causes of heterogeneity, and to check publication bias with a funnel plot and its trim-and-fill analysis.
Results: The overall effect size of the CBT intervention was large (Hedges’ g = 1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65 to 1.58) and statistically significant at the 95% CI. The proportion of true variance to the total variance (I-squared) was 65.9% along with a Q statistic of 32.27 (df = 11; P value < 0.001), which is considered substantial. For heterogeneity, moderator analysis was performed, but no significant differences were found between theses and journal articles, or among grade levels such as lower versus upper grades. In addition, meta-regression was performed using sample size, number of sessions, and session time as predictors, but none of these was found to be a statistically significant moderator. Finally, a funnel plot along with trim-and-fill analysis was produced to check for publication bias, but no significant bias was detected.
Conclusions: Based on these findings, there is clear evidence that CBT has a significant positive effect on the main symptoms of school-aged children suffering from ADHD. Thus, the result confirmed the need for a CBT intervention to address the problem. Further research is needed to target diverse age groups with ADHD to improve the effectiveness of the CBT intervention.