Application of a clinical training based on mindfulness in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Mindfulness can be defined as the ability to pay attention intentionally, in the present moment and in a non-judgmental manner. Some studies have demonstrated its effectiveness as a clinical therapy applied to children with ADHD, who manifest an inability to regulate their behavior according to the passage of time, the goals to be achieved and the demands of the environment. The objective is to investigate the effects produced by the Mindfulness program “Il Fiore Dentro” in children with ADHD. It is hypothesized to find differences between the pre-training situation and the post-training situation in attention, executive function, working memory, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Ten children, divided into two groups, with a diagnosis of ADHD, were selected and given specific assessment instruments. Subsequently they took part in the 8 meetings of the program and at the end the tests were administered again. The research design is a mixed design: both the difference between the two groups, which excluded the possible influence of different settings and operators, and the difference between pre- and post-training tests were tested. The training produces positive results in several dimensions: selective and sustained visuospatial attention, executive functions, visual memory, impulsivity and hyperactivity. The increase in social withdrawal is worthy of attention and could be linked to an initial stage of reorganization of one's behavior with the peer group. The results allowed to confirm the effectiveness of Mindfulness in the treatment of ADHD in the sample that took part in the training. The limitations of the research include the small sample size, the absence of a control group and follow-up. Finally, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic (still ongoing) the research suffered in terms of data collection.