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Parsapour F, Dehghani Y, Sadat Hoseini F, Joukar KamalAbadi M. Effects of traditional mindfulness training on ADHD symptoms and emotional regulation in adolescent boys in Karaj: A randomized clinical trial. aumj 2026; 15 (3) : 2
URL: http://aums.abzums.ac.ir/article-1-1987-en.html
URL: http://aums.abzums.ac.ir/article-1-1987-en.html
1- Department of Psychology, School of Literature and Humanities, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr, Iran
2- Department of Psychology, School of Literature and Humanities, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr, Iran ,ydehghani@pgu.ac.ir
2- Department of Psychology, School of Literature and Humanities, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr, Iran ,
Abstract: (27 Views)
Introduction: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders during adolescence, with a higher prevalence observed among boys. In addition to its core symptoms, including inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, ADHD is frequently associated with impaired emotional regulation and deficits in executive functioning, which can substantially affect adolescents’ academic performance, interpersonal relationships, and emotional well-being. Although pharmacological interventions are generally effective in alleviating the core symptoms of ADHD, their effects on emotional regulation and executive functioning may be limited. Consequently, mindfulness-based interventions have increasingly attracted attention as complementary non-pharmacological approaches for addressing the broader functional difficulties associated with ADHD.
Methods: This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted among 50 adolescent boys diagnosed with ADHD in Karaj, Iran. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling, screened using the SNAP-IV questionnaire, and subsequently diagnosed according to the diagnostic criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Eligible participants were randomly allocated to either a traditional mindfulness training group (n = 25) or a control group (n = 25). The mindfulness intervention was administered over an 8-week period, with two sessions conducted per week. ADHD symptoms, difficulties in emotion regulation, and executive functioning were assessed using the SNAP-IV, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), respectively. Assessments were conducted at three time points: pretest, posttest, and two-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using mixed repeated-measures analysis of variance in SPSS version 26. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Bushehr University of Medical Sciences (IR.BPUMS.REC.1404.061). Written informed consent was obtained from all participants, and the study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.
Results: The findings demonstrated that traditional mindfulness training produced a statistically significant reduction in symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity compared with the control condition at both the posttest and two-month follow-up assessments (p < 0.05). Significant improvements were also observed in emotional regulation and parent-reported executive functioning among participants who received the mindfulness intervention. These beneficial effects were maintained at the two-month follow-up, suggesting relative stability of the intervention-related improvements over time. However, no statistically significant between-group differences were observed in teacher-reported executive functioning.
Conclusion: Traditional mindfulness training may represent an effective complementary non-pharmacological intervention for adolescent boys with ADHD. The intervention was associated with reductions in inattention and hyperactivity symptoms, as well as improvements in emotional regulation and selected domains of executive functioning. The persistence of these improvements at the two-month follow-up further suggests that mindfulness-based training may have sustained benefits for some functional difficulties associated with ADHD. These findings support the potential integration of traditional mindfulness training with conventional ADHD treatments, although further studies with larger and more diverse samples and longer follow-up periods are warranted to establish the generalizability and durability of these effects.
Methods: This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted among 50 adolescent boys diagnosed with ADHD in Karaj, Iran. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling, screened using the SNAP-IV questionnaire, and subsequently diagnosed according to the diagnostic criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Eligible participants were randomly allocated to either a traditional mindfulness training group (n = 25) or a control group (n = 25). The mindfulness intervention was administered over an 8-week period, with two sessions conducted per week. ADHD symptoms, difficulties in emotion regulation, and executive functioning were assessed using the SNAP-IV, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), respectively. Assessments were conducted at three time points: pretest, posttest, and two-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using mixed repeated-measures analysis of variance in SPSS version 26. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Bushehr University of Medical Sciences (IR.BPUMS.REC.1404.061). Written informed consent was obtained from all participants, and the study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.
Results: The findings demonstrated that traditional mindfulness training produced a statistically significant reduction in symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity compared with the control condition at both the posttest and two-month follow-up assessments (p < 0.05). Significant improvements were also observed in emotional regulation and parent-reported executive functioning among participants who received the mindfulness intervention. These beneficial effects were maintained at the two-month follow-up, suggesting relative stability of the intervention-related improvements over time. However, no statistically significant between-group differences were observed in teacher-reported executive functioning.
Conclusion: Traditional mindfulness training may represent an effective complementary non-pharmacological intervention for adolescent boys with ADHD. The intervention was associated with reductions in inattention and hyperactivity symptoms, as well as improvements in emotional regulation and selected domains of executive functioning. The persistence of these improvements at the two-month follow-up further suggests that mindfulness-based training may have sustained benefits for some functional difficulties associated with ADHD. These findings support the potential integration of traditional mindfulness training with conventional ADHD treatments, although further studies with larger and more diverse samples and longer follow-up periods are warranted to establish the generalizability and durability of these effects.
Article number: 2
Keywords: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Mindfulness, Emotional Regulation, Executive Function, Adolescent Boys
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2026/01/01 | Accepted: 2026/07/08 | Published: 2026/09/22
Received: 2026/01/01 | Accepted: 2026/07/08 | Published: 2026/09/22
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