Therapy and training may help people with ADHD at work more than medication does

The review

1. 01

   Who took part

   3,835 adults with ADHD took part in 23 studies published from 2002 to 2021. On average they were about 33 years old, and about half were men.

2. 02

   What they did

   Twelve studies gave ADHD medicine against a dummy pill or a waiting list. Eleven gave therapy or training against other treatment or usual care.

3. 03

   What happened

   Therapy and training helped more than medicine did, but medicine helped only a little. Among medicines, only methylphenidate clearly beat a dummy pill. The authors think some studies were never published, so the gain may be smaller.

What the review found

1. Helped

   Across 11 studies, therapy and training helped people at work more than other groups did.

   • Action: Take a time-management coursetested

   Pooled analysis of 11 studies · vs people given other treatment or usual care · they rated themselves · ⚠ mixes trials with other kinds of study

2. Helped

   Across 4 studies, therapy that challenges unhelpful thoughts helped people at work.

   • Action: Challenge unhelpful thoughtstested
   • Action: Learn how the problem workstested

   Pooled analysis of 4 studies · vs people given other treatment or usual care · they rated themselves · ⚠ mixes trials with other kinds of study

3. Helped

   Across 12 studies, ADHD medicine helped people at work only a little more than the other groups did.

   Pooled analysis of 12 studies · vs people given a dummy pill or on a waiting list · they rated themselves · ⚠ mixes trials with other kinds of study

Source