An online smartphone course may ease inattention in adults with ADHD.

The study

1. 01

   Who took part

   57 adults in Sweden with ADHD or a probable ADHD diagnosis. Most had a confirmed diagnosis, their average age was about 37, and 39 of the 57 were women.

2. 02

   What they did

   The course took six weeks and had seven lessons on using a calendar, to-do lists and reminder apps on a smartphone. A coach tried to phone each week and gave written feedback. The other group waited, then took the course without a coach.

3. 03

   What happened

   People on the course rated their attention as clearly better at the end, while the other group barely changed. A blind assessor rated 8 of 24 course users much better, and no one in the other group. Depression and hyperactivity also improved more on the course, but stress, anxiety and daily life did not.

What the study found

1. Helped

   After six weeks, people on the course rated their attention problems lower than the other group, which hardly changed.

   • Action: Use a planner or calendar apptested
   • Action: Remove distractionstested
   • Rule: Get a remindertested
   • Rule: With a coach or therapistused

   Small randomised trial of 57 adults with ADHD in Sweden · vs the other group, who waited for the course · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable; only counted people who finished

2. Helped

   Blind raters rated a third of course users much better at organising and focus, and none of the other group.

   • Action: Use a planner or calendar apptested
   • Action: Remove distractionstested
   • Rule: Get a remindertested
   • Rule: With a coach or therapistused

   Small randomised trial of 57 adults with ADHD in Sweden · vs the other group, who waited for the course · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable; only counted people who finished

Source