Computerized working memory training for adults with ADHD in a psychiatric outpatient context—a feasibility trial

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic and background data reported for the total group, the group who completed the working memory training, and the non-completers.

	N = 24 (all participants)	n = 16 (completers)	n = 8 non-completers
Age	M = 36.75 SD = 8.37	M = 35.63 SD = 5.98	M = 39.00 SD = 12.05
Sex	Male: n = 11 (45.80%) Female: n = 13 (54.20%)	Male: n = 8 (50.00%) Female: n = 8 (50.00%)	Male: n = 5 (62.50%) Female: n = 3 (37.50%)
ADHD subtype, according to the D.I.V.A. interview^a	ADHD combined: n = 14, (58.33%) ADHD inattentive: n = 10, (41.67%)	ADHD combined: n = 7 (43.75%) ADHD inattentive: n = 9 (56.25%)	ADHD combined: n = 7 (87.50%) ADHD inattentive: n = 1 (12.50%)
Psychiatric comorbidity	n = 14 (58.33%)	n = 11 (68.75%)	n = 3 (37.50%)
Pharmacological treatment of ADHD	n = 15 (62.50%)	n = 11 (68.75%)	n = 4 (50.00%)
Other psychoactive drugs	n = 9 (37.50%)	n = 7 (43.75%)	n = 2 (25.00%)
Relationship status	Single: n = 14 (58.33%) Married/partner: n = 10 (41.67%)	Single: n = 10 (62.50%) Married /partner: n = 6 (37.50%)	Single: n = 4 (50.00%) Married/partner: n = 4 (50.00%)
Employment status	Full/part time work, studying or parental leave n = 19 (79.17%) Unemployed, long-term sick leave or disability pension: n = 5 (20.83%)	Full/part time work, studying or parental leave n = 13 (81.25%) Unemployed, long-term sick leave or disability pension: n = 3 (18.75%)	Full/part time work, studying or parental leave n = 6 (75.00%) Unemployed, long-term sick leave or disability pension: n = 2 (25.00%)
Education	University: n = 8 (33.33%) Upper secondary school or less: n = 16 (66.67%)	University: n = 7 (43.75%) Upper secondary school or less: n = 9 (56.25%)	University: n = 1 (12.50%) Upper secondary school: n = 7 (87.50%)
Having children	n = 14 (58.33%)	n = 9 (56.25%)	n = 5 (62.50%)
Other current non-pharmacological treatment	n = 9 (37.5%)	n = 6 (37.50%)	n = 3 (37.50%)
WURS-25^b	55.75, SD = 14.44	M = 55.75, SD = 13.50	M = 55.75, SD = 17.17
ASRS inattention pre-intervention	M = 26.54, SD = 5.11	M = 25.88, SD = 5.45	M = 27.87, SD = 4.36
ASRS hyperactivity/impulsivity pre-intervention	M = 20.58, SD = 6.26	M = 19.00, SD = 6.34	M = 23.75, SD = 5.04
Self-rated general well-being (1–10)	M = 6.29 SD = 1.40	M = 6.25, SD = 1.24	M = 6.38, SD = 1.77

Average results (M) and standard deviation (SD) is used for data on age, and the results of WURS, ASRS and general well-being. In all other cases, the results are described as the percentage of the group described for that column.

^aD.I.V.A: The Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in Adults, a structured interview used to assess the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria of ADHD.

^bWURS-25: The Wender Utah Rating Scale, selected items.

^cASRS: Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale.

Figure 1. Flowchart of the study.

Figure 2. The group average includes error bars representing the standard deviation pre-and post-intervention on the Treatment Credibility Scale, rated 0–10. The clustered bars in the figure represent the following questions: “‘1. How logical does the treatment offered to you seem?’ ‘2. How successfully do you think this treatment is for reducing your ADHD symptoms?’, ‘3. How confident would you be in recommending this treatment to a friend with ADHD?’, ‘4. How successful do you think this treatment is for other types of problems?’, and ‘5. How improved do you expect to be from this type of treatment?’”.

Table 2. The table includes the average scores (M) and standard deviations (SD) for the effect-related measures for T1, T2 and T3, as well as the F-statistics, p-value, and effect size (Cohen’s d) from the repeated measures ANOVA, for within-subjects change.

	T1 M(SD) N = 16	T2 M(SD) N = 16	T3 M(SD) N = 16	Contrast (significance indicating a change from T1 to T2)	Contrast (significance indicating a change from T2 to T3)	T1–T2–T3 Statistics
Self-rating scales
ASRS total	44.88 (10.15)	43.19 (9.07)	40.31 (10.00)	t = 0.96 d = 0.18	t = 2.11* d = 0.30	F(2,30)=2.86
ASRS inattention^a	25.88 (5.45)	24.44 (5.45)	23.00 (6.33)	t = 1.69 d = 0.26	t = 1.92 d = 0.24	F(2,30)=4.50*
ASRS hyperactivity/impulsivity	19 (6.34)	18.75 (5.04)	17.62 (5.63)	t = 0.23 d = 0.04	t = 1.32 d = 0.21	F(2,30)=1.49
CFQ^b	62.50 (11.37)	55.13 (11.79)	55.56 (14.64)	t =2.65* d = 0.23	t = 0.27 d = 0.04	F(2,30)=5.56**
BDEFS total^c	217.81 (32.54)	207 (44.89)	209 (38.89)	t = 1.56 d = 0.28	t = 0.27 d = 0.04	F(2,30)=1.52
BDEFS short	28.69 (4.66)	26.56 (5.90)	26.63 (6.09)	t = 2.48* d = 0.40	t = 0.07 d = 0.00	F(2,30)=3.96*
Neuropsychological tests
Spatial span (from WMS-III) total scaled score^d	10 (2.92)	12.31 (3.65)	12 (3.01)	t = 5.32*** d = 0.69	t = 0.39 d = 0.09	F(2,30)=16.53***
Digit Span total scaled score	9.94 (2.91)	12.75 (3.80)	13.44 (2.83)	t = 5.12*** d = 0.86	t = 0.96 d = 0.16	F(2,30)=28.20***
Digit Symbol total scaled score	9.88 (2.71)	11.50 (3.08)	11.19 (2.79)	t = 5.67*** d = 0.52	t = 1.05 d = 0.10	F(2,30)=18.43***
Color Word Interference Test total scaled score	9.13 (3.24)	11 (2.63)	11.56 (2.39)	t = 5.33*** d = 0.65	t = 1.35 d = 0.24	F(2,30)=31.71***
D2TN-E total scaled score	107 (11.82)	111.63 (12.66)	115.44 (12.71)	t = 2.00 d = 0.38	t = 2.60* d = 0.30	F(2,30)=9.37*
Clinical assessment
CGI^f	4.19 (0.98)	3.13 (0.62)	4.13 (0.81)	t = 4.00*** d = 1.28	t = 3.65** d = 1.39	F(2,30)=12.29***

Note. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001.

^aASRS: Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale.

^bCFQ: Cognitive Failures Questionnaire.

^cBDEFS: Barkley’s Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale.

^dWMS-III: Wechsler Memory Scale-III.

^eD2TN-E: D2 Test of Attention, = total score of D2 minus errors.

^fCGI: Clinical Global Impressions.

Data availability

The datasets used during the current study are not made available due to regulations in the ethical permissions for this study.