Parental Occupation Executive Training (POET): An Efficient Innovative Intervention for Young Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

Background: The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends first-line treatment of preschool aged children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) be parent- or teacher-administered behavior therapy. Aim: To assess the efficacy of Parental Occupation Executive Training (POET), a new intervention for young children with ADHD symptomatology. Materials and Methods: We implemented a controlled, counterbalanced design with a study and comparison group (72 children with mean age of 5.42 years identified as having ADHD symptomatology. using the DSM-IV and Conners Parents and Teachers Rating Scales). Intervention included parental-training sessions focused on children's occupational goals and capitalized on the assumed relationship between daily activities and executive functions. We evaluated achievement with the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functions, and a questionnaire we developed related to parental knowledge and skills. Results: Executive functions and preselected daily functions significantly improved following the POET intervention. Parent perceptions related to their knowledge of their children's executive difficulties and appropriate management strategies changed significantly following the intervention, and significantly correlated with the COPM scores. Conclusions: A short-term parental training program, the POET improved daily functioning of young children with ADHD symptomatology by focusing on their parents' ability to cope with the children's executive delays.