ADHD Wiki
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Psychoeducation

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Summary

  • Connect ADHD knowledge with personal difficulties, strengths and support needs before a professional discussion.
  • Friends or family can learn together.

Ways to apply

  1. On your own

    Free, no special equipment to buy

    1. Pick a current concern from free clinical guideline or established patient organization materials.
    2. Write down one experience, including where you struggled and what helped you do better.
    3. List questions and one environment or support change to discuss with a professional.
    4. If you wish, read with a friend or family member. Each of you can note what is unclear.
    5. Bring the notes to a professional support discussion.

Learning needs to connect with support in daily life

Research-backed

The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends a structured discussion after an attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis. It should relate to the person’s daily life and cover strengths, environmental changes, and difficulties in education, work and relationships, to help develop a shared treatment plan(NICE, 2018).

Preparation can turn things that “always go wrong” into descriptions of specific situations, followed by a list of desired changes to the environment or support.

Family and friends can learn together and share the explaining

Research-backed

In the PEGASUS randomized controlled trial, adults with ADHD and a significant other attended the same course together. Both groups increased their ADHD knowledge. Learning together is an optional form of support; explaining ADHD to others need not fall entirely to the person with ADHD(Hirvikoski et al., 2017).

A course can be expected to increase understanding of ADHD

Research-backed

The PEGASUS evidence comes from eight structured group sessions added to routine psychiatric outpatient care. Compared with routine care alone, the course increased participants’ ADHD knowledge(Hirvikoski et al., 2017).

When choosing a course, increased understanding is a supported expectation.

Evidence

References (2)
  1. GuidelineAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and managementNICE (2018). NICE guideline NG87
  2. Randomized trialPsychoeducational groups for adults with ADHD and their significant others (PEGASUS): A pragmatic multicenter and randomized controlled trialHirvikoski T., Lindström T., Carlsson J., Waaler E., Jokinen J., Bölte S. (2017). European Psychiatry