[Patient and family predictors of group intervention outcomes in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a multidimensional model analysis].

OBJECTIVES

To explore individual and family characteristics associated with children's response to group interventions for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) based on multidimensional indicators of intervention outcomes.

METHODS

A total of 62 children with ADHD aged 6-9 years participating in an intervention program at the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from July 2023 to January 2025 were enrolled. All the participants received a standardized group intervention consisting of 8 sessions delivered over 4-6 weeks, focusing on attention training and emotion regulation training. Pre- and post-intervention data were collected using the General Information Questionnaire, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), the Affective Reactivity Index (ARI), the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills with Youngsters (MESSY), and the parent-rated Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Rating Scale-IV (SNAP-IV). Given the consistency in intervention format and structure between the two groups, data were pooled for modeling analyses. Changes in emotion regulation, inattention, and social skills were used as the outcome indicators. LASSO regression was used to screen 18 baseline variables (8 psychosocial characteristics and 10 demographic and family-background variables), followed by multiple linear regression to identify stable predictors.

RESULTS

Across the models predicting changes in inattention, irritability, emotion-regulation difficulties, and inappropriately assertive/overconfident, the baseline score of each outcome was a significant positive predictor (β=0.462-0.669, P_BH<0.05). Higher baseline hostile scores predicted less improvement in emotion-regulation difficulties (β=-0.326, P_BH<0.01) and inappropriate assertiveness/overconfidence (β=-0.543, P_BH<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides preliminary evidence that baseline symptoms and hostility traits may predict response to group interventions for ADHD, which may help to estimate treatment outcomes before intervention and provide support to precision intervention for children with ADHD.