Comparative Effectiveness of Child-Centered Mindfulness Therapy and Problem-Solving Skills Training on Executive Functions and Academic Self-Regulation in Students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Mirhosseini, Seyed Shahrooz; Davallou, Amirhossein; Nasiri Tafrteshi, Narges; Dehghani Arani, Fateme; Safarifard, Razieh

doi:10.22111/jeps.2026.47583.5630

Comparative Effectiveness of Child-Centered Mindfulness Therapy and Problem-Solving Skills Training on Executive Functions and Academic Self-Regulation in Students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Document Type : Scientific Articles

Authors

¹ Ph.D. Student of Educational psychology, Department of Psychology and Educational Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

² h.D. Student of psychology exceptional children, Department of Psychology and Educational Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

³ . Student of clinical psychology, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

⁴ Department of psychology , faculty of education and psychology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

⁵ Ph. D. Educational psychology, Faculty of of Psychology and Educational Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

10.22111/jeps.2026.47583.5630

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based child-centered therapy and problem-solving skills training on executive functions and academic self-regulation in students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The study population included all elementary school students in Tehran during the year 2021, and a semi-experimental design with pre-test/post-test and control group was employed. Cluster sampling was utilized, resulting in a final sample of 45 children with ADHD meeting the study criteria, who were assigned to three groups: Child-Centered Mindfulness (n=15), Problem-Solving Skills Training (n=15), and Control (n=15). Participants were assessed with executive function and academic self-regulation questionnaires in both pre- and post-intervention stages. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) in SPSS-22. The results revealed significant improvements in the executive functions and academic self-regulation scores of participants in the Child-Centered Mindfulness and Problem-Solving Skills Training groups compared to the control group. A comparison between the two intervention groups indicated that Child-Centered Mindfulness therapy was more effective. Considering the findings, Child-Centered Mindfulness therapy demonstrated greater effectiveness compared to problem-solving skills training, although the latter can be a simple method employed by teachers and educators without the need for therapeutic expertise.

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