Middle Eastern Journal of Disability Studies

Abstract
Background & Objectives: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood. The symptoms of ADHD vary from one child to another, from predominant poor attention to hyperactivity and impulsivity or a combination of both. ADHD has traditionally been managed with medication. The recommended drugs prescribed for children with ADHD have various potential adverse side effects. Therefore, parents and practitioners are seeking alternative treatments. In addition to medication, the multi-modal treatment of ADHD comprises non-medical treatments that include training for parents and healthcare providers. Behavioral management programs are available to help children function better in their home and school environments. Therefore, this study investigated the effectiveness of metacognitive therapy on family functioning, emotional control, and emotional empathy of mothers with children with ADHD.
Methods: This study was quasi-experimental with a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population of this study consisted of all mothers with 6 to 12-year-old girls with ADHD (elementary schools) living in Bojnourd City, Iran, between the years 2019 and 2020. Psychologists confirmed their ADHD according to the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders- fifth Edition (DSM-5). From the statistical population, 30 mothers were selected by purposive sampling and randomly assigned to the experimental (15 people) and control groups (15 people). Data in the pretest and posttest in two groups were gathered via the Family Assessment Device (Epstein et al., 1983), the Emotion Control Questionnaire (Roger & Najarian, 1989), and the Empathy Questionnaire (Davis, 1983). Then, the experimental group was involved in metacognitive therapy (MCT) for eight 75-minute sessions once a week. However, the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance at a significance level of 0.05 using SPSS software version 22.
Results: After controlling the pretest scores, significant differences were found between the experimental group and the control group regarding family performance (p<0.001), emotion control (p<0.001), and emotional empathy (p<0.001) in the posttest.
Conclusion: According to the results, metacognitive therapy improves variables of family performance, emotional control, and emotional empathy of mothers with 6 to 12-year-old girls with ADHD.