Purpose

The investigators will perform a feasibility/pilot trial of two non-pharmacological interventions for ADHD in college students.

Condition

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 18 Years and 23 Years
Eligible Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • University of Wisconsin-Madison enrolled undergraduate - Documented ADHD diagnosis

Exclusion Criteria

  • Unable or unwilling to participate in the interventions

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel Assignment
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Masking
Single (Outcomes Assessor)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
Tai Chi
Participants in this arm will attend 50-minute classes 2 times per week for 8 weeks. The course will emphasize experiential learning with 2 weeks of introductory sessions on gait, posture, and tai chi principles followed by instruction in the 24-form Yang style sequence. Students will be given a video to aid learning outside of class, and maintenance of practice post-intervention.
  • Behavioral: Tai Chi
Active Comparator
Exercise
Participants in the exercise arm will attend 50-minute classes 2 times per week for 8 weeks. The course will emphasize cardio-aerobic fitness training. Students will be given a video to aid practice outside of class, and maintenance of practice post-intervention.
  • Behavioral: Exercise
No Intervention
Control
Participants in the control arm will not attend a class and not be given a video.

Recruiting Locations

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Waisman Center
Madison, Wisconsin 53705
Contact:
Alexander K Converse, PhD
608-265-6604
adhd@bi.wisc.edu

More Details

NCT ID
NCT02688959
Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
University of Wisconsin, Madison

Study Contact

Alexander K Converse, PhD
608 265 6604
adhd@bi.wisc.edu

Detailed Description

College students diagnosed with ADHD will be randomized to three arms of approximately 8 weeks duration: (1) standard care plus a tai chi class, (2) standard care plus an exercise class, and (3) standard care alone. The exercise class will control for the social and motor components of tai chi training. The investigators will determine methodological parameters relevant to a subsequent full scale trial including recruitment and retention rates, acceptance of randomization, adherence to the interventions, and variance in outcome measures. The primary clinical outcome measure of this pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be pre- to post-intervention change in inattention, i.e. the Inattentive Symptoms subscale of the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scale self-report long form (CAARS-S:L, see Interviews etc. "Converse_S_L"). Secondary measures to be explored will include self- and informant-report, neurocognitive measures, psychophysiological measures, and academic performance. Practice time will be assessed daily and follow-up self-report of ADHD symptoms will be gathered monthly for 3 months beyond the end of the intervention.

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.