Jodi Sleeper-Triplett, B.A., MCC, BCC JST Coaching & Training
Elizabeth Ahmann, Sc.D., RN, PCC Maryland University of Integrative Health
Lisa Joy Tuttle, M.A., BCC, CSS University of Pennsylvania
Blog by Jodi Sleeper-Triplett, Elizabeth Ahmann, and Lisa Joy Tuttle
Professionals devoted to improving the lives of folks with ADHD know how our clients and patients struggle to carry out their desired objectives. Inconsistent attention and motivation and persistent challenges with organization and implementation perpetually frustrate their efforts to realize their meaningful aspirations.
Medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy adapted to address ADHD issues are highly effective treatment modalities; yet there are individuals who convey a need for additional scaffolding, and who may seek or be professionally advised to pursue such assistance outside of a medical or mental health context. Enter ADHD coaching, a non-clinical behavioral modality that is increasingly recognized in the clinical literature as a potentially valuable and important component of multimodal treatment (e.g., Barkley, 2015; Kooij et al., 2010; Prevatt & Levrini, 2015; Ramsay, 2010).
In the first APSARD symposium dedicated to ADHD coaching, which expands on a poster presented at the 2016 APSARD Annual Meeting (Tuttle et al., 2016), the three of us will give an overview of ADHD coaching, providing a demonstration of its process and a descriptive review of the extant outcomes research (see Ahmann et al., 2017; Ahmann et al., in press).
By design, ADHD coaching provides a high level of structure and accountability to:
a) assist clients in goal identification,
b) foster behavior change and goal attainment,
c) promote improvements in functional arenas, and
d) reinforce gains, including those made in other therapeutic modalities.
This data-driven presentation will examine the strengths and limitations of the literature and explore how coaching holds promise in improving the functional outcomes and quality of life of individuals with ADHD across the lifespan, especially when it is part of a multimodal approach.
References
Ahmann, E., Saviet, M., & Tuttle, L. J. (2017). Interventions for ADHD in children and teens: A focus on ADHD coaching. Pediatric Nursing, 4(3), 121–131.
Ahmann, E., Tuttle, L. J., Saviet, M., & Wright, S. D. (in press). A descriptive review of ADHD coaching research: Implications for college students. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability.
Barkley, R. A. (Ed.). (2015). Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment (4th ed.). New York, NY: Guilford.
Kooij, S. J. J., Bejirot, S., Blackwell, A., Caci, H., Casas-Brugué, M., Carpentier, P. J. … & Asherson, P. (2010). European consensus statement on diagnosis and treatment of adult ADHD: The European Network Adult ADHD. BMC Psychiatry, 10(67).
Prevatt, F., & Levrini, A. (2015). ADHD coaching: A guide for mental health professionals. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Ramsay, J. R. (2010). Nonmedication treatments for adult ADHD: Evaluating impact on daily functioning and well-being. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Tuttle, L. J., Ahmann, E., & Wright, S. D. (2016, January). Emerging evidence for the efficacy of ADHD coaching. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Professional Society for ADHD and Related Disorders (APSARD), Washington, DC.
We will be presenting at the 2018 APSARD Annual Meeting on “Emerging Evidence for the Effectiveness of ADHD Coaching” on Sunday January 14th from 2:30–4:30 p.m. and hope you will join us!