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World J Psychiatr. Dec 22, 2015; 5(4): 397-403
Published online Dec 22, 2015. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v5.i4.397
Does mindfulness meditation improve attention in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?
Vania Modesto-Lowe, Pantea Farahmand, Margaret Chaplin, Lauren Sarro
Vania Modesto-Lowe, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Connecticut Valley Hospital, Middletown, CT 06457, United States
Vania Modesto-Lowe, Pantea Farahmand, Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, United States
Vania Modesto-Lowe, Lauren Sarro, Physician Assistant Program, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT 06518, United States
Margaret Chaplin, Adult Outpatient Department, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Britain, CT 06051, United States
Author contributions: Modesto-Lowe V and Chaplin M wrote the majority of the first draft; Farahmand P wrote the majority of the second draft including an addition on the effects of mindfulness on attention; Sarro L wrote the clinical section, helped rewrite the subsequent drafts and edited each version.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The senior author and coauthors of this paper have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Correspondence to: Vania Modesto-Lowe, MD, MPH, Physician, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Connecticut Valley Hospital, PO Box 351, Silver Street, Middletown, CT 06457, United States. vania.modesto-lowe@ct.gov
Telephone: +1-860-2626358 Fax: +1-860-2626121
Received: June 12, 2015
Peer-review started: June 15, 2015
First decision: August 25, 2015
Revised: September 8, 2015
Accepted: October 16, 2015
Article in press: October 19, 2015
Published online: December 22, 2015
Processing time: 189 Days and 15 Hours
Abstract

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) manifests by high levels of inattention, impulsiveness and hyperactivity. ADHD starts in childhood and results in impairments that continue into adulthood. While hyperactivity declines over time, inattention and executive function difficulties persist, leading to functional deficits. Adolescents and adults with ADHD have pervasive impairment in interpersonal and family relationships. They may develop addiction, delinquent behavior and comorbid psychiatric disorders. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, persistent residual symptoms are common, highlighting the need for novel treatment strategies. Mindfulness training, derived from Eastern meditation practices, may improve self-regulation of attention. It may also be a useful strategy to augment standard ADHD treatments and may be used as a potential tool to reduce impairments in patients with residual symptoms of ADHD. Clinically, this would manifest by an increased ability to suppress task-unrelated thoughts and distractions resulting in improved attention, completion of tasks and potential improvement in occupational and social function.

Keywords: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Mindfulness; Treatment adjunct; Inattention; Meditation; Attention

Core tip: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic and potentially handicapping developmental disorder that affects both children and adults. Recent advances in research have led to improved screening, diagnostic algorithms, pharmacologic and psychosocial treatment for patients with ADHD. However, impairing residual symptoms persist for most affected individuals. This article explores empirical evidence supporting the use of meditation for inattention in ADHD. The results of the study have found evidence for mindfulness training as a potentially effective treatment for residual inattention after pharmacological treatment of ADHD. Adequately powered prospective studies are needed to firmly establish efficacy.