2 - (IOP 30) Enhancing Behavioral Parent Training for Parents with ADHD: Addressing Key Barriers to Improve Treatment Outcomes

ADHD is one of the most common childhood mental health disorders, with long-term impairments across multiple domains. Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) is a first-line intervention for childhood ADHD; however, many families experience suboptimal outcomes, particularly when parents also have ADHD. Parental ADHD is a robust predictor of poor BPT adherence and reduced treatment effectiveness, as parents with ADHD report greater difficulties with skill acquisition and implementation.

This presentation describes the early-stage development of the Executive Functioning Enhanced Caregiver Training Skills (EFECTS) intervention, a novel adaptation of BPT designed to address barriers faced by parents with ADHD. EFECTS incorporates (a) in-session Adult CBT modules targeting caregiver executive functioning, motivation, and emotion regulation, and (b) a smartphone-based app delivering real-time reminders and CBT-based prompts to enhance skill consistency. This user-centered approach aims to address the cognitive and practical challenges that hinder BPT engagement.

Methods: This mixed-methods project leverages qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with parents with ADHD (n=17; 69% White/non-Hispanic, 20% Hispanic, 12% mixed race) who recently completed BPT for their children (aged 7-11), along with BPT clinicians (n=6) to identify core barriers to skill use. Additional feedback from a second cohort of parents (n=10) and clinicians (n=6) will inform the refinement of EFECTS content and app features.

Results: Thematic analysis revealed executive functioning challenges (e.g., forgetfulness, procrastination, disorganization), ADHD-related difficulties (e.g., inattention, impulsivity), emotion regulation struggles, and poor intervention fit as key barriers to sustained BPT skill use. Initial user feedback on EFECTS prototype modules designed to address each barrier will also be presented.

Discussion: Findings underscore the need for interventions tailored to the executive functioning and self-regulation challenges faced by parents with ADHD. By integrating user feedback throughout development, EFECTS aims to enhance accessibility, scalability, and implementation feasibility in real-world settings. Future directions include iterative UX testing to optimize intervention components and maximize engagement among diverse families.