CBT for Adult Inmates With ADHD

Starting soon · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

In brief

Background Recent literature suggests that ADHD is a risk factor for the development of antisocial behavior that is more severe and persistent than in community and other psychiatric populations. The combination of stimulant medication and psychotherapy (particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy, CBT) is considered an evidence-based intervention for adults with ADHD. In contrast, few studies have evaluated the efficacy of medication in adult prisoners with ADHD, and the literature on the efficacy of psychotherapy is virtually nonexistent. Therefore, this article presents the protocol of a trial that will assess the efficacy of a formulation-based CBT program for inmates with ADHD. Methods The study has a multicenter randomized controlled trial design. After screening and recruitment, participants will be randomly assigned to the CBT intervention, a general offender treatment program, or a waitlist. Pre- and post-treatment self-report and clinician-report assessments, as well as 6- and 12-month follow-up assessments will be conducted. These will include both clinical (e.g., ADHD symptoms, depression and anxiety symptoms, self-esteem, alcohol/drug abuse, treatment adherence, quality of life) and criminological (e.g., recidivism and risk of recidivism) measures. Linear mixed models will be used to assess differences between groups. Discussion This study may be the first to evaluate the efficacy of a psychotherapy intervention in adult inmates with ADHD. It is expected that addressing the specific needs of ADHD would not only result in the previously reported clinical improvements (e.g., reduction in ADHD and comorbidity symptoms), but also reduce the risk and rate of recidivism compared to the general intervention or no intervention. However, the design may be limited by the difficulties inherent in the prison setting and in following up the sample after release.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT06080373
Run by: Universidad Europea de Valencia
People needed: 111
Starts: 2027-09-01
Expected to finish: 2029-09-01
Last updated by the study team: 2026-05-06

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

To have signed written informed consent to participate in the study
To be between 18 and 65 years of age
To meet the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for ADHD (American Psychiatric Association, 2013)
To have been convicted of at least one crime under Spanish or German criminal law
To have been incarcerated for at least six months and three or fewer years since the completion of the conviction at the time of eligibility assessment.

You may not qualify if…

To have a severe personality disorder, psychotic disorder, or pervasive developmental disorder as their primary diagnosis, as the intervention would not meet their clinical needs
To have an IQ of 80 or less, as measured by a standardized IQ test (Raven et al., 1993), due to the complexity of the cognitive components in the CBT program
To have participated in a previous psychological intervention for ADHD;
To not be fluent in Spanish or German, depending on the study site.

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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