Evaluation of an intervention program in indigenous students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Abstract

The study evaluates an intervention program in primary school children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD ) of an indigenous community in Chiapas. An initial assessment was carried out, an intervention proposed and a final evaluation, in study and control groups was done. The program includes self-instructional techniques, problem solving, attention on play and use of language as an organizer of action, and the Play Attention Interface Box, software that combines brain activity monitoring and cognitive skills exercises. Contrasting the results between the first and second evaluations by the Wilcoxon test for related samples in the study group indicated significant differences were obtained, with increased working memory, selective and sustained attention with greater efficiency, and inattentive behavior, hyperactivity, physiological anxiety and social concern reduced. The results, although encouraging, necessitate the use of larger samples with discrimination of interventional techniques.