Effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation and cognitive therapy based on mindfulness on inhibitory control and selective attention in adults with attention deficient/hyperactivity disorder

Abstract Background: Hyperactivity disorder/attention deficit is one of the most adverse neurological disorders that are associated with multiple defects in cognitive and behavioral dimensions, and sometimes continues until adulthood. Today, due to side effects of drugs, compulsion to continue consumption in order to maintain the effects and weak adherence to drug therapy, Non-drug treatments has been welcomed for this disorder. The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of cognitive therapy based on mind awareness and transcranial direct current stimulation on inhibition control and selective attention. Method: This experimental study has multi-groups pretest-posttest design in which an experimental group is exposed to electrical stimulation intervention (5 sessions of 20-minute interventions of electrical stimulation with flow of 1 mA) and one another experimental group was exposed to Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (8 sessions 90 minutes, three days a week) and the control group did not receive any intervention. The statistical population is all people with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in Rasht. Participants in this study were 45 subjects (15 in each group), which were selected by the convenience method and also in recall. Results: The results showed that cognitive therapy based on mind awareness and electrical stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex had a significant effect on inhibition control and selective attention. Conclusions: Based on the findings, it is recommended that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and transcranial direct current stimulation methods be used by psychiatrists, psychologists and psychotherapists in neurological clinics and psychological services as a method of intervention and prevention.