Open-label study: Exploring Culturally Adapted Psychosocial Programs for Haredi (Jewish Ultra-Orthodox) Parents of Children Exhibiting ADHD Symptoms

Introduction Parent-focused interventions are an important part of the treatment plan for children with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Minority families tend to be less involved in psychosocial treatments and are more likely to discontinue the intervention. The Haredi community in Israel is a cultural-religious minority of 1.2 million people Objectives We aimed to assess the feasibility and potential efficacy of culturally adapted psychosocial programs for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) within the Haredi community in Israel. Methods This was an open-label non-randomized study conducted within the Haredi community in Israel between 2018 and 2021. The participants (N=265) were parents of children aged 8-12 years who had been diagnosed with ADHD or exhibited ADHD symptoms. Three culturally adapted programs were compared: 1. A program involving only the parents (N=46), 2. A program involving both children and parents (N=155) and 3. Only recorded video lectures with no interaction (N=38). Parents completed questionnaires to assess their self-efficacy using the Parenting Self-Efficacy tool (TOPSE) and their child’s ADHD symptom severity, using the Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Parent Rating Scale (VADPRS) both before and after the intervention. Results The programs demonstrated high feasibility. Of 335 referrals, 265 parents were recruited. Participation rates differed significantly between the video lectures program (60%) and the two interactive programs (80%, p <0.001). A significant interaction was found between time and program type for both parental efficacy (F(2,213)=5.65, p=0.004) and for ADHD symptomatology (F(2, 213)=5.65, p =0.004). Post hoc analysis revealed that the video lectures program showed no benefit, whereas both interactive programs (parents-only and parent-child) exhibited improvement in parental self-efficacy and reduction in reported ADHD symptom severity. Conclusions Despite certain limitations, this study suggests that culturally adapted psychosocial programs for ADHD in the Haredi community are feasible and that including an interactive component is crucial for effectiveness. Disclosure of Interest None Declared