Background: Low response inhibition underlies attention disorders and hyperactivity. The aim of this study is to check whether these processes will be strengthened by three months of training with metacognitive strategies. Methodology: Forty-five schoolchildren took part in an experimental study (M = 10.41; SD = 1.42). Each child had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The participants were randomly assigned into three groups: the first group was tested for the effect of Mind Maps; the second group, for the effect of Sketchnoting, while the third group was assigned the role of a Control group. All of the groups were examined with the Loud Subtraction 7 test (LS7T) with a distractor before and after the training. Results: Analysis with the Wilcoxon test showed that children with ADHD made significantly fewer errors in the LS7 Test in the second measurement in the Mind Maps group (M1 = 7.45; SD1 = 4.07; M2 = 5.76; SD2 = 4.68; p = 0.02). In the remaining groups, there were no statistically significant differences in the average number of errors made. Conclusions: Mind Maps are an effective metacognitive strategy. Regular use of this method strengthens the inhibition of children with ADHD in this study. It can complement the existing forms of support for the child.
21 September 2022 in Journal of Attention Disorders
Objective: The aim of this study was to examine whether a 3-month training with the use of the metacognitive strategies would strengthen the executive function related to verbal fluency in children with ADHD. Method: A total of 45 children with ADHD ( M = 10.41; SD = 1.42) participated in a randomized experimental study. They completed the Verbal Fluency Test before and after training. Result: The results of the Wilcoxon test show that the mean number of words spoken by the child increased significantly in the second measurement compared to the first in the Mind Map group ( M = 11.40; SD = 4.03; M = 14.46; SD = 3.99; p = .001). Unfortunately, this data did not apply to the Sketchnoting Group. Verbal regression was noted in the Control Group. Conclusion: The results provide an interesting premise for further research. Perhaps Mind Mapping training can be an effective form of complementary therapy.
25 March 2024 in Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine
Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the risk factors for binge-watching (BW) among Polish medical and non-medical students. Material and methods: A STROBE-compliant cross-sectional observational study, was carried out in Poland from July 2022 – March 2023. The web-based survey...
Background: The aim of the cross-sectional study was to conduct an exploratory analysis of identifying factors related to mood, metacognitive beliefs, and limitation on individual freedom associated with lockdown restrictions during COVID-19, and to determine whether they may be relevant to the deteriorating well-being of adolescents. Methods: A total of 387 adolescents (M = 15.37; SD = 1.62): 85 with depression (DG) and 302 without any psychiatric diagnosis group (WPDG) were examined using the health survey and the CDI-2 questionnaire to assess the symptoms and severity of depression and MCQ-A to measure the intensity of dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs. Results: The feeling of restriction of freedom had an influence on worsened well-being in the whole group of responders OR = 4.15; p < 0.001 but was more in the DG than the WPDG (OR = 20.00; p < 0.001 vs. OR = 4.77; p < 0.001). Positive metacognitive beliefs were related to well-being (DG), but no effect was observed in the WPDG (OR = 0.88; p < 0.05 vs. OR = 1.05; p = 0.136). The lower age of the WPDG negatively impacted well-being (OR = 1.20; p < 0.05). Conclusions: Dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs and the feeling of restriction of freedom are important in the deterioration of adolescents’ well-being, but these factors have a stronger impact on well-being in the DG.
1 September 2019 in Current Problems of Psychiatry
The purpose of the study is to check whether the memory will be strengthened after three months of metacognitive training using such mnemonic techniques as Mind Maps and Sketchnoting in children diagnosed with ADHD. According to the most recent, the Fifth Edition of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, working memory plays a key role both in the symptoms of ADHD and in secondary problems such as: learning disorders, professional or social difficulties. Method: 45 schoolchildren took part in the experimental study (M= 10,41; SD=1.42). Each child had a diagnosed psychomotor overexcitability and attention disorders. The participants were randomly qualified into three groups: the first group was tested for the effect of Mind Maps; the second group, for the effect of Sketchnoting while the third group was assigned the role of a control group. All of the groups were administered The Deferred Naming Test before and after the training. This assessment method belongs to the PU-1 Set of Diagnostic Tests. Results: The working memory improved in each of the three groups. The smallest number of errors were made by the children in the group with Mind Maps, while the biggest number of errors were made by the children in the control group. Conclusion: Mind Maps can be an important complement to other forms of therapeutic treatment for children with ADHD diagnosis. Regular use of this tool in education or therapy strengthens the memory. The improvement of this executive function can be substantial in learning to write and read (memorization of the correct shapes of letters), remembering and recalling from memory the rules agreed with the child or better time orientation.
Background/Objectives: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe disorder with limited treatment efficacy. This interim analysis aimed to assess the preliminary efficacy and safety of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in reducing core AN symptoms, stress, depression, low self-esteem, and BMI in adolescent females, to determine the rationale for continuing the study. Methods: A single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial included 20 adolescent females with AN assigned to an active tDCS group (n = 10) or a sham group (n = 10). The intervention involved 30 sessions over three weeks, targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, post-treatment, and follow-up using the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) for eating disorder symptoms, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) for stress, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) for depression, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES) for self-esteem, and body mass index (BMI) measurements. Safety and tolerability were assessed using the tDCS Side Effects Questionnaire. Results: Eating disorder symptoms significantly decreased in the active tDCS group at study end (p = 0.003) and follow-up (p = 0.02), while no significant changes were observed in the sham group. Although BMI increased more in the active group (13.78%) than in the sham group (7.31%), this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.10). Conclusions: Adverse effects were mild and transient, with no serious safety concerns reported. Based on the results of this interim analysis, the study will proceed due to promising efficacy outcomes and good treatment tolerability.