Play therapy efficacy in ADHD-symptom reduction as measured by the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA)

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to investigate the effect of play therapy combined with the standard psychotropic medication treatment, compared  to only standard psychotropic medication treatment in ADHD children as measured by the test of variables of attention (TOVA).

Methods:  This is a case-control study conducted at Soerojo Hospital, Magelang, Indonesia. Children (N = 66) were purposively recruited.  The children were divided into two groups based on the intervention received: the experimental group (play therapy and standard  psychotropic medication) and control group (standard psychotropic medication only). Methylphenidate was used as the standard psychotropic therapy. The TOVA was performed before and after intervention. The pre-intervention and post-intervention mean  difference (MD) in the Attention Comparison Score (ACS) and Comparison to the Normative Sample (CNS) for each group was compared  and statistically analysed using t-tests and Wilcoxon tests.

Results: There was a significant difference between the ACS score of the  experimental group’s MD and the control group’s MD (p < 0.05). For most TOVA parameters on CNS scores, the experimental group had a  significantly higher MD than the control group.

Conclusion: Play therapy coupled with psychotropic medication reduced ADHD  symptoms, including inattention and impulsivity, as objectively measured by the TOVA.