Abstract
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders and can have a significant impact on an individual’s day-to-day life. Existing treatments including pharmacological and psychological interventions are effective, however, have limitations, and do not meet all the needs of this clinical population. Individuals with ADHD experience high rates of co-morbid mental health difficulties and may disengage or not respond to therapy if their underlying difficulties are not addressed. With the rise of referrals for ADHD assessments, services are under pressure to provide effective and acceptable treatments.
This thesis aimed to explore neurostimulation as a potential intervention for ADHD, which would be used as an alternative or adjunct to existing treatment. Part A describes a feasibility study which explored transcranial random noise stimulation combined with cognitive training as an intervention for adults with ADHD. The findings suggest that the intervention may be feasible and could be explored in a larger sample to determine its efficacy. The study also provides preliminary evidence that tRNS may be effective at reducing ADHD symptoms, although further investigation on larger and more diverse samples is necessary.
Part B describes a scoping review which explored how acceptability is measured in research investigating neurostimulation as an intervention for ADHD in adults. Results showed that neurostimulation research has rarely considered acceptability, and predominantly focuses on efficacy, with some reports of side effects and attrition. Acceptability is a crucial element of implementation of new interventions, especially for individuals with ADHD who may struggle with the motivation and executive functioning skills to engage in treatment. The findings identified a significant gap in the literature which may exist because of the primarily medical approach in neuroscientific research.