Hilario Blasco-Fontecilla1, Marisa Gonzalez-Perez2, Raquel Garcia-Lopez2, Belen Poza-Cano2, Maria Rosario Perez-Moreno3, Victoria de Leon-Martinez4, Jose Otero-Perez2. 1. Centro de Salud Mental de Villalba, Departamento de Psiquiatría, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda (IDIPHIM)-Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Madrid, España; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, España; Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, España; Consulting Asistencial Sociosanitario (CAS). Electronic address: hmblasco@yahoo.es. 2. Centro de Salud Mental de Villalba, Departamento de Psiquiatría, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda (IDIPHIM)-Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Madrid, España. 3. Departamento de Psiquiatría, Hospital Clínico, Madrid, España. 4. Departamento de Psiquiatría, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (IIS)-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, España.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of playing chess as a treatment option for children with ADHD. METHODS: Parents of 44 children ages 6 to 17 with a primary diagnosis of ADHD consented to take part in the study. Parents completed the Spanish version of the Swanson, Nolan and Pelham Scale for parents (SNAP-IV) and the Abbreviated Conner's Rating Scales for parents (CPRS-HI) prior to an 11-week chess-training program. We used a paired t-test to compare pre- and post-intervention outcomes, and Cohen-d calculations to measure the magnitude of the effect. The statistical significance was set at P<.05. RESULTS: Children with ADHD improved in both the SNAP-IV (t=6.23; degrees of freedom (df)=41; P<.001) and the CPRS-HI (t=5.39; df=33; P<.001). Our results suggest a large effect in decreasing the severity of ADHD as measured by the SNAP-IV (d=0.85) and the CPRS-HI (d=0.85). Furthermore, we found a correlation between intelligence quotient and SNAP-IV improvement (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results of our pilot study should be interpreted with caution. This pilot project highlights the importance of carrying out larger studies with a case-control design. If our results are replicated in better designed studies, playing chess could be included within the multimodal treatment of ADHD.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of playing chess as a treatment option for children with ADHD. METHODS: Parents of 44 children ages 6 to 17 with a primary diagnosis of ADHD consented to take part in the study. Parents completed the Spanish version of the Swanson, Nolan and Pelham Scale for parents (SNAP-IV) and the Abbreviated Conner's Rating Scales for parents (CPRS-HI) prior to an 11-week chess-training program. We used a paired t-test to compare pre- and post-intervention outcomes, and Cohen-d calculations to measure the magnitude of the effect. The statistical significance was set at P<.05. RESULTS:Children with ADHD improved in both the SNAP-IV (t=6.23; degrees of freedom (df)=41; P<.001) and the CPRS-HI (t=5.39; df=33; P<.001). Our results suggest a large effect in decreasing the severity of ADHD as measured by the SNAP-IV (d=0.85) and the CPRS-HI (d=0.85). Furthermore, we found a correlation between intelligence quotient and SNAP-IV improvement (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results of our pilot study should be interpreted with caution. This pilot project highlights the importance of carrying out larger studies with a case-control design. If our results are replicated in better designed studies, playing chess could be included within the multimodal treatment of ADHD.