Cognitive Remediation for ADHD

Several alternatives to medication exist as treatments for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). One alternative treatment modality is Cognitive Remediation, or Neuropsychological Remediation, as it is sometimes called. Cognitive remediation is a therapeutic approach targeting specific cognitive functions, such as attention, organization, planning, or memory, that constitute an individual’s weaknesses or impairments. A course of cognitive remediation begins with neuropsychological testing, which determines the individual’s specific areas of weakness. Then a set of structured exercises is composed to develop the deficient areas, and additional methods are introduced to deal with compensating for these deficits. Such exercises may be delivered via a computer program, or by individual or group activities, with the exercises tailored to the person’s needs. The length of the treatment depends on the nature and extent of the deficits, and on the participant’s effort.