From the Guidelines
Mindfulness is a effective adjunctive treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults, particularly for reducing inattention symptoms, improving emotion regulation, and enhancing overall quality of life. According to a recent study published in 2024 1, mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been shown to be beneficial for adults with ADHD, with significant improvements in attentional abilities, executive function, and emotional regulation. The study highlights the importance of nonjudgmental awareness and kind acceptance in mindfulness practices, which can be cultivated through standardized evidence-based programs such as Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).
Key benefits of mindfulness for adults with ADHD include:
- Reduction in inattention symptoms
- Improvement in emotion regulation
- Enhancement of executive function
- Improvement in overall quality of life These benefits are thought to be mediated by the effects of mindfulness on neural networks involved in ADHD, including the default mode network, salience network, and central executive network 1.
Clinical guidelines, such as those from the Canadian Resource Alliance (CAD-DR) and the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence in the United Kingdom, recommend MBIs as a nonpharmacologic intervention for adults with ADHD 1. To achieve optimal benefits, adults with ADHD should practice mindfulness consistently for at least 8 weeks, ideally as part of a structured program like MBCT or MBSR. Daily meditation sessions, body scan exercises, mindful breathing, and informal mindfulness during routine activities can be effective mindfulness practices for adults with ADHD.
From the Research
Effectiveness of Mindfulness for Treating ADHD in Adults
- Mindfulness-based training has gained promising preliminary empirical support as a nonpharmacological intervention for adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 2.
- Research suggests that mindfulness meditation can help regulate impaired brain functioning associated with ADHD, thereby reducing symptoms 3.
- A systematic review of 13 studies found that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) improved ADHD symptoms, executive function, and emotion dysregulation in adults with ADHD 4.
- Studies have also shown that mindfulness meditation training can improve mood, quality of life, and attention in adults with ADHD 5.
Key Findings
- A meta-analytic review found that mindfulness-based therapies (MBTs) had a moderate effect size in reducing symptoms of inattention (d = -.66) and hyperactivity/impulsivity (d = -.53) in individuals with ADHD 6.
- Mindfulness-based interventions have been found to be effective in improving cognitive functioning, emotional disturbances, and quality of life in adults with ADHD 4.
- The majority of studies have found that MBIs are effective in reducing ADHD symptoms, with one review finding that 100% of studies showed improvement in ADHD symptoms 4.
Limitations and Future Directions
- Many studies on mindfulness-based interventions for ADHD have methodological limitations, such as lack of randomization and control groups, which may affect the validity of the findings 4.
- Further research is needed to fully understand the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for ADHD and to develop more rigorous study designs 2, 3, 4.