Effects of Music-Based Occupational Therapy on Attention and Executive Functions in Children With ADHD

NCT07253558 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: E-10840098-772.02-2028
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 39
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects children's attention, behavior, and emotional regulation. This study examined whether occupational therapy sessions that include structured music activities can improve attention and executive functions in children with ADHD compared to standard occupational therapy. Thirty-nine children aged 6 to 17 participated and were randomly assigned to two groups. The music-based group received 45-minute sessions once a week for six weeks using harmonica and drum activities, while the control group received standard occupational therapy. Children's attention, executive skills, and caregiver stress were measured before and after the intervention using standardized parent-report scales. Both groups improved after therapy, but the music-based occupational therapy group showed greater gains in attention.

Conditions

Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Keywords

ADHD; Attention; Caregiver; Executive functions; Music-based activities

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Attention Performance

  Change in attention performance of children with ADHD after six weeks of music-based occupational therapy. Attention levels are assessed using the DSM-V Level 2 Inattention Scale, an 8-item parent-report questionnaire that evaluates inattention symptoms during the past seven days. The DSM-5 Level 2 Inattention Scale provides a four-point Likert-type assessment for screening inattention (0 = none, 1 = a little, 2 = quite a bit, 3 = very much). The sum of the scores obtained from the eight items can range between 0 and 24. A higher score indicates greater severity of inattention.

  Baseline and 6 weeks after intervention.

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Executive Function Skills

  Baseline and 6 weeks after intervention.

• Caregiver Burden Level

  Baseline and 6 weeks after intervention.

Study Arms (1)

Music-Based Occupational Therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in the experimental group received music-based occupational therapy for children with ADHD. The sessions were held once a week for six weeks, each lasting approximately 45 minutes. During the sessions, occupational therapy-based music activities were conducted using harmonicas and drums. These instruments were selected for their therapeutic potential to enhance fine motor skills, provide oral-motor sensory input, and promote rhythmic coordination. Sessions were conducted individually in a clinical environment and aimed to improve attention, executive functions, and caregiver-related outcomes.

Behavioral: Music-Based Occupational Therapy

Interventions

Music-Based Occupational Therapy BEHAVIORAL

This behavioral intervention consisted of six weeks of occupational therapy-based music sessions lasting 45 minutes each, performed once a week. The intervention involved therapeutic use of harmonica and drums integrated into occupational therapy sessions to support sensory processing, attention, and motor planning in children with ADHD. The approach focused on enhancing attention, executive function, play skills, and self-regulation through rhythm-based sensory and motor engagement.

Music-Based Occupational Therapy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 5 Years - 12 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Clinical diagnosis of ADHD
• Being between 5 and 12 years of age.
• Residing in Istanbul.
• The caregiver scoring 21 or above on the Parental Stress Index (PSI).
• The caregiver being between 18 and 65 years of age

You may not qualify if:

• Having an additional diagnosis accompanying ADHD.
• Having experienced a cardiopulmonary problem within the last 3 months.
• Having previously learned to play a musical instrument.
• The caregiver scoring 31 or above on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Istanbul Medipol University Hospital: lead
• Rutgers University: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Istanbul Medipol University Hospital

Istanbul, Beykoz, 34820, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Yeniceli D, Sener E, Korkmaz OT, Dogrukol-Ak D, Tuncel N. A simple and sensitive LC-ESI-MS (ion trap) method for the determination of bupropion and its major metabolite, hydroxybupropion in rat plasma and brain microdialysates. Talanta. 2011 Mar 15;84(1):19-26. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2010.11.063. Epub 2010 Dec 21.

  PMID: 21315892 BACKGROUND

Related Links

• Case report published in Cureus related to therapeutic interventions in ADHD (PDF).
• Research article published in DergiPark related to occupational therapy-based interventions in children with ADHD.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: Not applicable. This is an open-label single-arm study. The intervention was openly delivered to all participants by the same occupational therapist. No blinding was applied to participants or outcome assessors.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator and Research Assistant, Department of Occupational Therapy, Istanbul Medipol University; PhD Student, Health Sciences University

Model Details: The study was based on an occupational therapy-centered intervention model designed to enhance attention and executive functioning skills in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The intervention model consisted of two structured therapeutic approaches. The first, the Occupational Therapy-Based Music Activity Model, integrated core principles of sensory integration, motor planning, and emotional regulation through rhythmic and interactive musical experiences. This approach emphasized active engagement, auditory-motor coordination, and task-oriented participation, aiming to support sustained attention, impulse control, and goal-directed behavior. The music-based sessions were delivered by an occupational therapist using structured group activities involving rhythm instruments, body movements, and attention-focused musical games. The second model, the Structured Occupational Therapy ADHD Protocol, served as the control intervention and was developed in accordance

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 14, 2025
• First Posted: November 28, 2025
• Study Start: April 30, 2022
• Primary Completion: April 30, 2023
• Study Completion: April 30, 2023
• Last Updated: November 28, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)