Dikkat Eksikliği Hiperaktivite Bozukluğu erişkinlerde de hayatın birçok yönünü olumsuz etkileyen bir bozukluktur. Eğitim hayatı, iş hayatı, evlilik ve ilişkiler üzerinde yıkıcı etkileri vardır. Farmakoterapi DEHB’nin tedavisinde birincil tedavi yöntemi olmakla birlikte özellikle DEHB’nin ikincil belirtileri, işlevsellikte yol açtığı yaşamsal sorunlar ve ilaç tedavisi sonrası rezidüel belirtiler açısından psikososyal müdahaleler tedavinin bir parçası olarak önem taşır. Bu makalede psikoterapinin erişkin DEHB’de etkinliğini gösteren çalışmaları kısaca gözden geçirilecek, psikososyal müdahalelerin neden gerekli olduğu, terapist ve terapi arayışındaki hastanın karşılaşabileceği sorunlar tartışılacaktır.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder with many disastrous effects on various areas of daily life such as education, career, marriage and relationships. Pharmacotherapy is currently the major and primary treatment modality proved by many well established controlled studies. Many patients go on suffering residual symptoms despite successful pharmacotherapy. An ADHD patient living long years without proper treatment will develop maladaptive coping strategies and cognitive distortions effecting his/her perception of self, others and the world. ADHD has some secondary symptoms along with the primary symptoms of attention deficit, hyperactivity and or impulsivity, such as loss of self esteem as a result of underachievement, relationship problems, economic problems, problems in business life and such. Residual symptoms, maladaptive coping strategies and secondary symptoms are the focus of psychosocial interventions. Although still scarce, in the last decade some studies are published about psychosocial treatment modalities of adult ADHD. There studies mostly based on cognitive behavioral model. Some other treatment modalities such as “ADHD couching” are widely promoted without scientific evidence. This paper reviews some of the currently available literature about the effectiveness of psychosocial treatment modalities. Effectiveness of psychotherapy without pharmacotherapy, appropriate timing of various interventions and some issues about the psychosocial treatment modalities that require attention are discussed throughout this paper.