Effectiveness of Exposure Therapy on Life Satisfaction and Cognitive Flexibility in Adults with ADHD

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of exposure therapy in enhancing life satisfaction and cognitive flexibility in adults with ADHD. This study employed a randomized controlled trial design, with 30 adults diagnosed with ADHD randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 15) receiving eight sessions of exposure therapy or a control group (n = 15) receiving no intervention. Life satisfaction and cognitive flexibility were assessed at baseline, post-treatment, and five-month follow-up using the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI), respectively. Data analysis was conducted using repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) to examine within- and between-group differences over time, with post-hoc pairwise comparisons performed using the Bonferroni adjustment. The results indicated a significant main effect of time and group, as well as a significant interaction effect between time and group for both life satisfaction and cognitive flexibility (p < 0.01). Post-hoc analyses showed that the experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in both variables from baseline to post-treatment (p < 0.001), with these gains maintained at follow-up. In contrast, the control group showed no significant changes over time. The findings suggest that exposure therapy effectively enhances life satisfaction and cognitive flexibility in adults with ADHD, with long-term benefits observed at follow-up. Exposure therapy appears to be a promising intervention for improving life satisfaction and cognitive flexibility in adults with ADHD. By reducing avoidance behaviors and promoting adaptive cognitive responses, this approach may help individuals with ADHD develop greater emotional and cognitive adaptability. The sustained benefits observed at follow-up suggest that exposure therapy may provide long-lasting improvements in quality of life for this population.