ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL THERAPY, SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29076/issn.2602-8379vol10iss19.2026pp71-88pKeywords:
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, cognitive-behavioral techniques, pharmacological treatment, attention, academic performanceAbstract
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the neurodevelopmental disorders with the greatest impact on attention, self-regulation, and children’s academic performance. The aim of this study was to analyze recent scientific evidence on the comparative effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy and pharmacological treatment in children with ADHD, specifically considering attention and academic performance from 2008 to 2025. A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, using databases such as PubMed, PMC, Google Scholar, Redalyc, Scielo, and Frontiers. A total of 25 studies that met the eligibility criteria were analyzed. The results show that cognitive-behavioral interventions lead to significant improvements in executive functions, working memory, self-regulation, and, in several cases, academic performance. Pharmacological treatments produce an immediate reduction of the core ADHD symptoms; however, their direct effect on academic learning tends to be limited or moderate. It is concluded that cognitive-behavioral therapy offers more sustained and generalizable benefits in the school context, whereas pharmacotherapy is useful for symptomatic control.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Nancy Karina Granda Songor, María Fernanda Guerrero Vaca, María Daniela Castillo Gálvez
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