Focus and attention

Authoritative Acas guidance specifically focused on neurodivergent workers. It gives practical examples such as quiet working areas, headphones, screen filters, written instructions broken into steps, visual planners, regular check-ins, additional reminders, extra planning time and advance warning of workplace changes. Acas stresses that adjustments should be based on the individual rather than diagnosis alone, and that workers do not necessarily need a formal diagnosis before support is considered.

A multicentre randomised controlled trial of 120 adults with ADHD comparing mindfulness-based cognitive therapy plus treatment as usual with treatment as usual alone. The mindfulness group showed a greater reduction in clinician-rated ADHD symptoms after treatment, and benefits were maintained at six-month follow-up. Improvements were also reported in self-rated symptoms and some wider measures, although executive-function improvements were not apparent immediately after treatment

Meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found small improvements in inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity and executive function for meditation-based mind-body interventions compared with control conditions. The authors note that the evidence base still needs strengthening, so these approaches should not be presented as established replacements for standard ADHD treatment.

A randomised controlled trial of 60 adults with ADHD comparing two forms of computerised cognitive training. Both groups showed improvements in self-reported symptoms, everyday executive functioning and occupational performance, but the higher-level executive training did not outperform the simpler control training. Neurocognitive test performance and quality of life did not significantly improve, so the study does not provide strong evidence that more intensive cognitive training produces specific additional benefits