Psychotherapeutic plan to improve time management and organization in young adults with ADHD

Abstract

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that significantly affects the quality of life of young adults. In Latin America, particularly in countries such as Ecuador, this population often remains largely invisible. The absence of official data, culturally adapted diagnostic tools, limited professional training and adequate treatment options aggravates work-related, academic, and emotional problems, particularly those related to executive functioning, such as time management and organization. To address this issue, the present study aimed to develop a psychotherapeutic plan based on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to enhance time organization and management in young adults with ADHD in Manta, Ecuador. A mixed-methods approach was used, employing a non-experimental, cross-sectional design with an exploratory-descriptive scope. A non-probabilistic sample of 30 diagnosed adults was selected through snowball sampling from key locations in the city of Manta. Findings revealed that 67.54% of participants exhibited deficiencies in time management, including poor planning, limited time control and the lack of tools. Furthermore, 60.22% demonstrated a tendency toward disorganization and a lack of structure. The proposed therapeutic plan is innovative in its five-phase structure, incorporating techniques and procedures specifically adapted to address these deficits and promote sustainable strategies for daily functioning. The plan was reviewed and approved by specialists. It is recommended that future implementations of this proposal ensure proper adherence to its guidelines and that subsequent research expands the sample size to develop procedures more appropriately adapted to the local context