Where Is the Evidence? No. 12
Start, Stay, Finish: ADHD Focus Plan
A one page plan to start a task, stay with it, and actually finish, built on ADHD skills research.
6 pages · US Letter PDF, print and fillable versions · references with PMIDs
Where’s the evidence? CBT for adult ADHD had medium effects compared with control across 32 studies (Knouse 2017).
Instant PDF download right after purchase (print and fillable versions). Questions or refunds: contact us. Checkout is by Stripe; the seller on your receipt is Advantage Coaching, LLC.
Clinician use included. Licensed for personal use, or for one clinician to use with their own clients and students. Please don’t resell, redistribute, or upload it to shared drives or marketplaces.
Mason’s own product; Therapist Front Page earns from these sales.
What’s inside
Starting is hard, staying is hard, and finishing is hardest. This one page plan breaks a task into a tiny first step, a set time and place, short focus blocks, and a clear finish line. A short evidence strip on the page shows what skills based CBT for adult ADHD supports.
- One page focus plan with the evidence printed on it
- How-to plus a short worked example
- Quick card: start, stay, and finish tricks
- Weekly task board
- Clinician page: evidence, honest limits, when not to use
- References with PMIDs and DOIs
All 6 pages, and who each is for
- Start, Stay, Finish · Client
- Make starting easy · Client
- Start, stay, finish tricks · Client
- One Main Task a Day · Client
- Where's the evidence? · Clinician
- References · Clinician
Page 1: Start, Stay, Finish 
Page 2: Make starting easy 
Page 3: Start, stay, finish tricks 
Page 4: One Main Task a Day 
Page 5: Where's the evidence? 
Page 6: References
Where’s the evidence?
Skills based CBT for adult ADHD (planning, organizing, and getting started) has moderate support. This plan puts those skills on one page.
On the worksheet itself
- Skills based CBT for adult ADHD had medium effects vs. control across 32 studies. (Knouse et al. 2017)
- Twelve sessions of CBT beat a matched relaxation control in 86 adults. (Safren et al. 2010)
- A planning and time management group beat supportive therapy in 88 adults. (Solanto et al. 2010)
On the clinician page
- Meta-analysis. 32 studies, up to 896 adults: CBT vs. control g = .65 for symptoms and .51 for functioning; smaller with active controls. (Knouse et al. 2017)
- Controlled trial. 86 adults still symptomatic on medication: 12 sessions of CBT beat attention matched relaxation; responders 53% vs. 23%. (Safren et al. 2010)
- Group format. 88 adults: a 12 week time management, organization, and planning group beat supportive therapy (response OR 5.41). (Solanto et al. 2010)
- Systematic review. 14 RCTs, 700 participants: CBT beat waiting list for self reported symptoms (SMD −0.84, moderate quality evidence). (Lopez et al. 2018)
Honest limitation
Much of the evidence is low quality (Cochrane review), most studies are of adults, and a one page plan is a tool, not the full therapy. Effects are smaller against active controls.
When not to use it (yet)
- Focus problems not yet evaluated: rule out sleep, mood, and medical causes
- Severe depression: start with mood first
- As a way to shame lateness or missed tasks
- Young children: use caregiver led routines instead
Figures are quoted as reported in each paper’s PubMed abstract. Every source below was checked in PubMed on October 26, 2026.
References (4 sources, with PMIDs)
- Knouse LE, Teller J, Brooks MA (2017). Meta-analysis of cognitive-behavioral treatments for adult ADHD. J Consult Clin Psychol. PMID 28504540
- Lopez PL, Torrente FM, Ciapponi A, et al. (2018). Cognitive-behavioural interventions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. PMID 29566425
- Safren SA, Sprich S, Mimiaga MJ, et al. (2010). Cognitive behavioral therapy vs relaxation with educational support for medication-treated adults with ADHD and persistent symptoms: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. PMID 20736471
- Solanto MV, Marks DJ, Wasserstein J, et al. (2010). Efficacy of meta-cognitive therapy for adult ADHD. Am J Psychiatry. PMID 20231319
The clinician page
Every worksheet in the series ends with one clinician page and a references page. The numbers come straight from each study’s PubMed abstract, and thin evidence is labeled as thin.
How it’s used
Built for
- Adults and teens with ADHD or focus problems
- Therapists and ADHD coaches
- Students
- Anyone who procrastinates
A simple flow
- Pick one task and define done
- Shrink the first step
- Set when, where, and blocks
- Finish, reward, and review
License: clinician use included
Clinician use included. Licensed for personal use, or for one clinician to use with their own clients and students. Please don’t resell, redistribute, or upload it to shared drives or marketplaces.
Get Start, Stay, Finish: ADHD Focus Plan
Instant PDF download right after purchase (print and fillable versions). Questions or refunds: contact us. Checkout is by Stripe; the seller on your receipt is Advantage Coaching, LLC.
Mason’s own product; Therapist Front Page earns from these sales.
Created by Mason Anglin, PsyD, LMFT, MBA · LMFT #121211 · Registered Psychological Associate #PSB94029529
Educational, not a substitute for care. In a crisis in the US, call or text 988.