Improving homework performance among children with ADHD: A randomized clinical trial.

Abstract

Objective Evidence indicates that children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) experience acute and prolonged academic impairment and underachievement including marked difficulty with completing homework. This study is the first to examine the effects of behavioral, psychostimulant, and combined treatments on homework problems, which have been shown to predict academic performance longitudinally. Method Children with ADHD (ages 5-12, N = 75, 71% male, 83% Hispanic/Latino) and their families were randomly assigned to either behavioral treatment (homework-focused parent training and a daily report card; BPT+DRC) or a waitlist control group. Children also participated in a concurrent psychostimulant crossover trial conducted in a summer treatment program. Children's objective homework completion and accuracy were measured as well as parent-reported child homework behaviors and parenting skills. Results BPT+DRC had large effects on objective measures of homework completion and accuracy (Cohen's ds from 1.40, to 2.21, ps < .001). Other findings, including unimodal medication and incremental combined treatment benefits, were not significant. Conclusions Behavioral treatment focused on homework problems results in clear benefits for children's homework completion and accuracy (the difference between passing failing, on average) whereas long-acting stimulant medication resulted in limited and largely non-significant acute effects on homework performance.

Pay Attention to Inattention: Exploring ADHD Symptoms in a Sample of Underachieving Gifted Students

“…If some causes are quite rare, they should be considered after more common causes have been explored. As previously stated, ADHD affects approximately 9% of school-age children (Danielson et al, 2018), making it the most common mental health disorder among children (Merrill et al, 2017). The gifted field, in general, has been wary of the misdiagnosis of ADHD (Baum, 1998; Baum & Olenchak, 2002; Baum et al, 1998; Hua et al, 2014; Webb et al, 2005), yet considering the possibility of ADHD for underachieving gifted students may be particularly valuable.…”

“…Students with ADHD often struggle to achieve academically (Merrill et al, 2017). Early research in this area suggested that the presence of low achievement for students with ADHD was nearly 20% (Frick & Lahey, 1991).…”

Z-Score Neurofeedback and Heart Rate Variability Training for Adults and Children with Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Retrospective Study

“…However, these therapies often do not generalize well to other aspects of the child’s life beyond the specific behaviors trained. A recent randomized clinical trial found that, for elementary school children who attended a rigorous six-week summer behavior training program, those whose parents participated in twelve hours of behavioral training performed substantially better on their homework than children in the program who took ADHD medication (Merrill et al 2017). Although these results are encouraging, it remains to be seen whether such a program would be feasible outside of an intensive summer school setting.…”

Trastorno por Déficit de Atención con Hiperactividad: revisión del tratamiento psicológico

“…Se ha comprobado mediante ensayo clínicos que los cumplidores del programa Challenging Horizons Program, vinculado a la TC, mostraron beneficios importantes en la organización, comportamientos disruptivos, desempeño de la tarea y calificaciones, respecto a los controles, con resultados que perduraron 6 meses después del término del tratamiento (Schultz, Evans, Langberg & Schoemann, 2017). En la misma línea el TC (entrenamiento para padres enfocado en la tarea y un boletín de calificaciones diario) centrado en las tareas escolares presenta beneficios claros para la terminación y exactitud de la tarea de los niños, mientras que la medicación estimulante de acción prolongada dio lugar a efectos limitados y no significativos (Merrill et al, 2017). También se ha demostrado mediante un ensayo clínico que cuando el programa de tratamiento Child Life and Attention Skills involucra conjuntamente a padres, profesores y niños el resultado es mejor que realizado solo con los padres o con el tratamiento habitual.…”