Interventions to Address the Academic Impairment of Children and Adolescents with ADHD

Abstract

There exists a strong link between ADHD and academic underachievement. Both the core behavioral symptoms of ADHD and associated executive functioning deficits likely contribute to academic impairment. Current evidence-based approaches to the treatment of ADHD (i.e., stimulant medication, clinical behavior therapy and classroom behavioral interventions) have demonstrated a robust impact on behavioral variables such as attention and disruptive behavior within classroom analogue settings; however, their efficacy in improving academic outcomes is much less clear. Although surprisingly few treatment outcome studies of ADHD have attempted to incorporate interventions that specifically target academic outcomes, the studies that are available suggest that these interventions may be beneficial. The state of the treatment literature for addressing academic impairment in children and adolescents with ADHD will be reviewed herein, as well as limitations of current research, and directions for future research.

Will Working Memory Training Generalize to Improve Off-Task Behavior in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder?

“…The use of a laboratory measure permitted us to obtain objective outcomes that are not susceptible to the measurement and informant bias that would be encountered in a classroom situation. We selected a task related to performance during an academic task because ADHD is associated with negative outcomes in academic achievement, including lower reading and math achievement scores [52][53][54][55][56], lower high school completion rates [57], and an alarmingly high use of special education services [14]. In the current project, we hypothesized that 25 sessions of intensive, adaptive WM training would lead to improved on-task behavior during a simulated academic task (i.e., RAST), traditional WM measures, and parent ratings of ADHD.…”

Computer use in educational activities by students with ADHD

“…The prevalence is estimated to be 3 to 6 percent of school-aged children, and boys are about three times more likely than girls to be diagnosed (1,2). Students with ADHD display a higher risk, relative to the general population, of experiencing behavioural and educational difficulties in school that may have a negative impact on their educational performance; these difficulties frequently persist into adulthood (3)(4)(5).…”

“…Challenging behaviours include off-task and disruptive classroom behaviour, decreased work productivity, lack of study skills and difficulty with peer interaction (5,6). Furthermore, there is considerable evidence that ADHD in students induces long-term negative consequences resulting in low grade-point averages (7) and a high school dropout rate (8,9) compared with those of students without disabilities.…”

“…Furthermore, there is considerable evidence that ADHD in students induces long-term negative consequences resulting in low grade-point averages (7) and a high school dropout rate (8,9) compared with those of students without disabilities. Students with ADHD represent a significant proportion of students with disabilities who may struggle academically (5,6); therefore, they may need an increased use of accommodations in a regular educational setting. According to the new Educational Act (10) in Sweden, support is to be provided by the school's healthcare facilities, which are responsible for monitoring the students' development and for protecting and improving the students' medical and psychosocial health and special educational needs.…”

“…Occupational therapists are part of these multiprofessional teams working at these centres. Given that adolescents with ADHD may struggle academically, more knowledge is needed about how to support students with ADHD in educational activities (5). One type of accommodation in school that holds promise for students with ADHD is the use of information and communication technology (ICT), such as computers and the Internet (12).…”