Evidence-Based Behavioral Treatments for ADHD
| Intervention Type . | Description . | Typical Outcome(s) . | Median Effect Sizea . |
|---|---|---|---|
| Behavioral parent training (BPT) | Behavior-modification principles provided to parents for implementation in home settings | Improved compliance with parental commands; improved parental understanding of behavioral principles; high levels of parental satisfaction with treatment | 0.55 |
| Behavioral classroom management | Behavior-modification principles provided to teachers for implementation in classroom settings | Improved attention to instruction; improved compliance with classroom rules; decreased disruptive behavior; improved work productivity | 0.61 |
| Behavioral peer interventions (BPI)b | Interventions focused on peer interactions/relationships; these are often group-based interventions provided weekly and include clinic-based social-skills training used either alone or concurrently with behavioral parent training and/or medication | Office-based interventions have produced minimal effects; interventions have been of questionable social validity; some studies of BPI combined with clinic-based BPT found positive effects on parent ratings of ADHD symptoms; no differences on social functioning or parent ratings of social behavior have been revealed |
| Intervention Type . | Description . | Typical Outcome(s) . | Median Effect Sizea . |
|---|---|---|---|
| Behavioral parent training (BPT) | Behavior-modification principles provided to parents for implementation in home settings | Improved compliance with parental commands; improved parental understanding of behavioral principles; high levels of parental satisfaction with treatment | 0.55 |
| Behavioral classroom management | Behavior-modification principles provided to teachers for implementation in classroom settings | Improved attention to instruction; improved compliance with classroom rules; decreased disruptive behavior; improved work productivity | 0.61 |
| Behavioral peer interventions (BPI)b | Interventions focused on peer interactions/relationships; these are often group-based interventions provided weekly and include clinic-based social-skills training used either alone or concurrently with behavioral parent training and/or medication | Office-based interventions have produced minimal effects; interventions have been of questionable social validity; some studies of BPI combined with clinic-based BPT found positive effects on parent ratings of ADHD symptoms; no differences on social functioning or parent ratings of social behavior have been revealed |
Effect size = (treatment median − control median)/control SD.
The effect size for behavioral peer interventions is not reported, because the effect sizes for these studies represent outcomes associated with combined interventions. A lower effect size means that they have less of an effect. The effect sizes found are considered moderate.
Adapted from Pelham W, Fabiano GA. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2008;37(1):184–214.