Sharon Schwam
Multimodal Treatment of
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder:
Examination of Functional Behavioral
Change Using an Alternating Treatments
Design
SchoolFuchs Mizrachi School • University Heights, Ohio
ProgramScience Internship
MentorMichael J. Manos, PhD
Department
Department of Pediatric Behavioral Health,
Cleveland Clinic
- Research
- Multimodal Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Examination of Functional Behavioral Change Using an Alternating Treatments Design
- Hypothesis
- This study assessed the hypotheses that (1) the attentiveness of children with behavior problems in a classroom setting changes as a function of pharmacotherapy, behavior modification, or the combination of the two, and (2) the most effective treatment for children with ADHD includes a combination of drug treatment- and behavior modification.
- Methodology
- A randomized sample of seventeen children diagnosed with ADHD between the ages of six through twelve was selected for the study. Three observations within an academic learning center, art learning center, and peer tutoring center were conducted for each child for twelve days during a course of the three weeks. Observers recorded both on and off task behaviors, as well as other target behaviors of the child and teacher at the end of every interval.
- Outcomes
- The results support the hypothesis that behavior changes as a function of behavior modification and medication treatment. When individually comparing behavior modification and drug treatment, drug treatment proved more effective in maintaining child attentiveness. Negative behavior was displayed more frequently when behavior modification and medication treatment was withdrawn. The findings show that drug treatment is not as functional as behavior modification in controlling negative behaviors.
Interpretations
