ABSTRACT
This study examined the effects of music and video on the classroom behavior and performance of boys with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and examined the effects of 0.3 mg/kg methylphenidate (MPH). In one study, 41 boys with ADHD and 26 controls worked in the presence of no distractor, music, or video. Video produced significant distraction, particularly for the boys with ADHD, and MPH improved the performance of boys with ADHD across distractor conditions.There were individual differences in response to the music such that some boys were adversely affected and others benefited relative to no-distractor.In a second study, music and MPH were assessed in an additional 86 boys with ADHD to examine further the music results. In the presence or absence of music, MPH improved performance relative to placebo. Similar individual differences were found as in Experiment 1.
Subject(s)
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/therapy , Music , Video Recording , Attention , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/drug therapy , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/psychology , Behavior Therapy/methods , Case-Control Studies , Central Nervous System Stimulants/therapeutic use , Child , Child Behavior/drug effects , Child Behavior/psychology , Combined Modality Therapy , Educational Status , Humans , Individuality , Male , Methylphenidate/therapeutic use , Music/psychology , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effectiveness of stimulant medication on multiple domains of functioning in 36 young (5 to 6 years old) children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHOD: Five- and 6-year-old children attending a summer treatment program between 1987 and 1997 underwent a randomized clinical assessment of the effect of two doses of methylphenidate (0.3 mg/kg versus 0.6 mg/kg) and placebo on social behavior and academic performance. RESULTS: Methylphenidate had an effect on all four social behaviors and improved two of the three areas of academic functioning. Dose effects were present for three of the seven dependent measures. Individual analyses indicated a therapeutic response rate between 39% and 100% across dependent measures. Furthermore, individual analyses of response indicated that across several important dependent measures, 39% to 98% of children showed little incremental improvement with the higher dose compared with the lower dose of stimulant medication. CONCLUSIONS: Stimulant medication is an effective treatment for young children diagnosed with ADHD; however, multiple domains of functioning must be assessed to determine the most effective dose for young children with ADHD.
Subject(s)
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/drug therapy , Central Nervous System Stimulants/therapeutic use , Methylphenidate/therapeutic use , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/diagnosis , Central Nervous System Stimulants/administration & dosage , Child , Child, Preschool , Cross-Over Studies , Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Double-Blind Method , Female , Humans , Male , Methylphenidate/administration & dosageABSTRACT
This study evaluated the separate and combined effects of behavior modification and 2 doses of methylphenidate (MPH; 0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg) compared with baseline (no behavior modification and a placebo) on the classroom behavior and academic performance of 31 ADHD (attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder) boys attending a summer treatment program. Results revealed significant effects of both interventions, with the mean effect size of medication being more than twice as great as that of behavior modification. Relatively small incremental value was gained by the higher dose of medication or the addition of behavior modification, compared with the effects of the low dose of MPH. In contrast, the addition of either dose of MPH resulted in improvement beyond the effects of behavior modification alone. These group effects reflected those obtained in analyses of individual differences. Furthermore, comparisons of individual responsiveness showed that boys who responded to one treatment also responded to the other.
