Development of a Family–School Intervention for Young Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

This study was supported by Research Grant R34MH080782, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, awarded to the senior author (Thomas Power). The authors thank the participating families and schools as well as the clinicians and research assistants involved in the project, including Kristen Caprara, Michael Cassano, Tracy Costigan, Rebecca Gullan, Jenelle Nissley-Tsiopinis, Elizabeth Ellis Ohr, Katy Tresco, Jennifer Brereton, Sean Cleary, Elizabeth Gallini, Shawn Gilroy, Jessica Gresko, Margaret Howley, Lauren Lee, Brittany Lyman, Celeste Malone, Sean O'Dell, Lynn Panepinto, Timothy Pian, Elyss Pickenheim, Sarah Robins, and Brittany Whitehead.

Abstract.

Although numerous studies have evaluated the effectiveness of multimodal psychosocial interventions for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, these programs are limited in that there has not been an explicit focus on the connection between family and school. This study was designed to develop and pilot test a family–school intervention, Family-School Success—Early Elementary (FSS-EE), for kindergarten and first-grade students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Key components of FSS-EE were family–school behavioral consultation, daily report cards, and strategies to improve parent–child relationships and family involvement in education. FSS-EE was developed using a multistep iterative process. The piloted version consisted of 12 weekly sessions including 6 group meetings, 4 individualized family sessions, and 2 school-based consultations. Families participating in the study were given the choice of placing their children on medication; 25% of children were on medication at the time of random assignment. Children (n = 61) were randomly assigned to FSS-EE or a comparison group controlling for nonspecific treatment effects. Outcomes were assessed at post intervention and 2-month follow-up. Study findings indicated that FSS-EE was feasible to implement and acceptable to parents and teachers. In addition, the findings provided preliminary evidence that FSS-EE is effective in improving parenting practices, child behavior at school, and the student–teacher relationship.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jennifer A. Mautone

Jennifer A. Mautone, PhD, is a clinical and research psychologist in the Center for Management of ADHD/Community Schools Program at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Her research interests focus on developing and evaluating multisystemic interventions (i.e., interventions involving the family, school, and health system) for children and families coping with ADHD.

Stephen A. Marshall

Stephen A. Marshall, MS, is currently a student in the clinical psychology doctoral program at Ohio University and a research coordinator for the Center for Intervention Research in Schools. His research interests focus on enhancing intervention and diagnostic practices for youth and adults with attention and learning problems.

Jaclyn Sharman

Jaclyn Sharman, MS, is a clinical research coordinator at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. She has extensive experience in the management of large-scale, publicly and privately funded research studies and particular expertise related to clinical research in hospital, primary care, and school settings.

Ricardo B. Eiraldi

Ricardo B. Eiraldi, PhD, is an assistant professor of clinical psychology in the Department of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on the clinical presentation of ADHD in ethnically diverse children; the application of help-seeking behavior models in the study of health disparities; and the development of strategies for addressing mental health services disparities in the inner city.

Abbas F. Jawad

Abbas Jawad, PhD, is an associate professor of biostatistics in pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He has extensive experience in coordinating statistical analysis for large clinical studies, with particular expertise in the methodology of repeated measures and longitudinal studies, measurement errors, and the effect of initial measurement on the estimation of treatment effect. He has served as a key investigator on numerous studies involving psychosocial intervention development and evaluation in schools and clinical settings.

Thomas J. Power

Thomas J. Power, PhD, is a professor of school psychology in pediatrics, psychiatry, and education at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as director of the Center for Management of ADHD and chief psychologist at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He has received funding from the National Institute of Mental Health, the Department of Education, and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau to conduct research on multisystemic interventions for children with ADHD. He is past editor of School Psychology Review.