A Randomized Effectiveness Trial of a Behavioral Teacher Program Targeting ADHD Symptoms

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Behavioral Interventions

Background:

• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) presents significant challenges in classroom settings.
• Behavioral interventions for ADHD require effective, scalable classroom-based strategies.
• The Positivity & Rules (PR) program is a teacher-focused intervention designed to address ADHD symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the PR program in reducing ADHD symptoms and improving functioning in primary school children.
• To assess the impact of the PR program on behavioral, social, and emotional functioning in the classroom.
• To determine if the effects of the PR program generalize to the home environment.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 114 primary school children exhibiting ADHD symptoms.
• Participants were assigned to either the PR program (n=58) or a control group (n=56).
• Teacher and parent ratings were collected at baseline, during, and post-intervention, with intention-to-treat multilevel analyses used for assessment.

Main Results:

• Teachers reported significant improvements in ADHD symptoms and social skills for children in the PR program.
• Effect sizes for observed improvements in the classroom were substantial (0.01 < f² > 0.36).
• Observed benefits of the PR program did not extend to the home setting.

Conclusions:

• The PR program demonstrates potential as an effective intervention for managing ADHD symptoms in the classroom.
• The program may help prevent the escalation of behavioral problems in children with ADHD.
• Further research could explore adaptations to enhance generalization of effects to home environments.