Disruptive Behavior Disorders and ADHD: A Problem-Based Learning Activity for Psychiatry Clerkship Students

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Medical Education
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Differentiating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) from disruptive behavior disorders (e.g., oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder) presents clinical challenges due to overlapping symptoms.
• Accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment planning in pediatric mental health.
• A gap exists in structured learning resources for systematically approaching complex diagnostic cases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a progressive disclosure case method for teaching medical students diagnostic evaluation skills.
• To enhance learners' ability to systematically approach cases with attention and disruptive behavior problems.
• To provide a lesson plan for intermediate/advanced learners in child and adolescent psychiatry.

Main Methods:

• Medical students were assigned relevant readings from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and a textbook chapter.
• A child psychiatrist facilitated a 1-hour progressive disclosure case study session.
• A pre- and posttest design was implemented to assess learning outcomes.

Main Results:

• Students reported positive perceptions of the case method, noting emphasis on key learning points and increased motivation.
• Participant evaluations were generally positive, though some preferred traditional lecture formats.
• The intervention demonstrated potential for structured clinical topic exposure.

Conclusions:

• Progressive disclosure case studies are effective tools for structured learning in child and adolescent psychiatry.
• Feedback informed test modifications to better assess factual knowledge acquisition.
• This method can improve diagnostic reasoning for complex pediatric mental health cases.