School-based intervention for adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Effects on academic...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Multi-component interventions like the Challenging Horizons Program (CHP) benefit middle schoolers with ADHD.
• Research on ADHD interventions for high schoolers is limited.
• This study adapted CHP for high school students with ADHD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of an adapted CHP for high school students with ADHD.
• To assess improvements in proximal (organization, homework) and distal (grades) academic outcomes.
• To compare CHP outcomes against a community care (CC) condition over a 6-month follow-up.

Main Methods:

• 186 high school students with ADHD were randomized to CHP or CC.
• CHP was delivered over one school year.
• Data collected included parent, teacher, and self-reports, grades, and achievement tests.

Main Results:

• CHP significantly improved parent-rated organization skills and homework performance (d=0.32-0.58).
• CHP showed a small positive effect on grades, slowing decline compared to CC.
• No significant effects were found for teacher or self-report measures.

Conclusions:

• Adapted CHP is effective for improving organization and homework performance in high schoolers with ADHD.
• CHP may help mitigate grade decline in this population.
• Consideration should be given to supplementing CHP with academic skills instruction and extending its duration.