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Parental motivation, enhanced care improves ADHD symptoms

Children with consistent attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms who were administered enhanced care by parents and providers exhibited improved symptom trajectories, compared with basic care, according to data published in Pediatrics.

“Our study tested the comparative effectiveness of two collaborative care systems on urban children’s trajectories of inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, oppositionality, and social skills,” Michael Silverstein, MD, MPH, of the department of pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine, and colleagues wrote.

The study included 156 children (mean age, 8.73 years); 141 were examined at 12-month follow-up, according to data. All of the children enrolled were administered care management with decision support, according to researchers. The enhanced care arm included motivational and parental management techniques to improve their child’s treatment.

Forty percent of patients appeared to have symptoms consistent with ADHD, according to data. Six- and 12-month data demonstrated mean changes in inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, oppositionality, and social skills were similar between the two arms, the researchers wrote.

Subgroup analyses for both arms at 12 months showed the mean differences in behavior change scores were –0.14 (95% CI, –0.34 to 0.07) for inattention, –0.13 (95% CI, –0.31 to 0.05) for hyperactivity/impulsivity, –0.09 (95% CI, –0.28 to 0.11) for oppositionality; and 3.30 (95% CI, –1.23 to 7.82) for social skills, according to data.

Those administered the enhanced care arm demonstrated significantly improved scores for hyperactivity/impulsivity (–0.36; 95% CI, –0.69 to –0.03), oppositionality (–0.40; 95% CI, –0.75 to –0.05), and social skills (9.57; 95% CI, 1.85 to 17.28), the researchers wrote.

Due to the fact that these findings occurred in a subgroup analysis, the researchers recommend they be replicated. – by Samantha Costa

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.