Objective: Compare observed and forecasted efficacy of mixed amphetamine salts extended release (MAS-XR; Adderall) with atomoxetine (Strattera) in ADHD children. Method: The authors analyze data from a randomized, double-blind, multicenter, parallel-group, forced-dose-escalation laboratory school study of children ages 6 to 12 with ADHD combined…

An increase can be seen in the number of tests designed to assess executive dysfunction in children, but few address ecological validity by attempting to measure functioning in the natural environment. This study examined the utility of the Children's Executive Functions Scale (CEFS), a 99-item parent-report measure. The CEFS was designed to…

This study evaluated the effects of color highlighting during a math computation task on performance accuracy and behavior of students with attention problems. Using a multiple baseline across participants design, three students solved math computation problems on worksheets with and without highlighting. Off-task behavior recorded from videotape…

Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) is a method of social--emotional and behavior assessment that combines the immediacy of systematic direct observation and the efficiency of behavior rating scales. The purpose of this article is to discuss the defensibility and usability of DBR. This article provides a brief summary of (a) the past, present, and future…

This study compared private speech of children with ADHD and normal controls during problem solving and inhibition tasks. Thirty-two children (16 children with ADHD and 16 matched controls) aged 6-11 years participated. Consistent with previous studies, children with ADHD produced more task-irrelevant and task-relevant external private speech than…

A study compared the performance of 21 children without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 33 children with ADHD (ages 8-12), 21 of whom participated in the initial intervention and 12 of whom received the intervention after pre- and posttesting. After completing an 18-week intervention that included attention and problem-solving…

The purpose of the current study is to examine school psychologists' assessment practices of children presenting with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptomology using a case vignette. A random sample of 500 members of the National Association of School Psychologists is sent surveys; 246 are included in the study (49%). Results…

Marie Evans Schmidt and Elizabeth Vandewater review research on links between various types of electronic media and the cognitive skills of school-aged children and adolescents. One central finding of studies to date, they say, is that the content delivered by electronic media is far more influential than the media themselves. Most studies, they…

This study examined the hypothesis that focusing attention away from external stimulation and on the self might improve the task performance of students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Forty-three middle school students, (12 with hyperactivity, 4 without hyperactivity but inattention, and 27 without either attention deficit disorder…

This study examines executive function and its relationship to attention dysfunction and working memory. It attempts to document the manifestations of executive function problems in school-related extended processing tasks, such as verbal problem-solving in math and reading of extended passages. Subjects (in grades 1-12) included 49 children with…

Private speech used by high-functioning children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) (n=33) during two executive functioning tasks was compared to that of typically developing children (n=28), and children with ADHD (n=21). Children with ASD were as likely as others to talk to themselves and their speech was similarly relevant and likely to…

Objective: To compare Children's Perceived Parent-Child Relationships (PCR) and family functioning in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and a general population sample. Method: A total of 49 ADHD subjects and 51 subjects without any psychiatric disorder were matched for age, sex, educational level, family income, level…

Randomized adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder to 8-10 sessions of behavior management training (n=20), problem-solving and communication training (n=21), or structural family therapy (n=20). All treatments resulted in significant reductions in negative communication, conflicts, and anger during conflicts and improved ratings…

In recent years a growing body of evidence has implicated deficits in the automaticity of fundamental facts such as word and number recognition in a range of disorders: including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, apraxia and autism. Variously described as habits, fluency, chunking and over learning, automatic processes are best…

Most of the research on academics and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has focused on reading disorders in children with ADHD rather than difficulties in mathematics. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review of studies focusing on students with attention deficit disorders with or without hyperactivity and 1 area of…