None of the mediators or moderators tested affected methylpheni date efficacy .
Academic improvements were small compared to symptom improvements ; qualitative changes limited to math .
Academic improvement is amongst the most common treatment targets when prescribing stimulants to children with ADHD .
Previous review s on stimulant-related academic improvements are inconclusive and focus on task engagement .
Recent literature suggests outcome -domain-specific medication effects that are larger for productivity than for accuracy .
The aims of this study are quantifying methylpheni date effects on academic productivity and accuracy for math , reading , spelling ; exploring the mediating or moderating effects of symptom improvements , demographic- , design - and disorder-related variables .
Stimulant Medication and Reading Performance
The study examined the sustained effects of methylpheni date on reading performance in a sample of 42 boys , ages 8 to 11 , with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) . Two subgroups were formed based on the presence or absence of co-occurring conduct disorders . Subjects were selected on the basis of their positive response to methylpheni date as determined in a series of original medication trials ( Forness , Cantwell , Swanson , Hanna , & Youpa , 1991 ) . For the purpose of this study , subjects were placed on their optimal dose of medication for a 6-week period and then tested on measures of oral reading and reading comprehension equivalent to those used in the original trials , retested after a week without medication ( placebo ) , then tested again the following week after return to medication . Only the subgroup with conduct disorders responded , and this response was limited to reading comprehension improvement in only those subjects who also demonstrated improvement in oral reading on original trials . No response differences were found between subjects with or without learning disabilities
None of the mediators or moderators tested affected methylpheni date efficacy .
Academic improvements were small compared to symptom improvements ; qualitative changes limited to math .
Academic improvement is amongst the most common treatment targets when prescribing stimulants to children with ADHD .
Previous review s on stimulant-related academic improvements are inconclusive and focus on task engagement .
Recent literature suggests outcome -domain-specific medication effects that are larger for productivity than for accuracy .
The aims of this study are quantifying methylpheni date effects on academic productivity and accuracy for math , reading , spelling ; exploring the mediating or moderating effects of symptom improvements , demographic- , design - and disorder-related variables .